Square Enix Sues Final Fantasy Cosplay Parody for $325,000
- Categories: Anime, News
- Date: Aug 5, 2009 21:43 JST
- Tags: Comparison, Copyright, Cosplay, Final Fantasy, Korea, Square Enix, Video Gallery
Square Enix has sued the producers of a music video containing cosplay recreations of scenes from its CG movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, and has been awarded a 400,000,000 won ($325,000) settlement for copyright violation.
The basis of the case is that Korean producer “Phantom Productions” violated Square’s copyrights and used “modified” sections of the movie without permission, in a successful music video used for commercial purposes. Korean courts agreed, and ordered Phantom to pay damages.
It is certainly undeniable that the video resembles the movie very closely. Whether it actually used sections of the movie as Square’s lengthy crowing insists is less apparent, though courts recognised the fact, so it is presumably the case. However, it does appears that the commercial cosplay was also an issue…
You can see the music video below:
Nico has spliced Advent Children together with the cosplay for comparison purposes (this is not the version made by the Koreans!):
Japanese commentators’ usual hatred of Korea is readily apparent in the general response, which is delighted. However, Japanese producers are famously no stranger to occasionally making “tributes” to other works, so there seems to be a double standard at play.
Additionally, a substantial number of Japanese cosplayers freely make unauthorised use of copyrighted properties in commercially created parody works, some on a highly commercial basis.
Whether parody or plagiarism, cosplayers will doubtless be concerned if the precedent spreads beyond Korea, none more so than TMA…
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They should add some extra to the bill for tainting a holy name of Advent Children with this shitty video, and most of all, this shitty music.
Oww, my ears hurt..
Hey, nice rock video XD
If only the news report has being cut off...
Not that the music doesn't suck, but Advent Children was pretty stupid too. Or at least heavily disappointing
Yea I did enjoy the music.
Anyway I think the animation and acting is done a lot better than anything Hollywood has produced, in the case of anime adapted movie that is. But I do agree with the copyright issues =D
If they were trying to profit from this film which is a music video without the consent of copyright owners then yeah Squarenix as the right to sue.
I kind of feel bad for the Artist who made the Video it cost her money.
I dunno it could count as parody and parody can be sold commercially.
Honestly even if they included the whole fight the fight least less than a minute, I think this is a case of corporate assholery.
They could of gotten away with it if the ask permission. I do agree it would of counted as a parody but they didn't bother use that in there own defense.
Does the parody forgiveness apply in Korea? This could have gone their way if they produced it in the U.S and most of Europe as far as I know.
Advent Children was a fan wank, and a terrible one at that. You FF7 fanatics are really being milked (of sperm, probably).
oww, now mah butt hurt.
Yes it was and I came buckets.
Who cares if there was no plot plus a lame excuse to revive Sephiroth?
It was all just eye candy, delicious candy.
I wasn't really wowed by its visuals either. AC boasted technical prowess, but when it came to finding its own cinematic style, it was pretty darn mediocre.
Agrees with the anon above ~ visuals will never make up for a bad story. No matter how masterful the technique, a painting of poop is still poop.
@OnionKing: I'd say it was one of the best movie i've ever seen. The action scene is High Nitro-fueled Adrenaline, for my kind of taste that's almost perfect *thumbs up*
When the hell did Final Fantasy become holy?
With the release of Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IX.
I rest my case.
Amen to that.
actually now they can use this money to fix up FF13
OH truth.
It's kinda sad that this looks better than anything Hollywood has ever done with anime (cg movie in this case).
This made me lol!
But this raises the question of...when does cosplaying cross the line?
I guess when there's money to be made from it, then its probably not wise to do it without proper licensing.
But sometimes we hit grey...
as artefact has mentioned in the article, some cosplay works are "on a highly commercial basis", suggesting a double standard.
conceptually cosplaying is a tribute to the original work where as the case of this music video focuses more on the song and the singer while borrowing FFAC as a side dish and not giving square enix enough credit.
in other words, if you use your own music or singer to promote the game/character through cosplay it shouldn't be a problem. but if you use the concept of the game to promote your own product that's crossing the line. that's how i'd interpret.
