Macross Legalities

[cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by magnuskn

Gotta watch that video when I get back to Germany, I got a pretty terrible connection here. Anyone wants to summarize?

it seems the most important part is that on March 14 2021, Harmony Gold's licenses expire and return to Tatsunoko

Sadly I only expect to see more lawsuits by them before that time to make the most out the license while they still have it.

[Tak]

I am not going to lie, in my mind, I've killed HG more times than I can count...

- Tak

[wavehawk]

...I'm still not over the fact they actually told HASBRO to stop selling a particular G I Joe toy because it 'kinda looked like' a Not!Valkyrie Veritech Fighter. Really? I mean I get the whole mess-up because Hasbro originally got a Macross Toy included in their G1 Transformers line, and the lawsuit eventually got dismissed but...


...next thing you know they'll be trying to sue Grumman aerospace for copying the actual F-14 Tomcat on the Not!Valkyrie Veritech Fighter...

[Convoy]

*snort* Yeah, that was beyond ridiculous on Harmony Gold's part.

I can only assume that a motivation of "Take this!" played a role in Hasbro's decision to use a version of Generations Thrilling 30 Jetfire in the SDCC 2017 Revolution boxset.



Fuck you, Harmony Gold! *flips middle fingers*

[Dextro]

Just 4 more years guys... just 4 more...

Harmony Gold's Macross, Mospaeda, Southern Cross Licenses Still Expire in 2021

The situation is still a mess though...

[Tak]

Originally Posted by Dextro

Just 4 more years guys... just 4 more...

Not soon enough!

- Tak

[Convoy]

No bloody way!

[wavehawk]

I know that Max Factory is planning to put out a Figma/EX:Ride Mospeada out. If I found out I can't buy it in an English-speaking country because Harmony Gold prevents it, I will grab plenty of wooden bamboo bbq sticks to shove------

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Convoy

No bloody way!

I deleted my post because I was informed that the actual rights still only expire in 2022.

But this case just increases the odds of the rights actually expiring.

Relief Granted in favor of Respondent

a. Claimant's right to use the Programs for production and/or exploitation of new works expires on March 14, 2021 along with any extant sublicenses as all rights to the Programs revert back to Respondent at that time.

b. Upon expiration of the term of the Operative Agreements, the Claimant no longer has any right to use or exploit derivative works produced during the term, which contain portions of the Programs, as rights to the Programs revert back to Respondent at that time.

c. Claimant has no permanent, exclusive, and irrevocable copyright and trademark rights in the Programs as same shall belong to Respondent on expiration of the term in 2021;

d. Upon expiration of the term, Respondent shall have the right and option to disaffirm/cancel any existing licenses, assignments and/or other agreements extending beyond the term as may have been entered into by Claimant with others granting any rights in and to the Programs;

e. Claimant is to pay to Respondent the sum of $42,543 as a result of the audit subject to any remaining proper offset rights due to the Big West legal fee expenditure.

Basically, it made sure that everything ends after 2020 and Harmony Gold would not be able to argue otherwise.

[wavehawk]

If they've only got rights until 2022 or so I wouldn't put it past them to start milking their licenses for a ll they're worth on one hand and having their lawyers hunt down anything that even resembles their licenses in the other.

[Tak]

Originally Posted by wavehawk

If they've only got rights until 2022 or so I wouldn't put it past them to start milking their licenses for a ll they're worth on one hand and having their lawyers hunt down anything that even resembles their licenses in the other.

They could try, except all their recent attempts, including kickstarters, had been colossal failures. Lets keep it that way.

- Tak

[magnuskn]

I have high hopes that the shitheels will have to declare bancrupcy in 2023, then. :-/

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by magnuskn

I have high hopes that the shitheels will have to declare bancrupcy in 2023, then. :-/

Sadly Harmony Gold doesn't rely on Macross IP. So losing the IP doesn't hurt them. If they DID rely on the IP to survive they would have gone bust years ago.

[ReddyRedWolf]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

Sadly Harmony Gold doesn't rely on Macross IP. So losing the IP doesn't hurt them. If they DID rely on the IP to survive they would have gone bust years ago.

From my understanding HG will loose also Southern Cross and Mospeada if Tatsunoko calls quits.. Shadow Chronicles, Love Live Alive and that UN anniversary PSA all use Mospeada derivatives. The Sentinels never used new original footage based on Macross. Using Zor mecha and Inbit mecha.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by ReddyRedWolf

From my understanding HG will loose also Southern Cross and Mospeada if Tatsunoko calls quits.. Shadow Chronicles, Love Live Alive and that UN anniversary PSA all use Mospeada derivatives. The Sentinels never used new original footage based on Macross. Using Zor mecha and Inbit mecha.

It is generally understood that the entire group of IPs had not made money in years. Harmony Gold is a law firm, that just happened to do "Robotech" on the side. They are just sitting on the IP hoping to either earn royalties by suing people or having the rights bought back. But it sound like the Japanese owners will just wait for the rights to relapse instead.

[wavehawk]

It may just be a long day at work causing me to go delusional, but...I'm suddenly picturing Harmony Gold petitioning to Donald Trump to demand Japan surrender all rights to them "For the good of all Americans"...

...I need a drink. I really need a drink.

That aside, Just how much pull does bloody HG have in non-US English speaking countries? I'm still sore that it's difficult to legally import Bandai Star Wars kits because of that @#$@#$ that Revell pulled (whining to Disney that Bandai should not be selling their superior product outside of Japan and China), and it affects Australia. But I'm hoping HG have got nothing to stand on here.

[Tak]

Originally Posted by wavehawk

It may just be a long day at work causing me to go delusional, but...I'm suddenly picturing Harmony Gold petitioning to Donald Trump to demand Japan surrender all rights to them "For the good of all Americans"...

What if I told you Donald Trump found new (positive) popularity in Japan in recent days?

But thats besides the point.

- Tak

[ReddyRedWolf]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

It is generally understood that the entire group of IPs had not made money in years. Harmony Gold is a law firm, that just happened to do "Robotech" on the side. They are just sitting on the IP hoping to either earn royalties by suing people or having the rights bought back. But it sound like the Japanese owners will just wait for the rights to relapse instead.

Real Estate actually whose founder was convicted for fraud by an Italian court.

[wavehawk]

Originally Posted by Tak

What if I told you Donald Trump found new (positive) popularity in Japan in recent days?

- Then I'll have to disobey my doctor and switch from drinking red wine and Vodka to Industrial Bleach. At this stage my brain doesn't need to be pickled in alcohol, it needs something just short of a full frontal cortex lobotomy.

I wonder what HG's stance is on other semi-related Macross merch like...this:

[magnuskn]

Not sure if this relates to our franchises legal struggles against Harmony Gold, but here we go:

YouTube

https://youtu.be/k3Z3-y0mr00

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