4. 息 Rouse 2010
Eiji Tsuburaya
1901: Born in Sukagawa, Japan
1916: Entered Nippon Flying
School
1916: Worked as assistant
cameraman at various film
studios in Kyoto
1927: Debuted as chief camera
operator
1935: A successful camera
operator
* Information and image from Eiji Tsuburaya official website
5. 息 Rouse 2010
Eiji Tsuburaya
1937: Became the Chief of Tohos Special
Effects Division
1947: Made special effects work on
numerous Tohos pictures
1954: Became a master of monster and
SF film special effects after the success of
Godzilla
1963: Established Tsuburaya Productions
Co., Ltd. (TPC)
1966: Produced the hit science fiction TV
series Ultra Q for TPC.
1970: Passed away (68)
* Information and image from Eiji Tsuburaya official website
6. 息 Rouse 2010
Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd.
An independent TV and film
production company
Established in 1963 by Eiji
Tsuburaya (Tsuburaya Special
Effects Productions)
Most famous program : Ultraman
Series
1968: Changed name to Tsuburaya
Productions
Present : A subsidiary of TYO Inc.
* Information from TPC official website
7. 息 Rouse 2010
Ultraman Series
Program Title Production Year Length
Ultraman 1966 39 Half Hrs.
Ultraman, the skyskraper sized super being from the stars keeps the
world safe from marauding monsters. Several languages available!
Ultra Seven 1967 48 Half Hrs.
Ultra Seven, a second Ultra Hero from Nebula M-78, battles invaders
from outer space
Return of Ultraman 1971 51 Half Hrs.
A brave, young race car driver becomes Ultraman Jack and protects
the world from monstrous evil
* Information and images from TPC official website
8. 息 Rouse 2010
Ultraman Series
Program Title Production Year Length
Ultraman Max 2005 40 Half Hrs.
Maverick directors Takashi Miike and Shusuke Kaneko and the
return of Ultraman's most popular monsters make this a unique
Ultraman TV series
Ultraman Mebius 2006 50 Half Hrs.
High adventure as a young Ultra Warrior faces some of the greatest
monsters in Ultraman's 40 year history
* Information and images from TPC official website
9. 息 Rouse 2010
Ultraman Series
* Information and images from TPC official website
Program Title Production Year Length
Ultraman Story 1984 90 Min.
Even heroes have to grow up as Ultraman Taro learns from his
mighty Ultra Family
Ultraman Zoffy 1984 90 Min.
The amazing adventures of the chief of the Ultra Warriors
Ultraman: The Alien
Invation
1990 94 Min.
When an alien virus creates gigantic monsters, Ultraman must
protect humanity. In English!
10. 息 Rouse 2010
* Information and images from TPC official website
Program Title Production Year Length
Ultraman: M-78
Theater
1999 30 Min.
Short comedic pieces, all told without dialogue (no dubbing
needed!).
Animation
11. 息 Rouse 2010
Tsuburaya Productions (TPC) & Sompote
1962: Sompote studied cinematography in
Japan and met Eiji Tsuburaya at
Toho.
1973: TPC & Chaiyos co-production of
Jamborg Ace and Giant
1974: TPC & Chaiyos co-production of
Hanuman and the Seven Ultraman
12. 息 Rouse 2010
1995: Noboru Tsuburaya, TPCs
president, passed away.
1996: Sompote and Peerasit visited TPC
showing the agreement dated 4
March 1976 (License Granting
Agreement) to Noborus son.
Tsuburaya Productions (TPC) & Sompote
14. 息 Rouse 2010
1996 : The Legal Battle Begins
Sompote wanted to be an authorized
agent for 5 Asian countries.
Sompote requested TPC to issue a letter
to regain his creditabilty in Thailand.
Sompote refused to enter into an agency
agreement and insisted on exploiting the
right according to the agreement dated 4
March 1976.
15. 息 Rouse 2010
1996 : The Legal Battle Begins
TPCs representative had negotiations
with Sompote on possibility of settlement.
Negotiation failed Sompote demanded a
huge amount of money in return of
cancellation of the agreement dated 4
March 1976.
TPC examined the agreement and
considered it a forgery.
TPC dismissed the agreement and
demanded Sompote stop using Ultraman.
16. 息 Rouse 2010
1997 : Filing the Law Suit
Copyright infringement and filing false
information against:
1. Tsuburaya Chaiyo Co., Ltd.
2. Sompote Saengduangchai
3. Peerasit Saengduenchai
4. Books Athens Co., Ltd.
* TPC argued many errors in the Agreement and presented
handwriting experts who testified that Noboru Tsuburayas
signature was faked.
17. 息 Rouse 2010
2000 : TPC Lost in IP&IT Court
The Agreement is genuine.
The Agreement is to transfer copyright in
9 movies/films to Sompote. However, the
transfer does not include the new
Ultraman works.
4 defendants did not infringe TPCs
copyright.
TPC infringed Sompotes rights and had to
pay B12 million plus interest to Sompote.
21. 息 Rouse 2010
Appeal to Supreme Court
TPC filed an appeal to Supreme Court
Another copyright case against Sompote
and Chaiyo for infringement of new
Ultraman works
Legal action in China
22. 息 Rouse 2010
TPC Won The Case!
Supreme Court Decision
Sompote was not a co-creator of
Ultraman.
The License Granting Agreement was a
forgery.
Sompote had no right to any benefit from
Ultraman.
Sompote was ordered to pay B10.7 million
plus interest to TPC.
23. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
1. Forged signature of Noboru Tsuburaya
proved by Science Crime Detection
Division, Royal Thai Police
24. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
2. The title of agreement and its Thai
translation
Title : License Granting Agreement
Thai translation :
犖犖園犖犖迦犖犢犢犖犖犖犖伍犖迦 (犖犖園犖犖犖犖園犖犖迦犖犖犖犖犖о)
犖犖園犖犖迦賢犖犖伍犖迦犢犖犢犢犖犢犖犖巌犖犖巌 (犖犖園犖犢犖犢犖犖о犖÷弦犖ム犢犖犖)
犖犢犖犖犖犖ム犖÷賢犖犖犖巌犖犖巌 (犖犖園犖犖犖劇犖犖∇顕犖)
25. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
3. The name of Tsuburaya Productions
TPC has never used the name Tsuburaya prod. and
Enterprise in any trade agreement.
Tsuburaya Enterprises Co., Ltd. does not have authority
to give or transfer rights.
* Before 1985, TPC sometimes used the shortened Tsuburaya Pro not Tsuburaya prod.
26. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
4. Ultraman is the main asset/business.
Transfer of all rights in business
including new works in the future (for
indefinite period) to all territories except
Japan is unusual.
27. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
5. Only one page
agreement :
Transfers most
assets?
* Space for signature is very limited.
* No provision on delivery of films.
28. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
6. Noboru Tsuburaya, holding 15.5% of
shares, entered into the Agreement
without authorization of Toho, the major
share holder.
No minutes of Directors meeting
No witness in the Agreement
No signature of Sompote
29. The Disputed License Granting
Agreement
7. Wrong titles of motion pictures or films and
number of episodes
31. Remark on Ultraman Case
The first case using video conference
for hearing of witnesses
Interesting issues on method of forgery
of signature
No eye witness
A landmark copyright case in Thailand.
