One of Square Enix's Tokyo offices was recently raided by the police

More recently I happen to find a *much more detailed version* of this article as mentioned here: http://www.animeherald.com/2014/08/06/high-score-girl-accused-copyright-...

The article I linked also mentions some description on how copyright laws in Japan in addition to this link on the full description as listed here: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Copyright_Act_of_Japan#Chapter_VIII_Penal_...

Since it's a criminal court case taking place in Japan and not the US itself, Square Enix won't be able to do plea bangers in Japan since they been forbidden their.

This alone means Square Enix will have to defend against the at least 100 instances of copyright infringement with SNK Playmore and should Square Enix actually end up losing to all those defenses they alone would have to pay up over 1 Billion Yen in damages (due to the sheer fact it's 10 million yen per copyright infringement loss, up to 10 years in prison or even both).

I've also notice this article as well that happened a few days ago as seen here: http://sgcafe.com/2014/09/square-enixs-high-score-girl-manga-also-copyri...

In all honesty to this I seriously think Sega should of re-considered the idea of suing Square Enix while they had the chance considering the sheer fact that Square Enix also used one of their Virtual Fighter characters even before Sega got the chance to say either yes or no.

If anyone from Sega is actually reading this I got word for you: You guys better hope this yes consent doesn't include the Jurassic Park arcade I've noticed in the manga awhile back (as I already have linked it before) because Square Enix alone would also have to ask permission from Universal Studios to also include the likeness of Jurassic Park and if Square Enix hasn't done so before hand, it's more then likely that Universal Studios will catch wind of that going on.

Your right about this one ClassicGamerGuys, and just recently when I look at further manga strips of High Score Girl I've also noticed the two characters also playing the Jurassic Park arcade as seen here: http://www.goodmanga.net/high-score-girl/chapter/13/2

Seems like even Universal Studios should also catch wind of this as well as Sega since its likely High Score Girl also even used Virtual Fighter characters as seen here: http://www.mangahere.co/manga/high_score_girl/c014/23.html

Needless to say, Square Enix is gonna get done for.

The more companies there to sue this god awful mess of a once fantastic game developer the better.

And just when I thought Square Enix was using SNK characters I've just noticed something else that I didn't utterly expect as seen here: http://forums.shoryuken.com/discussion/192213/square-enix-sued-by-snk-pl...

Looks like SNK characters weren't the only ones being used in High Score Girl after all according to that link that had the official manga comic strip but to my surprise they've also been using characters from even Mortal Kombat as well if you look at the strip, seems like somebody needs to fill in Neitherrealm Studios about this as well.

And I also like to add that considering the sheer fact that High Score Girl first started back in 2010 also makes me wounder exactly when that manga series first started showing characters from SNK to begin with, especially considering the fact it's heavily centered on Japan's arcade gaming scene. My only speculation to that is that they started featuring SNK characters in the early runs since their was only 5 volumes of that manga.

As for the crazy idea of what would happen if SWAT was called in just because Square Enix Employees where wielding gunblades from Final Fantasy VIII can become a crazy comic ideal in its own right in addition to some of them all dressed up like Shin-Ra Soldiers that have intent to protect the employees only to get toppled and some crazy Square Enix employees attempt to do monster summonings only to get hand-cuffed as they have a fallout with the cops with one of the cops even mentioning *I knew these guys where up to no good, I even looked at High Score Girl comics myself and even wondered did they even went to SNK for permission to add their characters???*

In the event of Square Enix ever going bankrupt, SNK should buy the High Score Girl franchise.

And lol Magnum

@Sckarton you make an excellent point.

Oh, so it's just a copyright thing? I was hoping gamers finally had enough of their bullshit with the Final Fantasy series and got a sympathetic judge to issue a warrant.

so, SE is sending C&D at fans for making fan made games like chrono trigger remake but they're okay to use copyrighted material from SNK to make money without permission?

also, why capcom in the tags?

@ The Ancient One: they had to call in SWAT because SE employees had gunblades.

@ The Ancient One: You are thinking way to literally about the word "Raid". The Police didn't barge in, guns drawn with riot shields and masks. They most likely just appeared with a court order to search and take evidence. I highly doubt it was all LET US IN! Bang bang, blam blam.

I have a feeling like with the short lived revival of SNKs arcade games with the handheld device that Square did have the rights to use the characters but SNK had a weird fit that the Manga is good(never read it so I don't know) and pulled a similar stunt like here in America with a C&D....minus the Cease and Dissist Order

Then Kingdom Hearts 3 was cancelled.

While I agree SNK should file a lawsuit due to the sheer fact Square-Enix since the company did use characters from The King of Fighters & Samurai Shodown over 100 times without permission from SNK I in trade disagree about the excessive use of police force in Japan used to raid the offices of Square Enix.

On the serious side of things, if the employees of Square Enix had actual weapons with the sheer intent to fight anyone that complained about them using SNK characters for their High Score Girl Magma Series without asking SNK for permission to begin with only then such a police raid would be necessarily.

As for the lawsuit itself, it's likely that SNK will be suing Square Enix for a pretty high amount of money, especially since that SNK's characters where heavily used on that Magma over 100 times as said before without asking SNK for permission to begin with.

At least now SNK will be able to get money to make a new KOF now, lol.

I get that SNK wants to protect its copyrights as the evidence so far clearly shows infringement going on, but a police raid? Is that truly necessary? Or is there some sort of law in Japan that justifies the use of such extreme force?