Square Enix had the misfortune of being slapped with a criminal complaint back in August, thanks to SNK Playmore’s accusation that Square Enix had used over 100 illustrations of SNK Playmore characters without their permission in their High Score Girl manga, thus committing “criminal copyright infringement.”
As a result of this, the Consumer and Economic Crime Division of Osaka, Japan’s police department had to raid Square Enix offices in an attempt to gather evidence. Square Enix said that they have fully cooperated with the police and have not put up any resistance to the police searches.
However, in response to SNK Playmore’s accusations, Square Enix has decided to make a few of their own by announcing via their website, that they are filing a declaratory judgment suit with the Osaka District Court against SNK Playmore.
The purpose of the suit is to prove through the court system that Square Enix did not infringe upon any of SNK Playmore’s copyrights by illegally using SNK Playmore characters in their High Score Girl manga.
Whether Square Enix actually infringed upon SNK Playmore’s copyright by unlawfully using depictions of their characters in the publication of the High Score Girl manga, I do not know. However, hopefully now that Square Enix has filled their own lawsuit, this issue will be put to bed once and for all.