This was more than just cosplaying. Camera angle, action and effects were clearly trying to copy the original. Artefact is an idiot.
^ lol "Artefact is an idiot" best line I ever read in this site, and I cant agree more
my roflcopter goes soi soi soi @ anon's fail at interpreting the article.
The plagarism is blatant.
Then again, japanese studios often include tributes and references to other animes without "permission". These are abundent in the film/anime and visual sector of japanese industry and there arent too many cases of copyright infringement enforces. What i find interesting is that S.E. decided to pursue against a korean studio although i personally found the imitation distasteful.
There does seem to be some sort of a double standard or favoritism and that is always a trouble maker.
just because youre paranoid.
lol
Lol just watched the video.....not sure what to say =))
I'm quite impressed they done it quite faithful to the orginal.I guess that what would be more or less what FF would look like IRL
Isn´t this old news?
Or have they done it again?
If they´ve done it again, man SquareEnix keeps getting money. I just hope they bring it good use.
No.. it's the same one... apparently they appealed last time, which just came to conclusion right now... unfortunately for them, it just increased the money they must pay to SE from US$244,000 to US$326,000....
ok. Then I know. Thanks for the info :)
nice music but dumb producer
She's definitely no Tifa... I mean, I wouldn't mind if any of the Girls Generation girls did a video copying AC, but eww...
I do not want any of the girl generation to have to pay for such video.
is it just me or is the little girl in picture 3 (middle one) look extremely dumbstruck or what?
i want them to stop making the vid... spend the 300,000 bucks on beers and stuff
It's good that Korea is finally at the receiving end after throwing so much crap at Japan. Burn in hell you third-rate wannabes. Hope the north nukes 'em good!
stupidest comment ever. you dont know shit.
Lol, funny. As if N.Korea would help S.Korea..
Obvious troll is obvious.
Since genetic markers and archeological evidence suggest that the Yayoi people came mostly from the Korean peninsula, I assume that the "crap" thrown at Japan by Korea of which you speak is its population.
haha, owning trolls with facts...
thats new
/sarcasm
Wow, 3D actually looks better.
Which 3D..? :3
orz
They shouldn't have made it for commercial purposes.
AD was twattickling bullshit anyways. The original VII died after AD popped out.
It's AC you twat.
Fake Storm Wing tries to bash prinnyprince, eh??
It's not plagarism. It's just "inspired by"... you know... alot XD
Obviously this is too close to be a parody. But there are unique scenes in the clip: the somersault kick of the female protagonist for example (Tifa in the original does an air throw).
Anyway, the producer for this videoclip should do the live-action movie of Dead or Alive, Dragonball Evo, King of Fighters, Street Fighter II (the one with Chun-Li for example) and Tekken, since some of choreography is quite good when compared to the movies that are made by Hollywood.
The problem is that they chose square to rip off. Am I the only one who sees them as one of those 'we'll sue you' corporations?
i think Square went after an American sword internet site for selling non licensed Final fantasy swords.
lulz.
Square Enix should be humble and thankful that people actually have parodied their second worst movie ever...
Needless to say that the worst of the worst was Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. ( ﾟ,_ゝﾟ)
I was unaware Square had made any other movies BESIDE those two.
You forgot Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, Fanal Fantasy: Unlimited, and Final Fantasy: Last Order.
agreeed
Hmm.. Korea? Bet some are claiming "We did this first!!" just like Robo Taekwon V..
And Pepero.
Can i see where you got your sources from.
yeah im not sure where you heard this from...
and im sure pepero has never claimed its first anywhere...
Robo Taekwon V?
I thought "The Japanese giant-robot manga and anime Mazinger Z was popular in South Korea at the time of Robot Taekwon V's creation, and Kim Cheong-gi freely discusses the influence of Mazinger Z on his cartoon, saying he wanted to create a Korean hero for Korean children."
exactly, he doesnt say his was first and that his is better or the original.
i know japanese cultural products were banned in south korea until 1998...
the music video is utterly black fro the whole 4 minute with text running but still no music??
is it broken link?
