Several Japanese companies, including Denny's Japan, Lumine Ogikubo and Saison Card, they suspended the use of illustrations created by the mangaka Hisashi Eguchi after receiving accusations of having traced images without authorization for advertising campaigns.
Companies stop the use of their art
The case originated after Eguchi published one of his illustrations for the event on social networks Chuo-sen Bunkasai of Lumine Ogikubo it was based on a “perfect image” he found on Instagram. Later, the model and writer Kyuu Kanai he identified the image as his own and expressed surprise at seeing it used publicly without prior consent.
Although Eguchi claimed to have contacted Kanai and obtained his approval after the campaign premiered, the controversy led to Lumine Ogikubo to remove all promotional material and cancel the related event “Chuo-sen to Manga to Jinsei”.
Other companies also react
Denny's Japan he announced that he will review the production process of the illustrations and will stop using them “for the moment”. Likewise, Saison Card it suspended its use until the situation was clarified, while the optical chain Zoff he reported that he is investigating Eguchi's use of art in a 2018 campaign.
Artist statement
In an email sent to the newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, Eguchi noted that he is responding to companies' queries and reviewing the case together with a lawyer specialized in copyright and image rights. He indicated that he has been advised to do not issue public statements until the investigation is concluded, although he plans to offer a full explanation later.
Who is Hisashi Eguchi?
Hisashi Eguchi is a japanese mangaka and illustrator born in 1956. He is known for works such as Eiji and Stop!! Hibari-kun!, in addition to having designed characters in productions such as Roujin Z, Perfect Blue and Sonny Boy. His style has been influential in contemporary Japanese illustration and high-profile advertising campaigns.
