Tokyo court rules movie and anime 'spoiler articles' are copyright infringement in landmark criminal case — detailed, monetized plot summaries land man in Japanese prison

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:40:00 +0200

The Tokyo District Court has ruled that "spoiler articles" that describe the plot of a movie/show in detail now count as copyright infringement. The prosecution argued that these articles are "adaptations" made without permission, and that they earn ad revenue, further taking away fair compensation for IP holders.