TV Tokyo Apologizes for Keroro Gunsou Movie Controversy
A new Keroro Gunsou movie is coming out, and a major controversy surrounding the series continues to gain attention in Japan. After Bandai Namco Pictures issued a statement, it was now TV Tokyo’s turn to publicly apologize for the problems involving the movie’s production and acknowledge the seriousness of the situation.
TV Tokyo Apologizes for Keroro Gunsou Movie Controversy
During a press conference held in early July, TV Tokyo published an official statement on its website acknowledging issues in the production process of Keroro Gunsou Movie 6: Fukkatsu shite Sokkou Chikyuu Metsubou no Kiki de Arimasu, a film that marks the franchise’s return to theaters after 16 years.
Takayuki Hirobe, a director at the broadcaster and a member of the production committee, stated that the company deeply regrets what happened and apologized to everyone involved and to the fans. According to him, the matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness.
The executive also commented on the use of scenes and references that resembled other works without proper authorization. According to Hirobe, it is essential to respect creators’ work and obtain the consent of rights holders whenever using homages, parodies, or other forms of references.
The Attack on Titan Incident Caused Major Backlash
The biggest controversy involving the movie emerged after it was confirmed that a parody of Attack on Titan was included in the production, even though those responsible for the work had previously expressed opposition to the use of this content.
In a previous statement, Bandai Namco Filmworks and Bandai Namco Pictures explained that some scenes in the movie contained elements reminiscent of other works without respecting the wishes of the respective rights holders. The companies also emphasized that the issue did not involve the animation staff, the original creator of Keroro Gunsou, or the editorial team, but rather internal communication failures during the production process.
The new Keroro Gunsou movie had already been receiving mixed reactions due to director Yuichi Fukuda’s style and the frequent participation of actors known for appearing in his productions.
In addition to the apology, the companies stated that they will review their internal verification and communication systems to prevent similar situations from happening again in the future.