Cartoonist ZECO (Chen Huangyu).

(Information photo, provided by Mandy)

First draft 2022/09/13 14:30

Update time 2023/01/21 20:08

[Reporter Wu Baixuan/Taipei Report] Cartoonist ZECO (Chen Huangyu) is good at anthropomorphizing weapons and warships, creating series of works such as Girl Weapon and Iron Girl, and has also entered the Japanese animation and Chinese mobile game markets, but has no relationship with the former agency " A copyright dispute erupted in "Friendly Culture and Creation". The two parties have been involved in litigation for more than 4 years. ZECO once lost the first instance, and then appealed to the Intellectual Property Court for the second instance. Last month, the verdict was released and ZECO reversed the victory. It successfully proved the past creation and independent publishing, and regained the copyright of the daughters. .

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ZECO once received an interview with this newspaper and pointed out that in 2006, he joined the friendly place cultural and creative company (Friendly Cultural and Creative Company) and entrusted his creations such as "Girl Weapon" and "Steel Girl" to be brokered by the company's general manager Wang Shihao, earning fifty-five or Sixty-four accounts, cooperation for 9 years, but in 2016, Wang Xiaobao game developer's authorization fee was discovered, and he was called back to the company to sign a business contract, changing the 9-year brokerage relationship to contracting, intending to take away the copyright of the work ; and Wang Shihao said at the time that the company sent staff to assist in this series, and it was not ZECO who completed it alone, and the copyright should belong to the company; the two parties have since embarked on copyright disputes and courts.

ZECO sued Wang Shihao for misappropriating part of his business, and it was decided not to prosecute after judicial investigation.

In addition, ZECO filed a copyright lawsuit against Youhao Wenchuang in 2018 to confirm the copyright of the character image works and the copyrights of the illustration works such as Girl Weapon and Iron Girl from 2007 to 2016. The Taipei District Court rejected it in the first instance in 2020 on the grounds that I agree with Wang Shihao's statement, and I believe that ZECO has signed a contract relationship between the two companies, and I am friendly to Wenchuang as the author.

ZECO could not accept it and appealed immediately.

The second trial was heard by the Intellectual Property and Commercial Court, and the judgment was released in August this year, ruling that ZECO reversed the case and won the case, returning the property rights and personality rights of some related works such as Girl Weapon and Iron Girl to the ownership of ZECO; the key to the judgment is, Is the relevant work funded and hired by ZECO?

According to the judgment, the contract between the two parties was signed in 2016, but ZECO presented various evidences of the "Girl Weapon Intelligence Department" website operated by itself. "WW2 Chapter" sold out information, "Girls Weapons Illustrated Book Modern Chapter" introduction, etc., related personal independent publications are all earlier than the signing date.

In addition, Youshan Wenchuang also stated on the official website in 2010 that the "Girls Weapon Wars 1.0" cards and other products were originally launched by ZECO and authorized by the company's agent. Ming Wang Shihao is the copyright agent, etc., which made the second-instance judge think that if the company owns the copyright, why should it be an agent?

In addition, the judgment pointed out that although the copyrights of friendly cultural and creative works are printed on the books issued by Girl Weapon and Iron Girl, but the books also record that ZECO and Huangyu are the authors, or the copyright holders of the same list, the second-instance judge believes that after the publishing house selects and arranges The illustrated book is protected by editorial works, but it does not affect the personality rights of the works, and the author is still ZECO; although the friendly cultural and creative party pointed out that ZECO’s language works were created by the company team, etc., but did not provide relevant proof, emails with ZECO are reminders, The settlement of royalties, etc., and ZECO also had to bear the expenses of hiring assistants, so the employment relationship between the two parties was not accepted, and ZECO was ruled in favor of the lawsuit.

The case is subject to further appeal.

After ZECO won the lawsuit, he announced the news on his own platform and translated the content into Japanese, successfully attracting the attention of Japanese readers, and even a Japanese Vtuber (virtual live host) decided to start a live commentary at 10:00 p.m. today (13th) to the event.

Friendly Wenchuang's appeal was rejected and the controversial content returned to ZECO

After friendly cultural creation appealed, the Supreme Court returned the case to the Intellectual Property Court. On December 15, 2022, the Intellectual Property Court ruled that the appeal was rejected and the second-instance judgment was upheld without any protest. ZECO officially took back the copyright of the comics disputed by both parties. Publish related new works, let the IP that has been stagnant for 5 years shine again.

Cartoonist ZECO (Chen Huangyu) broke out copyright disputes with Youshan Wenchuang Company. The two sides have been in court for more than 4 years. In August this year, the second trial ruled that ZECO won the case and successfully regained the copyrights of Girl Weapon and Iron Girl. ZECO also shared this matter on Facebook .

(The picture is taken from the Girls Weapon Intelligence Department 2.0 Facebook page)

Manga artist ZECO (Chen Huangyu) is good at anthropomorphizing weapons and warships, and created series of works such as Girl Weapon and Iron Girl, which were well received and entered the Japanese animation circle and mobile game market.

(The picture is taken from the Girls Weapon Intelligence Department 2.0 Facebook page)

The cartoonist ZECO and the publishing house went to court for copyright, because their creations are also well-known in Japan, and also attracted the attention of Japanese Vtubers (virtual live hosts) who will explain the incident at 10:00 p.m. on the 13th.

(The picture is provided by the reader)