For those who didn’t know, Sunrise’s Code Geass has had a manga prequel that’s been in serialization for some time now (that’s something I didn’t know). The prequel, Code Geass: Shikkoku no Renya, lies in the same timeline as the anime, the story is actually set during Japan’s Edo era. This leaves it open for comparisons to be drawn to other historical manga, and that’s where we get problems.

Turns out the blogger of the Code Geass: Shikkoku no Renya no Toyo to Settei Machigai ni Tsukkomu webpage is accusing Tomomasa Takuma and Goro Taniguchi of plagiarizing Yagyu Reppuken Renya, a historical manga by Takashi Noguchi that was published in 1992 in Weekly Shonen Jump.

The blog has made claims (in Japanese, it seems) of numerous similarities between the two.

Artist Takuma talked with publisher Kadokawa Shoten and they both came to the conclusion of suing the blogger for defamation. Paperwork has already been completed to commence legal action. Currently, the manga is on hiatus, with Takuma claiming that it’s unrelated to the blog. Writer Taniguchi hasn’t been pulled much into this mess, however.

I find this interesting. I haven’t read the supposed plagiarized 1992 series (I was a wee child back then), but this sounds like it will take a while.

What’s your guys’ take on this?

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