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TOKYO — In a cinema, visuals of Godzilla wreaking havoc on a city appeared on the screen. As the viewers became engrossed in the movie, the thoughts of a 46-year-old aspiring writer were moving quickly. After returning home, he wrote down the film’s details from memory and shared it online with the title “What is ‘Godzilla Minus One’?” This was considered a “spoiler article.”

Some time later, law enforcement officials arrived to inspect his residence. “You are under suspicion of breaching copyright regulations,” they told him.

Five times a contender, never a champion

It was during his time in high school that the individual began writing novels. He completed his education at a technical college and had a strong desire to become an author of “light novels,” a genre of literature originating in Japan aimed at teenagers and young adults. He never took up a conventional job, but instead kept submitting his work to literary competitions. He was named as a finalist on five occasions, including for awards from prominent publishing houses, yet he never emerged as a winner.

The man kept working as a freelancer, barely making ends meet. It certainly wasn’t a life filled with wealth. Around 2019, after approximately two decades of this kind of existence, he was approached by the head of a company that operated an information website.

“Would you prefer to be a featured author?” he was asked.

The salary was approximately 80,000 yen (about $540 by current exchange rates) per month, and for him, the consistent earnings were appealing. However, he had one issue with the job.

The website run by the company featured articles that introduced movies, manga, and anime, some of which contained plot summaries and conclusions, leading him to worry about copyright issues. “These are ‘spoiler articles,’ aren’t they? Isn’t that an issue?” he questioned.

The company, nevertheless, displayed no worry and stated that it was acceptable, informing him, “We are not uploading the real videos.”

Certainly, the internet was filled with comparable articles. The individual accepted the company’s statement at face value.

Helping readers visualize the settings

The man authored approximately 100 articles each month. He learned that other writers had their pieces revised, yet his were printed without changes, one following the other. He believed his writing was being acknowledged, and before he realized it, his worries about copyright disappeared.

In November 2023, the company requested him to compose a feature article that aligns with the launch of “Godzilla Minus One,” a visually-driven monster film celebrating Godzilla’s 70th year. The movie was directed by Takashi Yamazaki, who is also recognized for works such as “Always: Sunset on Third Street.”

Two days following the movie’s debut, he visited the cinema. He paid close attention to the narrative and visuals — not really appreciating the film as a spectator.

He subsequently returned to his home and began drafting the “feature article,” combining his recollections of the movie with details from a brochure and other publicly available resources. His goal was to enable readers to visualize the scenes.

The piece was released on the same day. It garnered more traffic than typical and received commendation from the organization.

“I didn’t record it,” the man emphasizes.

Approximately one year later, the man was taken into custody by the Miyagi Prefectural Police for allegedly breaching Japan’s Copyright Act. The narrative and his portrayals closely mirrored those in the film, with certain scenes replicating the dialogue exactly as spoken.

The Copyright Act bans the production of a work in a different format while keeping the core elements of the original piece without the copyright owner’s approval. Therefore, the more comprehensive a spoiler article is, the higher the chance it may be considered unlawful.

The man’s legal proceedings commenced at the Tokyo District Court in June 2025, and he completely acknowledged the charges brought against him.

“I harmed the efforts of the creators. I created problems for the film’s production team and fans who were excited about the project,” he said, bowing his big back in apology.

Beyond the courtroom, the individual shared with this journalist extensive information regarding his background and the path that led him to compose spoiler articles. He stated, “Moving forward, I intend to study copyright law again and keep pursuing my writing career.”

Nevertheless, after watching the trial, there was one aspect that felt off, as the prosecution had not provided any evidence like audio recordings.

“Did you write an article based on memory after watching a film only once?” he was asked.

The individual stated, “I memorized it with great urgency.” He mentioned that he didn’t write anything down and stressed that he didn’t record it “because that’s against the law.”

In July, the district court issued a guilty ruling and imposed a fine of 500,000 yen (approximately $3,400), as recommended by the prosecutors. The individual did not file an appeal, and the decision became final.

The individual leading the company that runs the website is also facing trial, accused of being involved in copyright violations. The site remains active, although the quantity of articles believed to be illegal has seemingly decreased considerably.

The fall of ‘quick films’ and the emergence of spoiler pieces

Previously, spoilers were mainly exchanged among fans on online forums as a way to engage with one another. However, as per the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), a general incorporated association made up of publishers and other entities, in recent years, harmful websites that publish spoiler content for advertising income have gained more visibility.

CODA suggests that it’s possible the number of websites publishing spoiler content has risen after law enforcement intensified efforts against “fast movies” — illegal abbreviated versions of films.

A representative from an association stated, “In contrast to rapid films or illegal copies that present the original material unchanged, text-based spoiler articles are frequently regarded as a lesser form of copyright infringement. However, if they reveal the storyline, they still diminish the incentive to pay for the original content.” The representative highlighted that the unauthorized distribution of both rapid movies and spoiler articles constitutes a clear violation of intellectual property rights for works developed at a cost, and emphasized that “this can never be justified.”

(By Kotaro Adachi, Tokyo City News Department)