Misc Others Video Game Music for Manga Character

[TonyNESgri]

Hi

I don't know who I should send this thread to, but here's the thing :

My friend is drawing a manga (it's still a project), and one of the characters that I created for him uses special attacks whose the names are identical to the ones of the video game OutRun's soundtrack.

I know it sounds odd, but I like OutRun music so much that I want my OC to spell 'MAGICAL SOUND SHOWER' or 'SPLASH WAVE' as he attacks. I don't think anyone else did that for a manga before, perhaps besides JoJo's Bizarre Adventure whose 'Stands' got famous albums' names.

We won't directly use the music from that game ; just the names. Is that still copyrighted ? I don't know where to check it.

Thanks a lot in advance for your time and your answer

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Don't worry about Splash Wave, Passing Breeze and Last Wave, those are common language expression, just like you can't copyright stuff like "good bye", "see you soon" or "rest in peace" for example.

Magical Sound Shower is not a common language expression, so that should only concern of you. That said, I think you will be ok since this title is not a verse on said song, you are using in a whole other context and you are doing a reference/homage, and that is fair use.

There is something else, but I don't know if it is just here in my region or it is universal, but here art may mention copyrighted stuff. A book character can enter inside a McDonalds and play a Nintendo. You can make a painting with Mickey eating shit if you will. Art is free, but what is art is subject to debate, and again, every region will rule this different. Here a manga magazine will easily be considered art, a digital manga tho, will be debatable.

 

[plasturion]

It reminds a manga where only popular brand names were used with only changed one letter just to make a parody of it, or slightly changed shape of it's logo. After decade of releasing this manga never it bring any issues for the author.