They copied to make money, they have to pay money. Perfectly alright.
Not the best stuff, still probably better than anything Hollywood can produce.
So they made a pop video with a scene graph of FF:Advent Children, the base tune of 'Für Elise' with Korean/English vocals.
Guess Beetoven has it good to have died deaf, or he would rotate in his grave..
Anyway, can't very much sympathize with inhibiting artistic expression due to "intellectual property" considerations. It's actually not a scarcity. It's just bullshit of our modern society.
Well, don't forget about the U.S. music "artists" who have used other pieces of classical music for their own.
"Guess Beetoven has it good to have died deaf, or he would rotate in his grave.."
Very true. The crap is everywhere ...
JIGATENAI! eAè
This is all old news to me. This lawsuit was filed a long time ago-last year I think. But yeah, the whole thing was their fault for playing off something that's already multi-billion franchise. It makes me sad to think that's the only reason they did it. Though the song itself isn't too bad, I'm sure they could have thought of something better to use than FF. Oh well.
They ask a fugly korean bitch to play as Tifa? In their face they get sued
Apparently Korea doesn't have parody laws
They really don't.
Many of their TV shows use music, graphics, and sound effects from other works.
Not surprising. It's a complete rip off.
A rather slow reaction?
They should have had to pay more for involving Advent Children with this sad example of music.
My point exactly.
That's some pretty good action they put into the movie.
Resembles the original pretty much.
I still don't get that why they were sued.
i loled hard
Alot of things I saw from Korea are basicly stole/borrowed from Japan. For example Manga = Manhwa, their Drama,fashion and a whole lot others simply originated from japanese style. Are they just Japan wannabes?
you made me Lol man
are you naive or just half-witted?
why the heck American people didn't invent a new language after they found their own country?
Why they still speak English? Are they brit wannabes?
you made me Lol man
are you naive or just plain half-witted?
why the heck American people didn't invent a new language after they found their own country? why they still speaks English? Are they all brit wannabes? Are you one?
Yes because Japan is completely original and didn't copy a shit-load of things from Americans and western culture in general. Let's also add the pioneer of manga, Osamu Tezuka, never got completely influenced by Disney's work, manga is totally original!
GTFO.
actually, the japanese industrial sector is primarily based on taking western innovation, refining it heavily and selling it off as an advanced model. Although i do not dispute that the Japanese are innovative, that is what their industrial and technical sector has been like for the past 30-40 years.
Korea has taken this a step further and has taken refined material and has gone further in many cases, or does what the japanese do and sell it for 75% of the cost.
Manhwa cant be called a copy of manga because manhwa has also been around since the start of manga. Its simply a name difference. We dont call hispanics copycats because they call cars as 'coche' while some call it 'car'. Its just how it is.
Korean drama, fashion, music and in general, the entertainment business is far superior to japanese currently. In these areas, it is korean ingenuity and these are the areas that have recently propelled korean international popularity.
Addressing the 'japanese wannabe' concept is simple. In 1910, the wealthy korean sector was heavily into learning japanese culture and importing foreign goods because they could and because japan at that time was thriving economically and more socially evolved than korea. Then when the occupation began, wealthy japanese families and their kin came over to live in korea. Suddenly you have rich and wealthy japanese living in korea where most are poor farmers. Obviously, people look up to the wealthy and educated classes. This concept of adoring imports (particularly japanese) continues to linger in many koreans, although the advancement of korean goods has massively cut down this type of blind adoration.
Because the japanese were once held to be superior (mostly by their wealth and japanese cultural transfer and brainwash during occupation), there is still a mentality in koreans that japanese goods are superior while in reality, many korean goods are just as good if not in some cases better.
But this is a japanese proto culture site, so it doesnt matter what the truth is, to many people, korea will always be a 'poser' nation of japan, even when it will eventually outclass in the coming decades.
