On October 29, 2024, Japan witnessed a historic action against audiovisual content piracy. Three men were arrested for transcribing and distributing the complete script of Overlord III on a website, including dialogue, character actions, and scene development. The operation, conducted by the Japanese police in partnership with KADOKAWA and CODA, marks the first time that transcriptions of anime scripts have resulted in arrests in Japan.
Among those accused is a 38-year-old executive from a company in Shibuya, along with two employees. According to authorities, the three maintained a website that published detailed scripts for Overlord III , as well as other productions such as Godzilla Minus One . This practice, which generated revenue through advertising, directly violated the copyrights of the copyright holders, affecting revenue from original content and the sustainability of the anime market.
KADOKAWA, one of the affected studios, stated that transcribing content in such detail violates legal protections and harms the financial returns of the creators. The company also emphasized the importance of protecting the economy of the Japanese cultural industry and encouraged consumers to support official versions of products.
In addition to combating piracy, CODA (Content Overseas Distribution Association) has intensified efforts to raise awareness about the harm that copyright infringement causes to the sector. Recently, CODA worked with Japanese police to dismantle piracy websites in Japan and even in Brazil, expanding its action to an international context.
The practice of piracy, especially the transcription of scripts from popular series, is a threat not only to companies but also to the public, who end up consuming low-quality content. Companies like KADOKAWA emphasize that by purchasing official productions, consumers help maintain a healthy anime market, enabling more investment in new productions and strengthening Japanese culture globally.
The arrest of these three individuals in Japan can be seen as a milestone in the fight against piracy and a warning for the public to value and support official initiatives. Actions like this help protect the future of the industry and ensure that new series can be produced and distributed with quality.
Via KADOKAWA
