Latest news with #Toho
SoraNews24
a day ago
- Entertainment
- SoraNews24
Osaka man arrested for selling colorized version of the original Godzilla from 1954
Color me surprised! Colorizing old movies has long been a controversial process, with many in the industry thinking it's an absurd notion that 'color = better.' Even in this era, where AI can make colorization more accurate and realistic than ever before, just because we can doesn't mean we should. A great example of this is the original Godzilla movie from 1954. Its starkly dark tones give it such a foreboding atmosphere and adding color to that would only serve to highlight that it's just a guy in a rubber suit breaking a bunch of models, as so well exemplified in many of the subsequent color films of the '60s. That didn't stop one man from trying though, and on 17 June, the Osaka Prefectural Police arrested a 66-year-old man for selling a colorized version of Godzilla . He had used an AI to predict the correct colors and apply them to the video, then sold the modified movie on DVD online for 2,980 yen (US$21) per disc and pulled in about 1.7 million yen ($12,000). ▼ A news report on the bust. Although many might agree he committed crimes against cinema, his legal issue was the unauthorized sale of copyrighted material. Actually, you can find lots of colorized classics of Japanese filmmaking because they've entered the public domain and can be used as anyone sees fit. ▼ Here's all of Yasuhiro Ozu's Tokyo Story , now in the public domain and in AI-generated color for no reason at all! Doing some quick math you might notice that last year was Godzilla 's 70th anniversary, which under current Japanese copyright law could normally cause it to become public domain and would mean this man's actions, though tacky, would be legal. However, this law is murky to say the least, especially for older movies such as this. The main thing to consider is who the 'author,' or ' chosakusha ' for legal purposes, of a movie is. For movies, this is especially difficult because so many people are involved in its creation. In general, there are two conditions, with the first being if the author is a company. Such a case would mean Toho had the idea to make Godzilla as a company and hired a director, writer, etc. to put their vision into action. On the other hand, if the movie was deemed the creation of key people, such as the director, producer, writer, and even the composer of the musical score if influential enough, the copyright expires 38 years after the last one of these key people passes away. Although there were some legal battles over the years, Toho originally never assumed authorship of the original Godzilla , which was probably a strategic move on their part because the copyright period of human lives plus 38 years would likely be longer than a straight 50 years from the release date. This meant authorship went to a loosely defined group of key people, the most important of whom for this situation was director Ishiro Honda because he ended up living the longest. ▼ Actually, Godzilla composer Akira Ikufube outlived Honda, but possibly for contract reasons was not included as an author. He certainly should have been though. Then, in 1971, the law changed and the period was extended to the death of the last author plus 50 years. This new law stated that regarding older movies the longest period should be applied. Here's where things get kind of kooky. ▼ We're talking Gamera-level kooky. Toho is not the author at this point so we can rule out their validity period altogether, which leaves the last death plus 38 years under the old law or plus 50 years under the new law. Since the law stated that the longer period should be applied, a three-year-old could probably tell you that 50 years is longer than 38 and should be applied. However, because the authors were still alive in 1971, no specific period could be established and, as illogical as it might sound, it couldn't definitively be said that 50 years after death is longer than 38 years after death in this case, so the old law of plus 38 continued. Another revision occurred with the TPP negotiations in 2018, during which Japan adjusted its copyright law to be more in line with other countries. Here, the period was extended again to 70 years after the death of the last surviving author with the longer period being applied, and to streamline everything this time using common sense, all works were to be automatically upgraded from 50 years after death to 70 years. But wait! Remember that Godzilla never had the 50-year law applied to it in the first place and therefore was not subject to an automatic 70-year extension. In the end, it will remain unchanged and still become public domain on New Year's Day 2032. If you could understand all that, then I'd feel really proud of myself for having explained it, because I had to reread this stuff about 20 times and draw a diagram to figure it out myself. I think at this point it's easy to see that the copyright status of the