A 66-year-old man has been arrested in Osaka Prefecture, Japan, for allegedly selling pirated DVDs of the classic 1954 Godzilla film, which he had colorized using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Ippei Miyamoto, a part-time worker from Toyonaka, Osaka, was taken into custody on Monday, June 16, 2025, by the Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters and Toyonaka Police Station.
The arrest follows Miyamoto’s sale of a pirated DVD copy of the black-and-white Godzilla film to a buyer in Tokyo for 2,980 yen (approximately $21) in November 2024. Authorities suspect that Miyamoto employed AI-equipped software to colorize the original movie and produce unauthorized DVDs. The investigation revealed the scale of his operation: between January 2024 and May 2025, he allegedly sold around 1,500 counterfeit DVDs through online flea market websites and his platform. Priced between 3,000 yen and 30,000 yen, these sales generated at least 1.7 million yen in revenue.
Miyamoto marketed his products misleadingly, labeling them as “legal” and “masterpieces colored by AI.” He promoted the DVDs as “restored black-and-white films colorized using advanced video AI technology” and falsely claimed they were “public domain works with expired copyright protection,” despite the film’s protected status.
Godzilla (1954) belongs to the copyright of Toho Co., Ltd., the Japanese parent of the classic franchise. Toho had issued a formal protest to the police in February 2025 after the investigation that culminated in the arrest of Miyamoto was launched. The Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) played a crucial role in authenticating the piracy after warning Miyamoto in October 2024. When he did not stop even after the warning, CODA took the matter to the National Police Agency.
Under Japan’s current law on copyright, their cinematographic works are protected for 70 years from the date of release. For movies made before 1971, like Godzilla, the term is 38 years after the director’s death under the old law. However, Toho aggressively enforces the intellectual property rights of the Godzilla franchise worldwide and denies all claims of public domain.
This case highlights a new issue: the application of AI to violate copyrighted work. Miyamoto made an unauthorized derivative work by having the film colorized with the help of AI technology, fusing old-style piracy with the newest technology. This case has broader implications about how AI can disrupt copyright enforcement in the digital technology age.
Police confiscated approximately 70 DVDs when they raided Miyamoto’s home. When arrested, Miyamoto confessed to the charge by saying, “I sold it knowing it was a crime,” supporting the prosecution’s case through his guilty statement.
The Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan and Toho countered by announcing increased monitoring of unauthorized productions. The case reflects the industry’s determination to fight piracy, especially as new technologies are launched.
Japanese law carries severe penalties for copyright infringement, including fines of as much as 5 million yen ($50,000) and prison sentences of five years. With the size of Miyamoto’s operation—more than 1,500 DVDs and impressive profits—at stake, the legal consequences are severe.
