Nippon Animation Co Ordered to Pay Loyalties to Voice Actors

Date: 2005 June 29 06:54

Posted by Davie

According to the Mainichi Daily News on Tuesday the Supreme Court ordered Japan's largest animation production company to pay royalties to voice actors and actresses for the sales of videotapes of animated films in which they acted.

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Masako Nozawa who acted in popular anime serieses like Dragonball and Galaxy Express 999 and Ichiro Nagai who acted in a TV animated cartoon program, "Sazae-san" were some of the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs claimed in their suit that they were "entitled to royalties for sales of the videotapes of the films and the TV programs in which they acted."

The Supreme Court dismissed an appeal field by the Tokyo-based Nippon Animation Co. against a Tokyo High Court decision that ordered the firm and an affiliate to pay a combined amount of about 87 million yen to some 360 voice actors and actresses.

It is reported that the Tokyo District Court ordered only the affiliate to pay the full amount of royalties to the plaintiffs back in Novermber 2003 but in a response to their appeal against the ruling, Nippon Animation Co was also held responsible to pay the royalties to the voice actors & actresses by the Tokyo District Court last August.