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Kodansha Claims Permission Was Not Given For ANARC Fashion Brand's Use of Akira Bike
posted on by Kim Morrissy
Last August, illustrator Cotoh Tsumi drew the visual for a t-shirt produced by the ANARC fashion brand. The illustration depicts a girl with a motorcycle. However, after recent allegations regarding the artist tracing other people's work, the motorcycle's similarity to AKIRA's iconic red bike has come under question. Responding to a request for comment by entertainment news outlet J-Cast, Kodansha stated on Wednesday: "We have not authorized the illustration used in this product."
On February 3, Cotoh issued a statement on Twitter admitting to tracing parts of photos and other media as "references, homages, and recreations," and that they did not obtain permission to do so. Regarding their illustration work for ANARC, they declined to comment to J-Cast on Wednesday because they were "not clear on the intent of the project." ANARC also declined comment due to "the lack of clarity around the project's intent."
The illustration in question is also alleged to be similar in composition to a photo of a toy product of the AKIRA motorcycle, which Bandai reissued in May last year. The girl in the illustration also resembles a photo of the actress Mei Nagano standing next to a bicycle.
Source: J-Cast via Yahoo! News, Hachima Kikо̄
