CATDOLL: China will remake the "Ultraman" TV series, and the Japanese government said it has never authorized it

During the 2016 Shanghai International Film Festival, Zhuhai Qi'ao Tianzun Cultural Development Co., Ltd. and Beijing Tianyue Dongfang Cultural Media Co., Ltd. announced that they had obtained the relevant copyrights of the Japanese super IP "Ultraman" and would remake a large-scale live-action series in China and give it a new image. But soon, the plot turned around. The producer of the "Ultraman" series, Japan's Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd., issued a harsh and tough official statement, saying that it had never made any licensing authorization to Qi'ao Tianzun and Tianyue Dongfang.

According to the plan announced by Zhuhai Qi'ao and Tianyue Oriental, they will adapt and promote the original Ultraman series in the fields of online dramas, TV series, and big movies, and will be involved in derivative and peripheral products, games and other business areas. Tianyue Oriental has also been emphasizing that it "has obtained the copyright of Ultraman TV series and movies."

However, the "Ultraman Image Authorization Document Signed in 1976" on which it was based, which has been determined to be forged, does not contain any rights to produce new works in the Ultraman series, that is, it does not include the right of adaptation. Therefore, various plans announced have no legal basis.

In a statement, Tsuburaya Japan said that the only general agent of the "Ultraman" series in the People's Republic of China is Shanghai Xinchuanghua Cultural Development Co., Ltd., and any business related to the Ultraman series should be contacted with the company. Tsuburaya Japan said: "We strongly condemn any unauthorized use of the Ultraman series, including the content released this time, and will take all legal measures to protect our legal rights."