Legal Question in Intellectual Property in Massachusetts

Re: Copyright Related

Sure. They can license the material from the original copyright holder for the purpose of subtitling and distribution in the US. This will of course cost them something which means they would have to obtain revenue from distribution of the licensed materials to pay the licensing fees. However, this license would be of mutual benefit to the copyright holder (distribution of the work in a new market) and the licensor (anime is big right now; profit potential is good).

THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE IS GENERAL IN NATURE AND IS NOT INTENDED, NOR SHOULD IT BE CONSTRUED, AS LEGAL ADVICE. THIS POSTING DOES NOT CREATE ANY ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US. FOR SPECIFIC ADVICE ABOUT YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION, CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY.

Re: Copyright Related

They can negotiate with the copyright owner for some mutually agreeable arrangement, whether licensing rights or some agreement to act as a distributor of the protected work. Perhaps the copyright owner wants its material distributed in the US, and might be open to discussing something agreeable. Sometimes distribution deals can be struck for small or no payments of money.

But if the work is truly copyright protected, and the copyright owner has not agreed to the use of its work, the user risks both civil and criminal liability for infringement under the Copyright Act. Each independentact of infringement is a separate violation of the Act, each of which is both civilly and potentially criminally punishable.

Contact me to discuss possible negotiation/licensing/bartering options.