Sixty-Something Twins Suspected of Selling Kamen Rider Replica Masks, ‘Earned Over ¥10 Million’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:28 JST, May 24, 2024

A 65-year-old unemployed man and his twin brother were arrested Wednesday for selling a replica mask of a superhero in a TV show, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

According to police, the two － both from Arida, Wakayama Prefecture － were suspected of violation of the Copyright Law for selling a replica mask of the “Kamen Rider” series for about ¥90,000 on an internet auction between July and November without obtaining permission from Toei Co. and Tsuburaya Productions Co. They were also arrested on suspicion of possessing a total of seven replica masks of “Ultraman” and other characters for sale.

The two admitted the charges. The older brother was allegedly manufacturing the masks at home. The younger brother told police he was selling the masks for ¥100,000 or so each for about five years and earned about ¥10 million.

The crime was unearthed when Toei consulted with the MPD in July last year.