This is not official art. It’s fan art. Pixiv member Kanon Kamishima created the piece and uploaded it in 2013. This week, similar art was spotted on a Dragon Ball Z toy. The artist apparently had no idea.
The art depicts Super Saiyan God Goku. It is not official, but has been widely circulated online as a DBZ wallpaper. My assumption is that it was mistakenly thought to be official.
This Dragon Ball Z medal was previewed in the most recent Saikyo Jump manga.
[Photo: 614_HSO]
When asked about the collectible toy, Kamishima replied, “This is the first I’ve seen this. I wasn’t asked about this. The heck is this?”
The medal, which is used for spinning tops, hasn’t gone on sale. Yet. But if it does (I doubt it will), Kamishima did mention putting in a compensation claim.
What’s tricky is that while Kamishima created the image (or, at least, a similar one), the artist does not own the copyright to Goku’s likeness nor is the artist responsible for said likeness. But Kamishima did create the image. See? Tricky.
Top photo: 神島かのん
Comments
3 responses to “Dragon Ball Z Toy Shows Why Fan Art Is Tricky”
No, not tricky. Any artist commissioned to make official artwork would be paid. Fan artists shouldn’t make money off other’s intellectual property. Once this appears on an official product, it becomes official and compensation is due.
Exactly this.
He isn’t allowed to make any money off it without the rights holders permission because it contains someone else’s IP.
However he owns the IP for that piece and no one can use it without his permission in the exact same way.
It’s pretty simple.
Reminds me of when someone’s fanart was used as a texture in “Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing” accidently thinking it was official art and also mistaking it for another character altogether.