[Interview with Attorney Kotaro Tanabe]
Utilizing knowledge of anime and manga
Focus on the character business
[Part 1]

Attorney Kotaro Tanabe has a deep knowledge of character content and supports many companies and creators. He is currently seconded to the Cabinet Office, where he is involved in creating an environment that is conducive to the development of anime, manga, and other genres from an administrative standpoint.
This two-part series will explore why Attorney Tanabe is focusing on the character business and the challenges facing the industry.

The origin supported me
Giving back to anime and manga

-What types of cases do you mainly handle at Mimura and Komatsu Law Office?

In the legal field, my main work is related to intellectual property law (patent law, copyright law, trademark law, unfair competition prevention law, etc.). However, it is not just about intellectual property, but I am in charge of a fairly wide range of matters.
In terms of content, I not only create and review various contracts, but also resolve disputes between companies, negotiate licenses, and handle crises. I also handle labor and criminal cases.

In the industrial field, we specialize in the character business area.
We support companies that produce animation, manga, and games, as well as companies that provide distribution services and services in the metaverse, and we also accept consultations from individual creators and performers, such as animators, illustrators, voice actors, and VTubers.
For example, we help people who create works that many of you have probably seen, such as famous animators and voice actors, production companies that make TV anime, and companies that develop YouTube anime with over 100 million subscribers.
We also have cases that involve overseas parties, such as consultations with illustrators active overseas and contracts to license domestic anime works to overseas distribution service providers.

Recently, I have been receiving many requests to give lectures on the character business, such as VTubers and generative AI. In addition, when it comes to generative AI, issues related to the "voice" of performers are an area I am particularly focusing on. I wrote a short essay on this last year (2024) and am also participating as an auditor in the activities of a general incorporated association related to audio data known as "AILAS," so I am receiving many requests not only for lectures but also for media interviews.

▶Details of Attorney Tanabe's case history

- In addition to your work at the office, you also run a free legal consultation service for people involved in the character business calledCharacter-Business and Law" What prompted you to start this service?

Personally, I love character content, including anime, manga, and illustrations, and I wanted to help people in those fields.
In fact, as I received various consultations from people in the industry, I often felt that "if only they had consulted me earlier..." or "if only they had made a proper contract...", so it became clear to me that it would be a good idea to create a refuge for people in legal trouble, specializing in the character business.
The momentum came from the feeling that maybe there were things I could do because I love anime, manga, and illustrations.

-You love illustrations, anime, and manga, which is why you're focusing on the character business.

I feel like anime has always been with me since I was a child. On holiday mornings I would look forward to shows like "Ojamajo Doremi," "Pretty Cure," "Cyborg Kuro-chan," and "Digimon," and on weekday evenings I would watch "Doraemon," "Crayon Shin-chan," "Yu-Gi-Oh!", "Beyblade," "Beast Wars," "Medarot," and the list goes on and on.
When I was in high school, I saw a long take of one of the heroines, Yuki Nagato, in episode 3 of the late-night anime "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya." I was so shocked that I felt like I had been hit hard on the head. From then on, I followed the currently airing anime and rented DVDs of past late-night anime from the rental shop. Of course, I'm still addicted to anime.
I feel that the reason why you are now focusing on the character business is because, at a more fundamental level, you have a strong desire to give back.

-What do you mean by "giving back"?

Actually, I think it's only because of anime that I'm able to do the job I do now.
When I was studying for the bar exam, there was a time when I was a little disheartened. I thought to myself, "Maybe I should give up on taking the bar exam this year," and spent my days engrossed in anime, games, and manga.
At that time, I happened to watch an anime called "ARIA The ANIMATION" by Kozue Amano. The atmosphere throughout the work was really gentle, and the dialogue was wonderful, so I became more and more absorbed in it.
In the third season of this work, "ARIA The ORIGINATION," there is an episode about a woman who has failed the promotion exam multiple times and is hesitant to even take the exam.
The protagonist tells the woman, "No matter when, where, or how many times you want to take on a challenge, that's a clean slate. As long as you don't give up on yourself, it's never too late."
When I saw this scene, it reminded me of the time when I had been feeling disheartened, thinking that it was too late to do it now, and that it would be okay to wait until next year. I still remember how I suddenly found myself crying and felt a sudden sense of relief.
Thanks to that, I was able to sort out my feelings all at once, and I didn't feel weak from then on, and I was able to pass the exam without any problems. In addition to the support of my family and friends, I had one more thing to support me, "anime," and it was very reassuring.
I wondered if there was something I could do to give back to the anime industry since anime has supported me so much. However, the only skills I had were in law, so I decided to use my knowledge and experience to support people in need in the industry, and that's how I got to where I am today.

