CNBC AI News, July 31st – According to the Japan Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), the operator of the Chinese website “Sakura Anime” (樱花动漫) was placed under criminal investigation by the Chengdu Public Security Bureau in Sichuan Province on October 14, 2023.
On December 13, 2024, the Tianfu New District People’s Court of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, delivered its initial verdict in the case:
The operator was found guilty of copyright infringement and sentenced to two years imprisonment, along with a fine of RMB 10,000. He was also found guilty of forging private documents and sentenced to seven months imprisonment, coupled with a fine of RMB 5,000.
The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in a total sentence of two years and three months imprisonment, and a combined fine of RMB 15,000.
The operator appealed the initial judgment. However, on July 4, 2025, the Chengdu Intermediate People’s Court upheld the original ruling in its second instance judgment. The sentence is now effective.
Sakura Anime, a website operating in Chinese, primarily featured Japanese anime with Chinese subtitles. The case underscores the ongoing battle against copyright infringement in the digital age and highlights the challenges faced by content creators and distributors.
Between 2017 and 2021, the website repeatedly changed its domain name while continuing to operate for profit. It allegedly disseminated over 2,100 anime series (approximately 30,000 episodes) without the consent of the rights holders. This brazen disregard for intellectual property rights has landed the operator in hot water.
Two major Chinese video platform operators, holding legitimate licenses from Japanese rights holders for approximately 180 Japanese anime series (around 2,000 episodes), filed a criminal complaint with the Public Security Bureau in August 2021, alleging unauthorized distribution by Sakura Anime. These platforms, locked in fierce competition for eyeballs and subscription revenue, are increasingly assertive in protecting their content investments.
Reportedly, these two companies had repeatedly requested the website operator to remove the infringing content since September 18, 2018. The requests were ignored. This defiant stance likely contributed to the severity of the sentence.
Furthermore, the companies filed three administrative penalty applications with relevant agencies, detailing the extent of their financial losses. Despite these penalties, the individual brazenly continued to operate the website for profit, demonstrating a clear pattern of intentional infringement.
Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/6060.html