original Godzilla film is really, really convoluted. Police said they intend to look into other colorized movies for sale online like Seven Samurai , but need some time to untangle which ones still actually have copyrights on them first. So, if you're planning on colorizing or in any way reproducing classic Japanese movies in Japan, you're probably best not to unless you're really sure it's OK. And I'm sure you're not sure it's OK because no one is, including many of the filmmakers and lawmakers themselves. It's all best left alone anyway. Instead, we should be using AI to right some cinematic wrongs of the past, like altering the X-Men movies so the characters all have accurate uniforms rather than those bland black vinyl things where you can barely even see them while they're fighting. Someone at Fox or Disney or whatever needs to step up and give Cyclops back his blue and yellow suit with lots of tiny pouches like God (Jim Lee) intended. Source: Yomiuri Shimbun, Copyright Act, Copyright Research and Information Center, Loyola Marymount University Images: ©SoraNews24 ● Want to hear about SoraNews24's latest articles as soon as they're published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Undiscovered Gems in Asia to Explore This June 2025
As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and trade-related concerns weigh on global markets, Asian stocks present a unique landscape of opportunities. With small-cap indices experiencing volatility, discerning investors may find potential in lesser-known companies that demonstrate resilience and innovation amidst changing economic conditions. Name Debt To Equity Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Health Rating Toho 72.03% 6.01% 64.19% ★★★★★★ Yashima Denki 2.40% 0.14% 21.00% ★★★★★★ FALCO HOLDINGS 4.93% -0.16% 1.44% ★★★★★★ Hefei Gocom Information TechnologyLtd NA 9.11% -12.23% ★★★★★★ Center International GroupLtd 18.20% 0.69% -31.63% ★★★★★★ ISE Chemicals 1.40% 15.34% 32.61% ★★★★★★ Shanghai SK Automation TechnologyLtd 37.27% 33.22% 12.18% ★★★★★☆ Guangdong Transtek Medical Electronics 18.14% -7.58% -3.26% ★★★★★☆ Daoming Optics&ChemicalLtd 33.83% 1.38% 5.82% ★★★★★☆ ITCENGLOBAL 66.11% 16.65% 1.99% ★★★★★☆ Click here to see the full list of 2614 stocks from our Asian Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals screener. Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★★ Overview: Snt Dynamics Ltd. engages in the manufacturing and sale of precision machinery, with a market capitalization of ₩1.25 trillion. Operations: Snt Dynamics Ltd. generates revenue primarily from its Machinery Business and Transportation Equipment Business, with the latter contributing significantly more at ₩672.52 billion compared to the former's ₩2.88 billion. Snt Dynamics Ltd. stands out in the aerospace and defense sector with a robust 96% earnings growth over the past year, surpassing industry averages. Despite its small size, this debt-free company boasts a favorable price-to-earnings ratio of 12.4x, slightly undercutting the KR market's 12.6x benchmark. Recent financials reveal net income at KRW 17,769 million for Q1 2025, up from KRW 12,880 million last year. The firm announced a private placement to issue bonds worth KRW 110 billion which are fully exchangeable into shares starting July 2025; such strategic moves may bolster future growth prospects significantly. Get an in-depth perspective on Snt DynamicsLtd's performance by reading our health report here. Evaluate Snt DynamicsLtd's historical performance by accessing our past performance report. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Daou Technology Inc., along with its subsidiaries, offers IT and finance services and has a market capitalization of approximately ₩1.42 trillion. Operations: Daou Technology Inc. generates revenue primarily from its finance segment, with significant contributions from the Finance - Wholesale General Manager (₩8.22 billion) and Finance - Retail General Manager (₩2.52 billion) divisions. The non-financial segment includes System Construction, which adds ₩452.49 million to the revenue stream. Daou Technology, a noteworthy player in the tech sector, has shown impressive financial strides. With earnings growth of 76.1% over the past year, it outpaced its industry peers significantly. The company reported sales of KRW 21.28 billion for Q1 2025, up from KRW 12.50 billion last year, though net income slightly dipped to KRW 102.11 million from KRW 103.12 million previously. Despite not being free cash flow positive, Daou's interest payments are well-covered by EBIT at a robust rate of 97 times coverage and its debt-to-equity ratio improved from over five years to stand at a healthier level today. Dive into the specifics of Daou Technology here with our thorough health report. Assess Daou Technology's past performance with our detailed historical performance reports. