We would like to bring the following copyright-related matters to the attention of all participating schools.
The contest guidelines include the following requirements regarding the creation of submitted works:
- Submitted works must be original and previously unpublished.
- Works must not infringe upon the copyrights, portrait rights, privacy rights, trademark rights, publicity rights, or other rights of third parties.
However, we have seen cases in past contests where works were difficult to consider original and unpublished, and raised copyright-related concerns, including:
- Works showing notable similarity to previously published works by others
- Works incorporating free-use materials
- Works depicting existing fictional characters
In order to prevent such issues and to ensure that all participating students can create their works with confidence, we ask that all participating schools deepen their understanding of the importance of copyright and intellectual property rights.
We kindly request that each school implement educational activities using the materials listed below.
Please also review Sections "8. Judging Criteria" and "9. Notes on Artwork Creation and Rights" of the official contest guidelines, available on the Manga Kingdom Tosa portal site.
We sincerely appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
