Real world logos/brands in anime?

[Rhodes]

In old shows... you get real world brands in anime. And I am sure none of em paid to be placed in these shows. Why the change to "Somy" and the like?

"Stanford Law School’s Fair Use Project, told the AP that trademark laws “don’t exist to give companies the right to control and censor movies and TV shows that might happen to include real-world items.”"... this from an article about Budweiser's appearance in a new movie. The guy's a drunk and has tons of Bud cans and bottles all over the place.

Why the changes are made to manga and anime when they are brought over to the US? Black Lagoon had tons of edits to real world products shown/used in the manga.

These items/products arent used to sell the show... they are real world products and the characters just happen to use em or they are in the back ground. Why the censorship/edits when these shows/books get brought over?

[kijakusai]

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Why the changes are made to manga and anime when they are brought over to the US?

Er―did you compare the US version of an anime/manga with the Japanese version of it?
'Somy'-ish cases have already happened in Japan in the first place.

Asamiya Kia has written that when he drew a scene in a manga, the editor 'called for a retake' because the scene included a signboard which had a trademark. Someone's comment on that message by Asamiya says that if a lawsuit is filed in such a case, it is possible that the rights holder of the trademark wins the suit.

Since Pocky was used in Ga-Rei: Zero, a 2channeller asked Glico whether they had permitted the anime production company to use Pocky in the anime. Glico said to him that the anime production company had asked Glico's permission and Glico had given them permission. Glico also asked them not to use Pocky in horrific scenes.

So, anime/manga companies in Japan seem to tend to take care of that problem.
　

[touma]

Originally Posted by kijakusai

Asamiya Kia has written that when he drew a scene in a manga, the editor 'called for a retake' because the scene included a signboard which had a trademark. Someone's comment on that message by Asamiya says that if a lawsuit is filed in such a case, it is possible that the rights holder of the trademark wins the suit.　

I think that the manga and anime producers would not want to risk being involved in a lawsuit even if they thought that they could win it. It probably would not be worth the time and expense, and if the lawsuit delayed the release of future chapters or episodes that could be disastrous for the production company.

On a somewhat related note, I noticed that in K-On! the musical instruments and equipment had the real manufacturer and models, such as Fender Mustang and Gibson Les Paul Standard Edition for Azusa and Yui's guitars, but other things used fake names. I think that Mio's tape player was a "Somy" or something like that.
I wonder if the producers got permission from the musical equipment makers. It would make sense to me that permission would be given since the show portrays music in such a positive way.
I also noticed that the K-On! manga did not have any readable names on the instruments. Maybe they were just too hard to draw.

[kijakusai]

Originally Posted by touma

It would make sense to me that permission would be given since the show portrays music in such a positive way.

A staffer of Fender Musical Instruments posted an article in which he praised Mio and K-ON! on the official Fender blog.

http://www.fender.jp/staff_diary/archives/2009/04/21/