Demon Slayer Counterfeits Lead to More Arrests Overseas
Demon Slayer is proving itself to be one of the biggest anime franchises today with its recent [...]
Demon Slayer is proving itself to be one of the biggest anime franchises today with its recent release of its first feature length film of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, which is shattering box office records in Japan for its theatrical run, and with its popularity, so to have there been a surge in piracy cases with new arrests being made revolving around the anime! While piracy has always been a big part of the medium of anime, streaming services across the board have offered fans the opportunity to watch their favorite series in a way that they otherwise could not in years past.
This particular case revolved around a man in Japan who was caught selling a number of "fake" Demon Slayer DVDs to anime fans in the East, becoming so successful in this effort that he was able to pull a profit of over $100,000 USD when all was said and done. In response, the man claimed innocence and told outlets that ""I thought they were poorly-made DVDs, but I thought they were officially licensed, so I sold them." While this story clearly has a number of holes, the fact that the man was able to sell so many copies of these DVDs showed just how popular Demon Slayer has become.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train has become the most profitable feature length film in Japan since releasing weeks ago, following a new adventure of Tanjiro, Nezuko, and their friends as they hop aboard a demonic train in a story that continues following the end of the first season of the anime. Rumors have begun to swirl that the studio responsible for both the first season and this new film, Ufotable, is currently working on the second season and considering the popularity of the franchise, it definitely might be the case.
Demon Slayer's story has come to an end in the manga, wrapping up the story of Tanjiro and his monster hunting friends, but rest assured, there is plenty of material left to mine for future anime adaptations of the series and we definitely wouldn't be surprised to see a sequel story for the series emerge down the line!
What do you think of this story of counterfeit anime revolving around the Demon Slayer franchise? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of demon hunting!