Rekka Katakiri Halts Zetsubō CD Sales After Legal Warning

posted on 2009-12-30 10:10 EST

Singer got writers' OK, but Kodansha claims infringement on merchandise rights

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The singer Rekka Katakiri announced on her "Closed/Underground" dōjin (self-publishing) label's website on Saturday that she is halting sales of one of her CDs after receiving a legal warning from the Japanese publisher Kodansha. According to Katakiri, Kodansha said that the Katakiri-shiki * Mōsō Rumba CD infringed on the publisher's merchandising rights for Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei items.

Kodansha publishes Kôji Kumeta's original Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei comedy manga and co-sponsored the various television and video anime adaptations. Katakiri had released the Katakiri-shiki * Mōsō Rumba CD "maxi-single" on October 11 with her own cover versions of the opening and ending theme songs from the Zoku Sayonara Zetsubō Sensei anime sequel series. She said that she had obtained consent from the song's writers and the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC) before producing and distributing the CD. JASRAC is the society that manages copyrights for Japanese lyricists.

As a result of Kodansha's legal warning, Katakiri plans to modify the CD's printed material and sell the CD again with new packaging. She apologized to her fans and to everyone involved.

In addition to her self-published dōjin CDs, Katakiri has performed theme songs for Higurashi no Naku Koroni Gaiden Nekogoroshi-hen, Shin Koihime†Musō, When They Cry - Higurashi, and various videogames.

[Via Platy Carpa]