Jujutsu Kaisen’s official X account has issued a stern warning to fans, reminding them that recording parts of movies in theaters in Japan can result in a hefty punishment. This comes after illegally recorded footage and images of the new anime film Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution were posted on the internet.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution opened at movie theaters in Japan on November 7. For the uninitiated, the compilation movie edits together the Shibuya Incident arc of Seasons 1 and 2 of the popular supernatural anime. However, the big draw is that it also contains the first two episodes of Season 3, which have yet to be aired.
The official post from the anime’s official X account points out that recording videos or images of a movie in theaters in Japan is a crime, and that posting said clips on social media constitutes copyright infringement. “If copyright infringement occurs in violation of the Film Piracy Prevention Law or the Copyright Act, penalties may include up to 10 years imprisonment, or a fine of up to 10 million yen, or both,” the post cautioned. This warning was posted in both Japanese and English on November 11.
This punishment may seem surprising but it is the same one that all viewers are warned about when they go to the movie theater in Japan, regardless of the film. Japan even has a mascot for this, the aptly named Camera-man, who is designed to deter people from illegally recording or photographing movie broadcasts.
If you go to see a flick in Japan, you will be treated to a short humorous trailer featuring Camera-man, a guy in a black leotard with an oversized camera on his head, being chased by Patrol Lamp Man, a policeman with a giant flashing siren on his head. This is the “NO MORE Eiga Dorobo” campaign, a weird mix of Japanese and English which translates to “No more movie theft.” Although they may look lighthearted and fun, all these campaigns warn viewers that recording or snapping a photo of any part of the upcoming movie could land you with a 10 million yen fine (approx. $65,000), 10 years behind bars or even both punishments.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s official X post has prompted diverse opinions from users. Many English language posts criticize the production company for “gatekeeping Japanese movies” because they are showing Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution in Japan before other countries, and question why there wasn’t a simultaneous worldwide release to deter such recordings. On the flip side, many of the Japanese language comments accuse people who illegally record movies of being “selfish” and question why they cannot wait until they can see it for themselves.
Other recent anime movies have come with similar warnings on social media. Back in September, Chainsaw Man- The Movie: Reze Arc’s official X account also posted that illegal movie theater recordings of the critically acclaimed movie had been leaked online, and also reminded users of the possible legal ramifications. Back in May, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’s X account also issued a similar bilingual warning about secret, illegal recordings and the punishments for perpetrators in Japan. All three anime movies were distributed by Toho, which may explain why the warning posts are so similar.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution hits theaters in the UK on November 14 and the U.S. on December 5, with a number of other countries getting the movie in either November or December.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
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