There is an incredibly thin line that exists between copyright and fan art, but a company in China is ready to push the limits with its new game promotingShōnen Jump-like characters.Fan favorites have not been spared.Naruto, Goku, and Ichigo have already been spotted in the gacha’s lineup alongside several otherShōnencharacterssince the game’s first announcement back in January.
NamedEnigma of Sépia, the game only garnered more attention when one of its hero debuts, Denise, became its most popular post on X. As pointed out bySLOplaysand others,the five-star unit bears a striking resemblance toChainsaw Man’s protagonist, Denji.The RPG’s biggest selling point is clear as it intends to market thebiggest names inShōnenmangaas characters in its gacha.
Is Enigma Of Sépia Allowed To Promote These Characters Legally?
Copyright Infringement Is A Fickle Beast
The biggest controversy surroundingEnigma of Sépiaand the use of popular shonen characters is the issue of breaking copyright laws. In order to use iconic figures such as Goku and Naruto, companies would normally have to organize a deal with the property owner and gain a license to do so. The game’s main website and stores do not discuss that an agreement was met that would allow them the right to use these characters inEnigma.
A way around this would be the use of transformative content where the game developers, Unicorn Whale Technology Limited, err on the side of caution bymaking the product different enough to separate the two licenses.This is often how fanart is allowed to be sold by vendors at conventions or promoted online since the iconography is unique enough for viewers to differentiate between authenticated products. Iconic scenes recreated by fans are usually supported by companies since they can serve as a way to garner new fans and double as promotion of their brand.
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The issue thatEnigmamay face is:is it transforming the characters enough to avoid a lawsuit?Copycats have had a difficult time in the last year, with companies like Nintendo and the Pokémon Company cracking down on smaller titles that use its designs.Palworldstill has yet to announce if a settlement has been reached overNintendo’s lawsuit for its similar game mechanics.
Will Enigma of Sépia Live Long Enough to See its Debut?
Or Is It Small Enough To Pass Detection?
Enigma of Sépiaappears to be Unicorn Whale’s first project since starting the company, but will it be allowed to exist and promote sales? The game only started promoting itself as of January this year and is counting down toits release date around February 14. Their community is a mix of fans genuinely excited about what the game has to bring and those who do not wish to see characters from their beloved franchises represented like this.
The controversy has also brought into question whether the game was designed using AI, which could be another contributing factor that would get it pulled from Google Play and the Apple Store. The market has been flooded with AI-generated games, but glimpses ofEnigmaso far show thatit appears to be a standard RPG with a story routeand a turn-based 3D battle system that has animated scenes for signature moves.
Between facing copyright infringement and retaliation from fans,Enigma of Sépiahas a difficult road ahead even before its release date. Time will only tell whether theShōnen Jump-like game continues to thrive in light of its many controversies right out of the gate.