If you read this all and can make a logical comment, please do so.
troll post is trolling
saying something with baseless facts doesnt make something superior or inferior
i give the label of superior in this case to better acting/plot lines/ production/ marketing/ international adoption/ international popularity.
am clearly not a troll.
I'd have to respectfully disagree that most are facts. Most are assertions of opinions. Marketing and popularity, maybe, but that goes hand in hand. And it is is only because Korea aggressively markets their TV programs to the overseas market. Japan, on the other hand, does not. As far as plot is concerned, I'd have to say that is one of the weak points of Korean dramas, since many of them use the same plot formulas and character archetypes over and over again. It's utterly predictable. Not to say Japanese dramas are any better, I find them to have higher production values but lack interesting characters to relate to and plots that sometimes seem hard to really consume or find plausible. Some of the shows tend to go for the eccentric/eclectic slant as far as plot goes but I find them to be arbitrarily placed without giving a good reason. So I would say it is a matter of opinion which you like better.
Music and fashion? Hmmm, you don't really hear much about Korean fashion having influence on a global scale, I would think Japan has the edge there. Music, Japan has the 2nd largest music market in the world and it's diversity in musical genres is greater than that of Korea, so I would have to say Korea at this point isn't "superior" as you see it. In reality, Japan is more sophisticated musically than Korea, just look at the Pop charts of both nations. Most of the top acts of Korea are Boy bands, Idol groups, Hip-hop acts, R&B, or a mixture of those. If Korea truly considers itself to be influential musically than they should showcase more real musicians/bands who write their own music instead of just performers and idols who dance and sing pop songs.
^
True, Korean drama shows are often bland and without interesting plots, but Korean execution of dramas is often done more proficiently than Japanese shows. When Korean shows become hits, most of Asia does tend to notice and quickly follow the trend. Fashion recently has been led by Korea, not Japan; but both nations flock to European and American clothing anyways.
The music market may be larger in Japan, but the genres of music you listed is what Korea is exporting. Contrasting those genres between Japanese and Korean, and many will give the nod to Korean KPOP over JPOP (however subjective it may be).
My whole point though is to sum up that while Korea is behind Japan, we are only just behind and in seen in other respects, many could argue that we have finally caught up.
I'm not sure what you mean by proficient but I would say this, I think Korean dramas are more relatable to a broader global audience in terms of human themes than Japanese dramas.
I'm not an expert in fashion but I do know there are plenty of notable Japanese designers who are recognized internationally but Korean ones I'm not so knowledgeable of.
As far as music, I do think some of the most well-known Asian artists internationally are from Korea, but I still don't think based on market size and sophistication that Korea is the one blazing the trail. For me the biggest artists sound too much like their American counterparts.
Having said all that, I don't want to sound like I'm going "tit for tat" about Japan and Korea. Korea has come a long way in a short amount of time and incidents like this lawsuit/verdict shouldn't put a blemish on a whole country. But for the studio and the artist herself, I'm a little embarrassed seeing how they blatantly ripped off FFVII. But like I said, I wouldn't indict a "whole" country for something like this.
How about this:
All anime conventions have cosplayers who's cosplay is based on copyright material. And people who organize such conventions, do make money out of it. You see what I did thar?
Music is pop, so :-/.
Anyways, IT'S Korea pulling a "China". XD
and your pulling a douchebag
not really, he's right.
Time Paradox in the Video.
Also as for the suing...Why now? That video has been out there for a long time. Square Enix must be running low on funds again.
Maybe at the beginning they weren't making too much money for Square Enix to make it an issue?
*face palm* to the MV. They seriously should of seen it coming...
Nevermind the video, someone sue them over that song being so horrible!!
i search on youtube nad i cant believe it post on March 09, 2007
@@ 2 years ago, now only they start the sue?
link > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugwcKnN7nek
thats not the day he uploaded its the day the user created the account on youtube
fail
Yeah this is pretty much racism at work. All I got to say is one word: doujinshi
Though I don't understand what the people were saying the video looked and sounded pretty good. (--) They got what they deserved for stealing FF scenes...next time they should ask for permission.
those ppl who said the cosplay was bad...
what the fxxk u've been smoking?!
not only this is a superb cosplay, it almost had everything needed in a first class action movie, a real hollywood standard movie, not those cheesy cheap Japanese ones. It's got great costumes, right actors attitude(which is largely missing in most of the amateur cosplaying), very clean action moves and mature cinematography.
