This is an image of Capcom's upcoming e-Capcom retail store in Tokyo's Odaiba area. It's grand opening kicks off April 14, and will carry all sorts of goods and paraphernalia.
The store's interior is decked out with artwork and displays from the company's more recognizable brands, and while Mega Man is present and accounted for, the art used to promote his products isn't official: it's unauthorized fan-art.
Read on for the full story.
Eagled eye fans were quick to notice something wasn't quite right with the Mega Man art displayed in the store's back left corner:
In actuality, this is piece belongs to none other than CAP Kobun; a talented Mega Man aficionado well known for his authentic art style. So authentic, in fact, Capcom mistakenly though it was theirs. You'll find the original piece below, drawn in 2008 to commemorate the release of Mega Man 9:
Oops.
Granted, the store's grand opening is a little ways off. There's an adequate amount of time to either rectify the mistake, or give credit where credit is due. CAP Kobun, meanwhile, is flattered. There's no hard feelings, but he does hope Capcom will ask permission next time.
... Better yet, why not just hire the guy?
Source: My Game News Flash
Yay! A Capcom store.
ReplyDeleteThey should open one in America so I can go there and hear the clerk say "Mega-Who?".
As much as some childish MM fans want to boycott Capcom and see them burn, the opening of this store suggests Capcom is prospering financially.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good thing after all, for MegaMan. I'm glad to hear about this.
They should open one in America and we will say bring Megaman legends 3 back! :)
ReplyDeleteLulz, oops indeed. Since it was made back in 2008, I'm sure CAP Kobun's work has gotten much better. I've seen much more accurate fan art since then and I'm guessing it's probably from him/her.
ReplyDelete"He does hope he'll receive permission next time."
ReplyDeleteWhy would he need permission?
@Dhylec: Just because Capcom has enough money to open this store doesn't mean they're going to utilize Megaman in a way that unambiguously proves that they still care about the series. But at the very least, it and Capcom's other series aren't currently at risk of falling into some dead-company legal void. So I guess it's mostly a good thing in the technical sense?
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, I hope that Capcom will at least give CAPkobun credit.
As much as I would like them to open a store in my city, let alone Canada, there's no way in hell that is happening.
ReplyDeleteIronically, since Capcom owns the rights to Rockman/Megaman and probably also his "likeness," CAP Kobun should have been the one asking for permission to "publish" (on the interwebs) artwork featuring a character he doesn't have rights to. Just because in most cases, companies turn a blind eye to "fan works" of copyright infringement (as that makes for bad PR), it doesn't make said infringement technically permissable.
ReplyDelete-ud
1) If Capcom permits it, it is permissible.
ReplyDelete2) Capcom does not automatically own derivative or parody works, even if those works, themselves, are in violation of their copyright.
I wouldn't get my hopes up for anything Mega Man-related to come out of Capcom directly.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, you can still see B'rer Rabbit at Walt Disney World but the company will never acknowledge the existence of Song Of The South much less put it back on home video.
Video games? Obviously not.
DeleteFigures and other merchandise they directly licensed? They'll be in this store.
I really find it funny how the fan base says Capcom has killed Mega Man when we've gotten so much Mega Man related merchandise I'm the past few years alone than in the entire franchise history.
As a toy collector and Mega Man fan, I'm happy as hell with Capcom and the franchise.
Oooooyeeeee... What... the hell... is wrong with Capcom's little subsidiary companies? First, the Mega Man 10 website uses artwork from the then-same-named game by MegaPhilX and company, now this? I'm sure there's been several more instances in-between.
ReplyDeleteCapcom. What the hell. I know you're not the only ones doing this (hello, IGN!), but still. Capcom. Jesus.
This is hilarious to me, for reasons I'm not even sure I'm allowed to disclose...
ReplyDelete@LBD:
ReplyDeleteNow you've piqued my interest. Lemme guess, there won't be any Mega Man merch there?
More likely a NDA associated with a copyright case involving fan artists or something. If he says he can't say, he really can't say, it's not something you can tease out of someone.
ReplyDeleteI hope fans ask a lot for Rockman DASH content until the store goes out of merchandise (if they aren't expensive, of course), and other Mega Man series too like T-shirts of X using Hadouken and ShadeMan with Resident Evil zombies dancing Thriller! XD
ReplyDeleteMy idea of "playing Megaman" does not involve placing him on a shelf.
ReplyDelete