Are fanworks transformative or fair use?

Because it only took Viking-Sensei three years (and the approaching end of Errant Story) to come up with a better name for "General Discussions"
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Imp-Chan
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Are fanworks transformative or fair use?

Post by Imp-Chan »

I honestly haven't decided how I feel about this idea, but... well, I think this organization is at least INTERESTING as a cultural development, even if I have no idea yet whether or not I agree with them. Their argument is quite staunch, even if not, thus far, well-defended.

Check it out...

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Vavrek
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Re: Are fanworks transformative or fair use?

Post by Vavrek »

I'm not entirely sure what that organization is trying to promote... I mean, I know they say something, but the meaning isn't sticking properly in my brain. Something about the language used. I'm sure that, if they were to use the language that I'd automatically understand, it'd be undermining their position somehow.

What comes to mind, however, is that ever since I've heard it described, I've liked Japan's policy on fanworks. This is from memory, and I don't remember where I got it, so be sure to have your nice helping of salt, but as I understand it... fanfiction, and fan-produced stuffs, in the form of merchandise (unsure on that) and doujins (sure on that) are legally available for sale on the principle that they are obviously not the original work. If, for example, Errant Story was absurdly popular on a commercial basis and Poe was the next rising star of the comic book world... and someone decided to produce a fan-work version of the story, using the same characters and backgrounds to tell some different story, it would be legal because it's obviously not the real Errant Story.

Or so I understand it. It's been a while and it's certainly late at night.
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