- As someone who loves anime, manga, and games, what are some of your strengths?

The character business is heavily influenced by industry customs, and there are many things that are not written in books or other sources.
If a lawyer is not familiar with the industry, they will have to explain things that are unnecessary for people in the industry from the beginning, which will take time. It is obviously more efficient to have a lawyer with knowledge of the character business handle the case. I think that because we are involved in the character business on a daily basis, we can provide services that are tailored to people in the industry.
I also believe that being an actual fan of anime, manga, games, and other works and being in contact with them on a regular basis is very important in understanding the content of the consultation, and I feel that this is also one of my strengths.

Lowering the barrier to becoming a lawyer
Creating an environment where people can get advice quickly and easily

-You said earlier that you sometimes think, "If only you had come to me for advice sooner..." What do you mean?

For example, if a problem occurs and you consult us immediately, we can offer you three options: A, B, and C. However, if you consult us after there are more prerequisites, such as "the person in charge on-site responded like this" or "an apology has already been made," or if you consult us after time has passed without us responding, there may be cases where only option C is available.
In terms of costs, if the matter is dealt with early, it may only require a consultation fee, but if a dispute develops, the costs will generally become much higher.
In this way, consulting early can have significant benefits in terms of solution options and costs.
So I thought that first of all, there needed to be a place where people could get advice quickly.

- Why is it difficult to seek advice quickly?

I think a big factor is that the hurdle of "consulting a lawyer" is unnecessarily high. I think many people think, "Consulting a lawyer is for larger disputes, so why consult a lawyer for my own small case?"
It is also true that the costs generally tend to be high. This makes it more difficult to even get in touch with a lawyer, and as a result, people end up giving up on options that they could have had.

-You mentioned industry customs earlier, but I've heard that in industries like manga and anime, there are often no contracts.

The Freelance Law has come into force, and it seems that there is a growing momentum to come to solid agreements, led by leading companies in the industry.
Unfortunately, however, it cannot be said that the practice of making proper arrangements in advance has taken root throughout the industry.
First of all, one of the characteristics of the entertainment industry, including the character business, is that they place great importance on trust and connections. Even without a contract, production can proceed with just verbal exchanges, and in many cases, no particular problems have arisen. This can lead to situations where people feel anxious, thinking, "If I say I'm going to make a contract, it will seem like I don't trust you," or "I'll be seen as a troublesome person and won't get any work from you again," and so they end up not making a contract, or they are forced to reuse the terms of a previous agreement even if they don't fit the current situation. I think many of you reading this interview will nod in agreement.

- The free legal consultation service "Character-Business and LawSo, what kind of consultations do people receive most often?

Most of the time, we receive consultations from people who want to talk about their business or ask for advice. For example, we receive consultations such as, "I am currently in the business of selling goods, but I have decided to develop a new IP. What should I be careful of?" or "What legal risks does this business scheme entail?"
It's important to understand what issues are likely to become problems from an early stage in your business, so I think this is a great way to use it.

ーWhat kind of consultations do you receive from creators?

We receive a wide range of inquiries, such as "I drew an illustration, but will it be judged to be similar to someone else's?", "I received this reply on X, should I contact the other party and explain myself?", and "I'm in this situation, but what rights can I assert regarding the work I submitted?"
We've also been receiving an increasing number of enquiries about generative AI recently from both companies and individuals.
"Character-Business and LawI hope that this will be a small catalyst that will help create an environment where people involved in the character business can easily consult with lawyers.

In the second part, we will hear more about his current activities at the Cabinet Office, where he is seconded, as well as his efforts regarding generative AI and voice rights.
looking forward to!

【2025.3.7】