Koreans may not be the most original bunch of ppl in the world but they have a way of combining the good stuffs and infuse them with their own energy. Instead most Japanese stuffs are just plain stubborn in their own tacky style.
Most of Japanese's comercial film and movie makers should die in shame comparing with Korean's sheer talent.
I agree with the cimatographic and cosplay part, it's good. But what makes it horrible is the song. It aint got no emotional impact whatsoever, just an easy going shaky-shaky mood. Absolutely, totally not fit for video.
With all the other comments you posted here, this is the only one i tend to agree with, that song is just not right at all.
Also some Japanese movies just don't sit right with me, like Machine Girl, pretty much a WTF movie.
No matter how good the prep is, when you get an ugly bitch to cosplay Tifa, then it's fail.
Once again, Squeenix proves that they're total pricks....
THIS IS WHY KOREA AND JAPAN ARE NEVER ON GOOD TERMS!!!
AND IM KOREAN SO YEA
music suckz
actor ugly as hell
let's just hope korea learn their lesson of pulling a china because only china can do that
Wkkkk LOL
I thought the whole idea of cosplay was to take an anime and get people to dress up like the characters
so cosplay is now illegal....
It looks a bit too much like the ripped material to be called a parody or rendition, besides they made this video for monetary purposes. If it was a bunch of cosplayers just having fun I'd call bullshit, but this is a professional work.
Also about the double standards: happens everywhere, Japan is no exception.
Exactly, this isn't a matter of 'parody' or plain old 'cosplay' this is scamming another persons work. So many other comments don't see why they are suing or they say it's just like cosplaying at a convention. What? Have you seen how they stole another persons work? That's not parody, that's called stealing. Figure it out people.
what is this music at second video. so nice
LOL PWNED! hahahaha
This one enter in my grey area.
It goes like this:
My personal morals and principles are ALWAYS against big corporations trying to sue others for copyright infringement... mainly because I'm against copyright laws.
I personally think that copyright laws as they are today create a miriad of problems that is so deep in our culture people can't, won't, or just refuse to see.
- Families living on the sucess of their parents even when they don't deserve it and have contributed nothing to society;
- Anonymous singers that has fortunes enough to feed the starving population of an entire African country only because they made one record that had sucess in the past;
- Corporations that has so much money from charging absurd prices on their products who fuels Associations like RIAA and MPAA to sue individuals who commited no crimes but try to make a living;
And the examples go on.
With a culture like that, also tons of people not only accepts that, but also grow up trying to be part of it.
To make a big invention and retire for the rest of their lives, to make one big music hit thinking of the money and not on the fans, to use the legal system milking money from others...
BUT, if we are to conform with present laws and how big corporations act, yes, this lawsuit is to be expected.
And everything who copies, be it a tribute or not, should be worried too.
Basically it goes like this: Big companies like Square Enix, tons of Hollywood studios, and record labels conveiently pick what they should or shouldn't put a lawsuit on.
It's like a mining process. Some people who copy their content will have the money to pay, and people/fans/local justice system will agree said people deserved that lawsuit.
In this specific case Squeenix hit jackpot.
In other cases, like let's say, a cosplayer who yes, gets some money from it, but not much. A lawsuit will result in loss of money, in fans protesting, in the loss of free publicity, and in contradicting the common sense that cosplay is a harmless and even profitable copy of their content. Some will call it "tribute", but if you think straight, any copy can be considered "tribute".
So yeah, it's our old rotten pure capitalist math. Nothing else.
The very same idea applies to fansubs, fanart, videos that are removed or not from YouTube, and stuff like that.
