Anime News

Anime Expo: Anime Piracy
Date: 7/14/2004
ANIME EXPO 2004: ANIME PIRACY
Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation's (SPJA) Stance On Counterfeit/Pirated/Boot-legged Products

Anaheim, California (July 14, 2004) With the increased interest and popularity of Japanese Anime and Manga within mainstream America, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) continues to support anime and manga industry companies in their stance against counterfeit/pirated/boot-legged products.

"The SPJA does not condone the sale of counterfeit/pirated goods. The SPJA has strict policies and works hard to enforce them at all of our events," states SPJA CEO Jennifer Pon.

During Anime Expo 2004, several exhibitors were given warnings to remove counterfeit products from their floors. Exhibitors that continued to sell counterfeit/questionable products were escorted from the exhibit hall floor and were not allowed to return.

"The SPJA has really taken a strong stand against the wave of counterfeit DVDs and merchandise flooding the market. I'm extremely pleased at the amount of cooperation given by Anime Expo this year to help combat the sale of illegal goods and look forward to working with them for future shows", states Jerry Chu, Marketing Manager of Bandai Entertainment.

Trulee Karahashi, SPJA CFO, states "The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation's (SPJA) goal is to promote legal animation and manga in the United States. We (SPJA) do not encourage or tolerate illegal goods in any way, shape, or form. We have worked very hard to provide a convention (Anime Expo 2004) which is bootleg-free, and we strive to work with the licensees to promote legal anime and manga. We do not show, sell or exchange illegal merchandise or boot-legs nor do we allow illegal boot-legged merchandise to be sold at our convention."

Next year, Anime Expo 2005 will take place from July 1-4, 2005 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Stay tuned for more information at http://www.anime-expo.org.

Anime Expo, the world's largest anime/manga convention, serves to foster trade, commerce and the interests of the animation and comics industry by serving as a key meeting place for members of the industry to conduct business. AX2004 sponsors included Viz Comics, Animerica, Geneon Entertainment, Bandai Entertainment, ADV Films, Gravity Interactive, Tofu Records, Newtype USA, Anime Network, Deleter, City of Hope, Animation Magazine, Atlus, Ulead Creative Intelligence and Gonzo.

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation is a non-profit organization with a mission to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans.
Source: Anime News Network