Photo: Maricar.com
Super Mario Bros., the best-selling video game of all time according to the Guinness Book of World Records, has an incredible number of fans.
A massive fan base makes any fictional character famous, and Mario evidently fits the bill. With such popularity, he has inspired artwork, toys, and various merchandise.
The problem with selling products inspired by characters from movies and video games is that it can only be done legally by the holder of the trademark.
In the case of Mario, Luigi, and all of their friends from the Mushroom Kingdom, the trademark and copyright belong to Nintendo. Even if you do not know who those characters are, you have heard of Nintendo.
The Japanese company is a pillar of the gaming industry, and it tries to protect years of hard work. One of those measures involves suing those that use their trademark without permission.
The latest case comes from Japan, where a company named Maricar has been renting go-karts for some time, and its customers always received costumes that belonged in the Super Mario Bros’ universe.
According to the filing, Nintendo is suing Maricar because the company’s name causes confusion with Mario Kart, and this is understandable when you think about a go-kart rental business that provides character costumes to its clients while having the mentioned name.
Pictures and videos of Maricar renters have been used as promotional material, and this also bothers those at Nintendo, not to mention the unlicensed use of costumes that portray its trademarked characters.
Renters in Tokyo could have gone for a ride on public streets dressed as characters from the Super Mario franchise for as little as $53, Kotaku notes. Because Maricar never asked Nintendo for permission to use its trademark and operate its business using its copyrighted products, the gaming giant filed a lawsuit against the rental company.
It is worth noting that the go-karts utilized by the renters were street legal in Tokyo, so they were not breaking traffic laws by allowing renters to drive them on the road.
The problem with selling products inspired by characters from movies and video games is that it can only be done legally by the holder of the trademark.
In the case of Mario, Luigi, and all of their friends from the Mushroom Kingdom, the trademark and copyright belong to Nintendo. Even if you do not know who those characters are, you have heard of Nintendo.
The Japanese company is a pillar of the gaming industry, and it tries to protect years of hard work. One of those measures involves suing those that use their trademark without permission.
The latest case comes from Japan, where a company named Maricar has been renting go-karts for some time, and its customers always received costumes that belonged in the Super Mario Bros’ universe.
According to the filing, Nintendo is suing Maricar because the company’s name causes confusion with Mario Kart, and this is understandable when you think about a go-kart rental business that provides character costumes to its clients while having the mentioned name.
Pictures and videos of Maricar renters have been used as promotional material, and this also bothers those at Nintendo, not to mention the unlicensed use of costumes that portray its trademarked characters.
Renters in Tokyo could have gone for a ride on public streets dressed as characters from the Super Mario franchise for as little as $53, Kotaku notes. Because Maricar never asked Nintendo for permission to use its trademark and operate its business using its copyrighted products, the gaming giant filed a lawsuit against the rental company.
It is worth noting that the go-karts utilized by the renters were street legal in Tokyo, so they were not breaking traffic laws by allowing renters to drive them on the road.
This seemed to be so fun! I wanna try this!! Lol
— Akiko (@Alohastars) January 27, 2017
SŒcaƒJ‚W]F„cf_D()@mimoto3yuuki J‚W]F`c_m#fun #maricar #wannatry pic.twitter.com/qwQPxHo2Ha
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