Musical Tribute in Dan Da Dan Sparks Controversy
Ahmed Hassan 
Key Takeaways
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- The musical moment in Dan Da Dans Episode 6, featuring HAYASiis performance of Hunting Soul, may face copyright infringement allegations due to its similarity to X Japans music and character names.
- Yoshiki, drummer and co-founder of X Japan, found the song strikingly similar to X Japans Kurenai and sought clarification, potentially involving lawyers in the matter.
- Unlike many other anime tributes to X Japan, this instance did not have approval from rights-holders, which could be due to complex ownership of X Japan catalog rights between Sony Music and Aniplex.
- The situation has caught Yoshiki off guard, raising questions about the future of this copyright issue and its potential impact on Dan Da Dans production.
Copyright Infringement Alleged Over X Japan Tribute in Dan Da Dan’s Musical Moment
Episode 6 of Dan Da Dan’s second season featured a musical moment that could lead to legal action, according to X Japan drummer and co-founder Yoshiki. The episode showcased the fictional band HAYASii performing “Hunting Soul,” a song heavily inspired by X Japan. This inspiration was confirmed by Marty Friedman, who co-created the song’s arrangements alongside Seiichi Nagai. The resemblance extends beyond the music: HAYASii’s members—Toshiro, Yoshikichi, Hideji, and Patarson—bear names that are anime-inspired versions of X Japan’s Toshi, Yoshiki, Hide, and Pata. Yoshiki initially expressed his surprise on social media platform X, stating that listening to “Hunting Soul” felt like hearing X Japan without knowing why. Marty Friedman soon confirmed that the song was indeed an intentional tribute. However, Yoshiki sought further clarification, reaching out to various band and anime-related pages because he found “Hunting Soul” strikingly similar to X Japan’s “Kurenai.” He later commented, “When I found out, I had a chuckle, but then lawyers got involved. There’s a chance of copyright infringement, so who knows what’ll happen next.”
Controversy Over Unauthorized X Japan Tribute in Dan Da Dan’s Musical Moment (Sony vs Aniplex)
Yoshiki also noted that, unlike many other anime tributes to X Japan that had received approval from rights-holders, this instance did not. A possible reason for this lack of authorization is that Sony Music owns certain X Japan catalog rights, while Aniplex is part of Dan Da Dan’s production team. Yoshiki was notably caught off guard by the situation.
About the Author
Carlos Mendoza 
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