The new "Sgt. Frog" movie, "New Sgt. Frog the Movie: Earth's Revival and Imminent Demise!", released after a 16-year hiatus, has been met with harsh criticism for director Yuichi Fukuda's signature style. Further controversy erupted when it was revealed that the film parodied "Attack on Titan" without prior consent, prompting an apology and a fresh wave of condemnation.
Following an apology issued by Bandai Namco Pictures, the animation studio responsible for the film, on its opening day, TV Tokyo updated its official website on July 8th with content from its regular press conference on July 2nd. The broadcaster apologized for production process issues related to the currently screening "New Sgt. Frog" movie, expressing deep regret as a member of the production committee.
Takayuki Hirobe, a director at TV Tokyo, also apologized on behalf of the company. He stated, "As a member of the production committee, we are taking this matter very seriously. We deeply regret and sincerely apologize for the trouble and concern caused to all involved parties and our many fans."
Regarding the incident where certain scenes and expressions in the film evoked other works without obtaining prior consent, Hirobe added:
"We firmly believe that creators' efforts should be respected, and copyright must be prioritized. When employing homage, parody, or similar expressive techniques, it is crucial to obtain the understanding and consent of the relevant rights holders."
He concluded by saying, "This project proceeded with production despite the objections of some rights holders. As a member of the production committee, we view this with extreme gravity and once again express our deepest apologies for the inconvenience and concern caused to all involved parties and fans."
In a joint apology statement issued by Bandai Namco Pictures on June 25th, it was highlighted that some content, featuring expressions and portrayals reminiscent of other works, violated the wishes of the respective rights holders.
Specifically, despite "Attack on Titan" rights holders explicitly expressing their opposition beforehand, severe internal communication errors within the company led to the continued inclusion of the disputed content in the production process.
Since its release, the "New Sgt. Frog" movie has faced a mixed reception, from the divisive inclusion of "Fukuda-gumi" (Yuichi Fukuda's regular cast) actors to the current apology for production oversight. These issues appear to have severely tarnished the reputation of this long-awaited film, which marks the franchise's return after 16 years.
With even TV Tokyo now issuing an apology, it's clear that this controversy has significantly damaged the IP, especially with a new "Sgt. Frog" TV anime remake on the horizon. The official parties will likely need to consider strategies for damage control.
via： オリコンニュース