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Gallant Micro. Machining Co., Ltd. specializes in the production and sale of machinery, equipment, precision molds, and various components across Taiwan, China, and international markets with a market cap of NT$16.65 billion. Operations: Gallant Micro. Machining Co., Ltd. generates revenue primarily from its machinery and equipment segment, with NT$1.81 billion attributed to this area, supplemented by contributions from KMC Corporation at NT$755.95 million. Gallant Micro. Machining, a small player in the semiconductor space, has shown impressive earnings growth of 40.9% over the past year, outpacing the industry's 10.8%. Despite this growth, their recent Q1 2025 results reported a drop in sales to TWD 430.22 million from TWD 695.32 million and net income to TWD 45.84 million from TWD 139.36 million year-over-year, reflecting challenges amid volatility in share prices over three months. The debt-to-equity ratio has increased significantly from 44% to 91%, though with a satisfactory net debt level at just over 13%, interest coverage remains solid and non-cash earnings are high. Click here and access our complete health analysis report to understand the dynamics of Gallant Micro. Machining. Examine Gallant Micro. Machining's past performance report to understand how it has performed in the past. Investigate our full lineup of 2614 Asian Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals right here. Shareholder in one or more of these companies? Ensure you're never caught off-guard by adding your portfolio in Simply Wall St for timely alerts on significant stock developments. Discover a world of investment opportunities with Simply Wall St's free app and access unparalleled stock analysis across all markets. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include KOSE:A003570 KOSE:A023590 and TPEX:6640. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Undiscovered Gems in Asia to Explore This June 2025
As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and trade-related concerns weigh on global markets, Asian stocks present a unique landscape of opportunities. With small-cap indices experiencing volatility, discerning investors may find potential in lesser-known companies that demonstrate resilience and innovation amidst changing economic conditions. Name Debt To Equity Revenue Growth Earnings Growth Health Rating Toho 72.03% 6.01% 64.19% ★★★★★★ Yashima Denki 2.40% 0.14% 21.00% ★★★★★★ FALCO HOLDINGS 4.93% -0.16% 1.44% ★★★★★★ Hefei Gocom Information TechnologyLtd NA 9.11% -12.23% ★★★★★★ Center International GroupLtd 18.20% 0.69% -31.63% ★★★★★★ ISE Chemicals 1.40% 15.34% 32.61% ★★★★★★ Shanghai SK Automation TechnologyLtd 37.27% 33.22% 12.18% ★★★★★☆ Guangdong Transtek Medical Electronics 18.14% -7.58% -3.26% ★★★★★☆ Daoming Optics&ChemicalLtd 33.83% 1.38% 5.82% ★★★★★☆ ITCENGLOBAL 66.11% 16.65% 1.99% ★★★★★☆ Click here to see the full list of 2614 stocks from our Asian Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals screener. Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★★ Overview: Snt Dynamics Ltd. engages in the manufacturing and sale of precision machinery, with a market capitalization of ₩1.25 trillion. Operations: Snt Dynamics Ltd. generates revenue primarily from its Machinery Business and Transportation Equipment Business, with the latter contributing significantly more at ₩672.52 billion compared to the former's ₩2.88 billion. Snt Dynamics Ltd. stands out in the aerospace and defense sector with a robust 96% earnings growth over the past year, surpassing industry averages. Despite its small size, this debt-free company boasts a favorable price-to-earnings ratio of 12.4x, slightly undercutting the KR market's 12.6x benchmark. Recent financials reveal net income at KRW 17,769 million for Q1 2025, up from KRW 12,880 million last year. The firm announced a private placement to issue bonds worth KRW 110 billion which are fully exchangeable into shares starting July 2025; such strategic moves may bolster future growth prospects significantly. Get an in-depth perspective on Snt DynamicsLtd's performance by reading our health report here. Evaluate Snt DynamicsLtd's historical performance by accessing our past performance report. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★★☆ Overview: Daou Technology Inc., along with its subsidiaries, offers IT and finance services and has a market capitalization of approximately ₩1.42 trillion. Operations: Daou Technology Inc. generates revenue primarily from its finance segment, with significant contributions from the Finance - Wholesale General Manager (₩8.22 billion) and Finance - Retail General Manager (₩2.52 billion) divisions. The non-financial segment includes System Construction, which adds ₩452.49 million to the revenue stream. Daou Technology, a noteworthy player in the tech sector, has shown impressive financial strides. With earnings growth of 76.1% over the past year, it outpaced its industry peers significantly. The company reported sales of KRW 21.28 billion for Q1 2025, up from KRW 12.50 billion last year, though net income slightly dipped to KRW 102.11 