Japanese Man Arrested For Selling AI-Colourised Pirated 1954 "Godzilla" Film

OSAKA (Japan), June 17 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- A man in Osaka Prefecture has been arrested for allegedly selling a pirated version of the 1954 black-and-white film "Godzilla," which he apparently colourised using artificial intelligence, Kyodo News Agency reported, citing police on Tuesday.

Ippei Miyamoto, a 66-year-old part-time worker, is accused of having sold the DVD -- which features the iconic fire-breathing, city-stomping giant reptilian monster -- for 2,980 yen (US$21) to a man in Tokyo last November.

Police suspect Miyamoto used AI-equipped software to add colour and produce the DVD.

Miyamoto, who was arrested on Monday, has admitted to the charge, saying, "I sold it knowing it was a crime."

He is also believed to have sold about 1,500 fake DVDs, ranging from 3,000 yen to 30,000 yen, on online flea market websites from January 2024 to May 2025, earning at least 1.7 million yen, according to the police.

He had advertised the films as being "legal" and "masterpieces coloured by AI."

Toho Co., which distributes and owns the copyright to the long-running Godzilla franchise, filed a complaint with the police in February this year, leading authorities to search Miyamoto's house on Monday and confiscate about 70 DVDs.

The Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, of which Toho is a member, said that it has been aware that pirated colour copies of films had been circulating and vowed to strengthen its watch over unauthorised production.

-- BERNAMA-KYODO