Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno takes action against his face being printed on men’s underpants
The veteran animator, filmmaker, and director Hideaki Anno found himself in a rather peculiar situation when his likeness was unknowingly printed on various common-day items and sold on Amazon. Online users discuss the strangeness of the ordeal and wonder why the director’s face was chosen to be featured on the products.
The items in question seem to have been put up for sale by a Chinese distributing company by the name of Lehaimrlin. Taking a look at their Amazon store, the sellers seem to specialize in producing unofficial merch featuring the faces of notable figures, such as K-pop artists and Japanese models. However, why the distributors chose to also sell prints of Anno’s face on blankets, eco bags, and men’s underwear still remains a mystery. The items using the director’s face have been removed from the seller’s store as of September 28, however, various items using the faces of other celebrities remain on the store’s page.
When Bengo4, a Japanese site dedicated to sharing news pertaining to litigation and legal advice, reached out to Anno’s anime studio Khara about the strange situation, they could only confirm that the director had nothing to do with the selling of the items. The site also reports that Anno is currently proceeding with a lawsuit for the unauthorized use of his face, however, whether it will be against the sellers or Amazon isn’t mentioned.
Although the distributors wrongly used Anno’s likeness to sell their products, many online users were amused by the strangeness of the situation, with many finding the notion of the anime director’s face appearing on household items to be humorous. One user commented, “This is serious news, but the picture is so funny I can’t help but to laugh.” Some users believed that, had the items been sold by the director himself, they might actually have become popular. Conversely, a larger amount of users wondered what kind of person would want to own such items. One user questioned, “Who’s gonna wear underwear with Hideaki Anno’s face on them lol.”
Other users commented on the impending legal trouble awaiting the Amazon seller. One user commented, “Lots of companies have been reproducing photos and illustrations without permission for a while now, but it looks like these guys have finally stepped on a landmine lol.” Users also mentioned the violation of Anno’s personality rights, as one user commented, “I can’t help but smile at this refreshing violation of portrait rights (portrait publicity rights). I wonder why they would try to manufacture and sell something like this… I guess they thought that Anno would’ve found this funny and forgiven them.”
According to the Public Relations Society of Japan, “Portrait rights are the exclusive right to use one’s own portrait. When using another person’s portrait, permission must be obtained from the person’s portrait rights agents.” Since the sellers used Anno’s as well as a variety of celebrities’ faces seemingly without their permission, they could be subject to legal action. Users more familiar with Japanese law also chimed in on the ordeal. A lawyer specializing in legal affairs relating to entertainment commented, “This could be considered a violation of publicity rights, but why doesn’t the article mention that? Naturally, I’m concerned about rights infringement.”
Although most users found the situation to be quite comical, some users who’ve experienced the unauthorized use of their own works could understand why the director would want to pursue quick litigation. A user commented, “I’ve also had my illustrations used without my permission and then sold on Amazon, but it’s even worse for it to be your face.”
It appears that for Anno, the discovery of his face being used to sell products without his knowledge was no laughing matter. Whether or not Anno’s lawsuit will reach the courts is still unknown, however, the quickness in which the director sought out the removal of the offending items may be an indication of how serious he is about protecting his public image.
