GUNMA (TR) – Gunma Prefectural Police last week announced the arrest of a 49-year-old man who is suspected in the online sale of counterfeit erotic figures of anime characters over the past decade, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Feb. 21).
In November and December of last year, Takuya Matsuda allegedly sold four figures of the character Kanan Matsuura from the anime series “Long Live! Sunshine!!” to three persons, including a 29-year-old government employee living in the town of Yoshioka, Gunma on an auction site for a total of 51,750 yen .
According to police, the figures infringe upon the copyright of Sunrise Inc., the animation studio that produces “Long Live! Sunshine!!”
Matsuda, who is an employee at a publishing company living in Muko City, Kyoto Prefecture, admits to the allegations. “I did it repay debt and cover living expenses,” the suspect was quoted by police in admitting to the allegations.
The counterfeit pieces are popular among anime enthusiasts, who refer to them as makaizou (demon modified) figures. They include the head of a popular character, such as Kanan Matsuura, but the body has been changed to likely include a busty chest or seductive pose.
Based on bank records, police believe the suspect received about 39 million yen from the auction site through the sale of such figures over the past 10 years.