Unfortunately, it's the age we live in. Corporation rights always superseed that of individuals.
a bit late to start suing. this video has been around for years
the ONLY CG in the music video is special effects there is no Footage from advent children this BS would never fly in the US
Old news. I heard about Square Suing the korean company that made this music video about a year ago.
Haha Koreans. Fuck them.
obvious troll is obvious.
Wow that was really well done... and I kinda like the song too. Do I spot Reno among the dancers in the dancing scenes?
Old news is old.
I'm more insulted by the constant horrible abuse of Beethoven and other classical composers by people that can't write music
Should they sue the make of Dead Fantasy as well??
Fuck the Koreans for doing this to a Legendary name, curse them.
Oh fuck of square enix is nothing more than a game with the same basic theme and same basic characters.Ive seen RPG's with a more creative spotlight then final fantasy! If you have any right to dis a country then go jump off the fucking planet you retarded japan obsessed fag.
2harsh.
I guess...Man I got low down my temper
WHAT THE HELL SC!???? FUCKING OLD!!?!?????????
http://release.square-enix.com/news/j/2009/08/9r25uovmh.html
Notice the date on their press release.
They rape the FF again
full of copy MV from thailand "FF8 and FF10 fusion"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUnJ3S97aPI
Old news is old.
i thought this was an AV for a second. no tifa titties? nigga please i'm outta here.
I remember an interview of "Weird Al" Yankovic I have heard - Weird Al is one of the best maker of parody music and videos, the reason he never get sued for his work is simple, he always ask permission so nobody gets bent out of shape.
Parody is not an issue in this Korean MV, it's clearly reproduced the scene and costume for it's own commericial purpose, not a parody intended to pay homage to FF7AD, so saying it's a parody in court would not make it a vaild defense anyway.
Cosplay is not an issue here either, it's clearly for commericial purpose here, so it breaks the unwritten rule where copyright owner usually don't sue if the cosplaying is for private interest.
What about TMA making cospr0n? Clearly they are for a commercial purpose,
WTF IS THIS CRAP!>:(
never have i rofled at an article so much. SUCKS TO THEM! LOL
parody lame
Square won in Korean court!?
how unusual...
well anyway, justice has won.
cosplay is OK, but this was too commercial.
OMG that was FULL of FAIL!!! ripping of FFVII like that... I REALLY wonder what they were thinking when they produced that video, and surely, SURELY, they must've seen FFVII Advent Children to get the Ideas.... sometimes i wonder about some people, but they got what they deserved :D
This is crazy that Square would sure for so much money.........damn
I'ma get flamed by all of you for this I guess, but honestly, nobody noticed the script at the start in the ottom saying that this a recreation of the scen from FF vii AC for commerical usage? Of course I could be making a fool out of myself with posting this, but you guys are being idiots for being so obsessed with it. And no I do not dislike SE nor do I dislike Korea, I have the FF vii AC dvd, I liked it, and yes I did like this video, even though it was yet another fur elise one
humm surely someone's gonna sue them for using beethoven's 5th? or did they pay their dues for that at least?
K-pop = insta-fail. The video was a good attempt but the adult models were fail. Now I see why SquareEnix wants to sue them xD
Damn Korea~
아이비 좆됐내..
Whatever the outcome of the suit, I'd like to see what the director of that video would do with a good full-length feature script. If the video is any indication, the visual effects alone would be worth a look.
one thing is for sure
that's an ugly as tifa
tifa has bigger boobs too lol
Compare to getting sued by a student this seem perfectly normal.Now we all know where SE got their money to buy Edios.
it's ok because it's like advertise...
what a kill joy, square are
And people will continue to zombishly throw money at SE so they can support their many lawyers to sue fans who do this.
That's why SE games are so overpriced.
You get what you deserv...
Violation of the (c) what would they expect, cookies? :P
I think SE should also sue the company for choosing a butt ugly girl to cosplay Tifa. That's a grave insult to the very pretty Tifa. XD
pfft they should be paying the directors of the music video. The video is better shot than most Japanese theater movies and videos put together.
Shameless KimuTifaｗｗｗ