Rip. Sell. Jail.
The LoveLive! Series production team has released a press release (post) advisory with regards to the counterfeit goods and other infringing merchandise. This was posted last February 5, 2021.
ラブライブ！シリーズよりお知らせです。#lovelive pic.twitter.com/0k6Amcf8Ip
— ラブライブ！シリーズ公式 (@LoveLive_staff) February 5, 2021
To translate the embedded Tweet, it says:
A person who made and sold the card products using the character artworks of the LoveLive! Series without obtaining permission and rights was arrested by the Ibaraki Prefectural Police for the suspicion of violating the copyright laws.
But then, despite repeated police raids, there are still many cases where some merchandise that infringe the LoveLive! Series’ copyright regulations are appearing through online selling websites, shopping apps, and some events.
The act of manufacturing, selling, or distributing the Love Live! Series goods without the permission of the copyright holder, regardless of the unauthorized use of the official illustrations or the autographed illustrations, infringes the copyright.
We will continue to take strict measures against copyright infringement and continue our policy of not refusing to file criminal charges for malicious infringement.
We would like to ask our fans not to pick up such copyright-infringing goods.
We look forward to your continued support of the “Love Live!” Series.
The Project LoveLive! Series
* Advisory post: https://www.lovelive-anime.jp/uranohoshi/news.php?id=7394
Sometimes, being a LoveLive! fan has its own limitations. Therefore, you can use them for personalization. Don’t even think of selling them or putting them into auction. Not only you face a fine, but you go straight to the jail for many months up to life-time or eternity.
The Japan’s war against piracy and copyright infringement still continues. Especially when the revised copyright law in Japan was now in effect, the fans and other people out there must be warned, and the incident that happened recently should be a lesson.
* Via their official verified Twitter account (as seen in the embedded Tweet above) and their official website.
ABOUT LOVELIVE! SERIES
LoveLive! Series is a Japanese multimedia Anime series that first appeared in year 2010. Created by the collaborative companies, Dengeki G’s Magazine (ASCII Media Works, a KADOKAWA Group Label), animation studio Sunrise (Mobile Suit Gundam Series, City Hunter, etc.), and Lantis (music label for known artists like JAM Project), it debuted on June 2010 with the first animation PV released by the first School Idol group.
The series has been spanned with a total of four different series (including the new Yuigaoka Girls, or Liella!). It has been also spanned with a total of over 350 songs, 60+ different albums and singles, at least five video games, and more than 15 live and show stage concerts made.
Several TV Anime series has been also produced since year 2013, and the recent TV Anime in the series, the LoveLive! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club, has been aired since October 2020, and lasted for at least 13 Episodes in its first season.
This series has also collaborated with several companies in order to expand its marketing audience, ranging from local tourism, seasonal events, and up to some limited collaboration events in another video game series or another Anime series.
