> Odex Returns 2008 ?

Apparently NOT.

This time round it is Showgate Inc, Japanese anime production and distribution company (copyright owner). They are represented by Rajah & Tann, one of the largest premier law firms in Singapore and Asia,

On June 1 2007, Toshiba Entertainment Inc. was officially renamed as Showgate Incorporated. The company was previously known as Amuse until 2003, making this the second time the company has undergone a name change in the past decade.

Some major titles from Showgate Inc were Project Blue, Black Blood Brothers, Kyoshiro and the Eternal Sky, Tokyo Majin, Nanatsuiro Drops, Devil May Cry and Ghost Hound.

Toshiba Entertainment Inc is also a member of AVPAS, Anti-Video Piracy Association Singapore.

In August 2007, Odex is authorised by AVPAS, whose members consist primarily of Japanese companies involved in the anime industry, including major companies to take all steps necessary to protect and enforce the copyrights subsisting in more than 400 anime titles.

Odex’s actions against file-sharing took place between early 2007 and January 2008. Odex alleged that these users infringed on its copyrights by downloading its licensed anime via the BitTorrent network. Between May and August 2007, two of three subpoenas on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to reveal the personal identities of subscribers were ruled in Odex’s favour.

This led to pre-litigation letters being issued from the company to numerous downloaders, the youngest being nine years old. More than a third settled out of court for at least S$3,000 (US$2,000) per person.

On 23 August 2007, Odex lost its suit against Internet Service Provider Pacific Internet (now known as Pacnet) to reveal the identities of 1,000 subscribers.

In Odex’s appeal to the High Court Justice Woo Bih Li ruled on 29 January 2008 that Pacific Internet must release the information directly to Japanese anime studios and the copyright owners. District Judge Lau’s previous ruling, which denied Odex this information, was upheld.

Showgate isn’t the only company that is seeking actions. Apparantly, Geneon Entertainment Inc letters with the same format had also been sent.

It appears both SingNet and StarHub subscribers were recipients of the letter.

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