The fourth of July was not a day of celebration for Toei Animation, who were forced to announce their plans to take legal action against those who deem themselves worthy of uploading illegitimate copies of the latest Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie online. After being hacked on 6 March earlier this year, vital data for this highly anticipated film was damaged, the initial release date subsequently postponed, and it seems that the studio refuses to be taken advantage of again. Piracy is not to be taken lightly, as those who poured their heart and soul into this Dragon Ball creation are the only ones who deserve any credit.
After just ten days since Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero was released (11 June), around 3000 various copies of the film had already been leaked, most of which appeared to be voyeuristic in nature. These numbers are ten times greater than the illegal uploads of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, and if the studio doesn't take a stand now, things are only likely to escalate. Although restricting video access in the cinemas is a tall order, those caught, or found at the back-end of these uploads could face severe consequences.
According to copyright law, Toei Animation has the right to insist upon a 10 million yen fine, 10 years imprisonment, or both, from each culprit that is found guilty. The Japanese Legal System considers a breach in copywriting to hold just as much weight as any other criminal activity, for which the victim can claim the highest possible repayment, calculated by potential profit loss. These cases can also be brought to the criminal court according to the Film Anti-Spying Act and the Copyright Act, surpassing the "slap on the wrist" stance that some other countries take.
Leaking footage of this nature discredits those who worked tirelessly to entertain Anime fans, as they are essentially cut out of the financial loop. Partaking in watching these illegal clips is just as disgraceful, and those who consider themselves true fans should wait for the official Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero international release date to get the full guilt-free viewing experience.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero will be intermittently released outside of Japan from 18 August 2022 onwards on Crunchyroll.