million from KRW 103.12 million previously. Despite not being free cash flow positive, Daou's interest payments are well-covered by EBIT at a robust rate of 97 times coverage and its debt-to-equity ratio improved from over five years to stand at a healthier level today. Dive into the specifics of Daou Technology here with our thorough health report. Assess Daou Technology's past performance with our detailed historical performance reports. Simply Wall St Value Rating: ★★★★☆☆ Overview: Gallant Micro. Machining Co., Ltd. specializes in the production and sale of machinery, equipment, precision molds, and various components across Taiwan, China, and international markets with a market cap of NT$16.65 billion. Operations: Gallant Micro. Machining Co., Ltd. generates revenue primarily from its machinery and equipment segment, with NT$1.81 billion attributed to this area, supplemented by contributions from KMC Corporation at NT$755.95 million. Gallant Micro. Machining, a small player in the semiconductor space, has shown impressive earnings growth of 40.9% over the past year, outpacing the industry's 10.8%. Despite this growth, their recent Q1 2025 results reported a drop in sales to TWD 430.22 million from TWD 695.32 million and net income to TWD 45.84 million from TWD 139.36 million year-over-year, reflecting challenges amid volatility in share prices over three months. The debt-to-equity ratio has increased significantly from 44% to 91%, though with a satisfactory net debt level at just over 13%, interest coverage remains solid and non-cash earnings are high. Click here and access our complete health analysis report to understand the dynamics of Gallant Micro. Machining. Examine Gallant Micro. Machining's past performance report to understand how it has performed in the past. Investigate our full lineup of 2614 Asian Undiscovered Gems With Strong Fundamentals right here. Shareholder in one or more of these companies? Ensure you're never caught off-guard by adding your portfolio in Simply Wall St for timely alerts on significant stock developments. Discover a world of investment opportunities with Simply Wall St's free app and access unparalleled stock analysis across all markets. Explore high-performing small cap companies that haven't yet garnered significant analyst attention. Fuel your portfolio with companies showing strong growth potential, backed by optimistic outlooks both from analysts and management. Find companies with promising cash flow potential yet trading below their fair value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include KOSE:A003570 KOSE:A023590 and TPEX:6640. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@
Bloomberg
12-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Toho Titanium Shares Jump as JX Metals Mulls Unwinding
Toho Titanium Co. shares surged after parent JX Advanced Metals Corp. said it's considering ways to unwind the listing of the titanium unit as Japan's complex system of subsidiaries comes under scrutiny. JX will take full control of Toho if synergies between the two companies increase, President Yoichi Hayashi said in an interview with Bloomberg News on Wednesday. Shares of Toho jumped as much as 19%, the most since May 2022, while JX shares extended gains after the report.
Gizmodo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Rejoice, ‘Godzilla Minus One' Is Finally Stomping Its Way Into Funko Pops
Great news for fans of Godzilla Minus One: the chonky kaiju icon from Takashi Yamazaki's Academy Award-winning feature will finally be released in Funko Pop form. io9 has the exclusive first look at the Godzilla Minus One figure, which will debut at Anime Expo 2025. The Big G's U.S. counterpart series from Legendary got a run of Funkos timed to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, but Godzilla Minus One was left out until now. At last, the version of Godzilla seen in Toho's hit international film will join the Funko toy market this summer, giving collectors something to add to their Godzilla Minus One displays alongside Super 7's incredibly articulated statues, one in color and another in black and white, which we loved. Here's the reveal of the Funko from the Super Pop! Collection. The vinyl collectible features the iconic Toho monster and showcases his formidable presence inspired by Yamazaki's take on Godzilla. It stands approximately 5.4 inches (13.7 cm) tall, alongside the rest of the kaiju's various Funko forms from all his other universes of media. Can't wait to see it next to the 70th anniversary jumbo Pop figure, which stands 10 inches tall. This release also features a new form of authentication, with a special sticker on the box that's unique and cannot be replicated. No false Godzillas need apply! The Funko Pop Super Godzilla Minus One figure will first be available for purchase (retail price is $20) at the Funko booth during Anime Expo 2025 in Los Angeles, starting at 9 a.m. PT on July 3. It will also be available online in the future (date TBD) on Funko's website.
