The TV anime adaptation of Yukinobu Tatsu's manga, "Dandadan," serialized in "Shonen Jump+," has soared in popularity, earning praise from fans for its excellent production and engaging story. The second season is currently airing, building anticipation for its thrilling developments.
However, a controversy erupted yesterday (August 7) with the broadcast of Episode 18, "We're Family Now," specifically concerning the insert song "Hunting Soul_Lyrics." YOSHIKI of the legendary Japanese rock band "X JAPAN" posted online, noting that the segment strongly resembled X JAPAN, with the song itself sounding remarkably similar to his past work. He expressed confusion over why the anime production team had not informed them, drawing significant attention online.
The original manga sequence already contained an homage to X JAPAN. However, with the anime adaptation, not only were the visuals brought to life, but a song was also created, naturally amplifying the impact. The song itself has become a point of discussion.
▼ The scene in the manga
Initially, YOSHIKI's post was somewhat lighthearted, commenting that the insert song sounded... a bit like X JAPAN.
Since YOSHIKI hadn't watched "Dandadan," he wasn't familiar with the anime's portrayal and asked his fans what was happening.
However, YOSHIKI quickly followed up with another post, requesting that the production team involved contact them promptly, emphasizing the urgency of the situation given the complete lack of prior notification.
YOSHIKI also shared a link to X JAPAN's song "Kurenai," highlighting the striking similarity.
YOSHIKI further stated that when he first learned about the situation, he found it amusing and even laughed. However, he was surprised when lawyers began contacting him, raising concerns about potential copyright infringement. He expressed uncertainty about how the situation would unfold.
He suggested that it would be safer to contact relevant individuals or entities in advance for such matters in the future.
X JAPAN has been featured in anime before, but in those instances, they were always informed beforehand and gave their consent, so there were no issues. This time, however, YOSHIKI only became aware after seeing videos circulate online, which he found somewhat perplexing.
YOSHIKI also reminded the public that the copyright for X JAPAN's "Kurenai" is managed by Sony Music Publishing. He noted that even he, as the composer, often needs to apply for authorization when using the song.
There have been no further updates on the situation. However, if there is a clear homage, especially with a song bearing such strong resemblances, the lack of prior notification could indeed pose a significant problem. The anime production team will likely need to address this matter, as it could otherwise escalate into a major issue.