Top court agrees anime firm must pay royalties to voice artists
The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a lower court ruling that 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.
The top court thus 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.
The plaintiffs included Masako Nozawa, who acted in popular animated film such as Galaxy Express 999 and Dragon Ball and Ichiro Nagai who acted in a TV animated cartoon program, "Sazae-san."
In their suit, the plaintiffs claimed that they are entitled to royalties for sales of the videotapes of the films and the TV programs in which they acted.
In November 2003, the Tokyo District Court ordered only the affiliate to pay the plaintiffs a full amount of royalties they had demanded.
In response to their appeal against the ruling, the Tokyo High Court held not only the subsidiary but also Nippon Animation responsible for paying royalties to the voice actors and actresses last August. (Mainichi)
http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp/news/20050629p2a00m0dm015000c.html
