FUNimation Sues L33t Pirates over Anime Pirates

Joshawott

Joshawott

Monsieur Monster
AUKN Staff
Couldn't resist.

Source: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... -one-piece

The North American anime distributor Funimation filed a copyright infringement complaint against 1,337 "John Does" over the 481st episode of the One Piece television anime on Monday. According to the suit filed in the Northern District of Texas, the unidentified defendants "collectively participated, via the Internet, in the unlawful reproduction and distribution" of the episode "Ace Rescued! Whitebeard's Final Order!" via the BitTorrent file-sharing protocol. The suit lists defendants by their host IP (Internet Protocol) addresses and Internet service provider. The alleged incidents of copyright infringement took place between January 9 and January 12.

The lawsuit identifies three of the sites where the defendants allegedly found the BitTorrent reference descriptor files for the One Piece episode. The suit also notes that users in a BitTorrent "swarm," by the inherent nature of the technology, are simultaneously downloading parts of the file and distributing parts of it to others. Funimation believes that the identities of the current 1,337 defendants and "additional infringing parties" will be revealed during the pre-trial discovery phase of the lawsuit, and it will then amend the suit to include their names.

Funimation asks the court to stop the defendants from infringing on Funimation's copyrights for this episode and any other videos now or in the future. If another request in the suit is granted, defendants "shall destroy all copies of Plaintiff's [videos] that Defendant has downloaded onto any computer hard drive or server without Plaintiff's authorization and shall destroy all copies of those downloaded [videos] transferred onto any physical medium or device in each Defendant's possession, custody, or control." Funimation also seeks compensation for damages and legal costs.
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Aren't IP addresses notoriously unreliable evidence? And no, it's almost certainly not a coincidence that they're doing this now. EDIT: Oh, you mean the 1337 thing. That might not be a coincidence either, though I'm unsure of what message they'd be sending and to whom.
 
There has actually been a story today about a case over here that involved Piracy tracking by IP Address.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12275913

The judge there went with the opinion that IP Addresses are indeed unreliable to track offenders. That's here in the UK though, so maybe there will be a different precedent in the US.

The story is an entertaining read though to see ACS: Law get a bit of comeuppance.
 
Looks like they are targeting uploading on torrents. This really all started because of the whole Fractale problem.

Also does this really effect people in the UK?

I mean I can't watch Fractale or One Piece. Even through their Funi streams because of their regional blocking stream.
 
shh227 said:
Looks like they are targeting uploading on torrents. This really all started because of the whole Fractale problem.

Also does this really effect people in the UK?

I mean I can't watch Fractale or One Piece. Even through their Funi streams because of their regional blocking stream.
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Then just hit stop as soon as it starts seeding. Who gives a crap, it's a public tracker :lol:

But, hopefully Funi will come to their senses and let people in the UK and Canada watch their streams
 
Paradox295 said:
But, hopefully Funi will come to their senses and let people in the UK and Canada watch their streams
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Thats not down to Funi, the Japanese have to give them the OK first. (and charge them extra)

Funi are letting UK viewers view Freezing.
 
Then just hit stop as soon as it starts seeding. Who gives a crap, it's a public tracker Laughing
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But if you think about it once you even have downloaded a bit of the file, it would already start uploading to others user straight away.
 
Project-2501 said:
Paradox295 said:
But, hopefully Funi will come to their senses and let people in the UK and Canada watch their streams
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Thats not down to Funi, the Japanese have to give them the OK first. (and charge them extra)

Funi are letting UK viewers view Freezing.
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Isn't the whole reason we don't have the One Piece anime because Toei ask for too much money?

I wonder how much more Toei would want for streaming rights for the UK; I'm sure Manga and FUNi could make a deal with Toei if they really wanted to...it's just, not really viable right now, I guess.
 
Ryu Shoji said:
Isn't the whole reason we don't have the One Piece anime because Toei ask for too much money?
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I believe that is the case. The Japanese do like to shoot themselves in the foot every so often. It seems they would rather have no money rather than some money. And the longer they leave it the 'some money' gets less and less.
 
Fabby: If I was going to take anything from the 1337-ness of this, it would possibly be that Funi is trying to tell the fans that they are being strong-armed into this by the Japanese.

As for any of you downloading Funi's streams... surely you can find better quality fansubs of any of their shows?
 
ilmaestro said:
Fabby: If I was going to take anything from the 1337-ness of this, it would possibly be that Funi is trying to tell the fans that they are being strong-armed into this by the Japanese.

As for any of you downloading Funi's streams... surely you can find better quality fansubs of any of their shows?
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This was the 720p fansubs not a stream rip.
 
o_O Wow.
Kinda weird. Why is it Funi that has to sue?
Is it because they hold the region distrib rights, or something?
 
Jayme said:
Is it odd that its FUNi suing considering, I assume, the majority of people downloading that episode were from outside the US of A.
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Nope, apparently they were all in the US.
But still, sharing One Piece episodes with people outside the US because they can't watch them? Nothing wrong with that! =/
 
Paradox295 said:
Jayme said:
Is it odd that its FUNi suing considering, I assume, the majority of people downloading that episode were from outside the US of A.
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Nope, apparently they were all in the US.
But still, sharing One Piece episodes with people outside the US because they can't watch them? Nothing wrong with that! =/
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Yeah, FUNi should actually be giving them money rather than taking it away!
 
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