McDonald’s Japan franchise withdraws promotional video after rights failure with Touhou characters

The fast-food chain McDonald’s Japão issued an official statement to confirm the identification of insufficient processes in the production of audiovisual materials broadcast on its digital platforms. The failure occurred during the promotional campaign for the seasonal product Donut Quente of Crème Brûlée, resulting in the unauthorized use of third-party visual elements. The company directed a formal apology to the independent animator known as Kitsune (Kari), responsible for creating the derivative material titled Kitsune Yukkuri. The corporation’s marketing department took responsibility for the inconsistencies in the approval flow of advertising pieces. A detailed internal investigation found that significant portions of the artist’s derived content remained in the final cut of the commercial without proper copyright clearance. The situation sparked an immediate debate about intellectual property verification practices within large advertising agencies serving the food sector. The franchise’s management acted quickly to contain the damage to the brand’s image, establishing direct contact with the injured party. The episode highlights the complexity of integrating pop culture references into large-scale sales strategies.

The central advertising piece of this controversy, called “Reimu, Marisa and Árvore of Mochi”, was originally launched on February 18th on the brand’s official channels. The video combined the famous characters Reimu Hakurei and Marisa Kirisame, belonging to the acclaimed Projeto Touhou, with the aesthetics of the classic Japanese children’s work “The Árvore of The initial proposal aimed to attract young audiences and electronic game enthusiasts through a visually striking parody.

After the initial repercussion, the corporation adopted immediate measures to mitigate the effects of the irregular publication. The actions focused on transparency and correcting the administrative error in campaign management.

• Full removal of the video from all of the brand’s social networks.
• Sending a detailed investigation report to the creator.
• Immediate review of contracts with outsourced producers.

Flaws identified in the campaign’s creative process

The internal document prepared by McDonald’s Japão revealed critical points where standard operating procedures were not applied with the necessary rigor. The analysis demonstrated that the team responsible for the final edit of the commercial did not cross-check the origins of the visual elements inserted in the animation. Essa omission allowed characteristic features and facial expressions developed exclusively by

The absence of a strict copyright check filter resulted in the approval of content that violated the guidelines for using derivative works. The company publicly acknowledged that the failure occurred strictly in its internal validation processes.

The Projeto Touhou universe is widely known for its permissive policy towards derivative works created by fans, which often creates gray areas in commercial use by large corporations. However, direct appropriation of a specific artist’s style without consent or compensation goes beyond community-established fair use guidelines. The fast-food chain’s investigation mapped out exactly at which stage of production the art of Kitsune (Kari) was improperly used as the basis for the final animation. The report delivered to the animator served as proof of the company’s commitment to understanding the root of the structural problem.

• Identification of copyright check failure.
• Mapping the advertising agency approval flow.
• Recognition of the original authorship of the traits used.

Direct resolution with independent animator

Kitsune (Kari) used her social media profiles to report the progress of negotiations with representatives of the restaurant chain. The creator expressed initial surprise when identifying her drawing style in a nationwide campaign, highlighting that she had no contractual relationship with the brand.

Direct contact established by the corporation’s legal and marketing team resulted in a resolution considered amicable by both parties. The artist confirmed receipt of the formal apology and declared that the matter was closed satisfactorily, ruling out the need for legal action.

Visual impact and similarities highlighted by the public

The mobilization of users on social networks played a fundamental role in quickly identifying the similarities between the commercial and the independent artist’s work. Fãs of Projeto Touhou and followers of Kitsune (Kari) began sharing screenshots comparing frames from the promotional video with the original illustrations.

This digital pressure accelerated the process of removing the material from the air, which took place in mid-March, a few weeks after the official launch. The online community acted as a kind of external audit, pointing out inconsistencies that went unnoticed by campaign reviewers.

The animator’s transparent stance throughout the episode helped keep discussions in a constructive tone, avoiding mass boycotts of the brand. Forums specializing in Japanese pop culture praised the way the situation was handled after the initial complaint.

Dynamics of the fast-food market and pop culture

The attempt to integrate niche elements, such as the characters Reimu Hakurei and Marisa Kirisame, demonstrates the brands’ constant search for authentic engagement. The Japanese fast-food market is highly competitive, requiring advertising campaigns that speak directly to internet subcultures.

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The use of parodies and references to children’s literary works, such as “A Árvore de Mochi”, is a common tactic to generate nostalgia and curiosity simultaneously. The unusual combination of visual elements aimed to create viral content to drive sales of the new menu item.

Despite the execution error in checking rights, the initial strategy proved to be effective in terms of reach, generating millions of views in the first few hours of publication. The current challenge for agencies is to replicate this level of interest without infringing on third-party intellectual property.

Engaging young audiences requires a deep understanding of the internet’s visual codes, something that failed in the technical validation stage of this specific project. The corporation now seeks to balance the creativity of its campaigns with legal certainty.

Review protocols for future advertising actions

The incident forced McDonald’s Japão to restructure its internal mechanisms for approving advertising pieces involving animation and digital illustration. The board mandated the implementation of new layers of verification, requiring partner agencies to provide detailed documentation on the origin of all visual resources used in commercials. Essa measure aims to shield the corporation against future accusations of plagiarism or misuse of copyrighted materials.

In addition to the operational changes, the company began a training program for its marketing teams focused on identifying derivative works and licensing rules for intellectual properties linked to pop culture. The aim is to ensure that future campaigns can explore themes relevant to young audiences without disrespecting the work of independent artists and digital content creators.

Continuity of seasonal product sales

Despite the controversy surrounding the promotional material, sales of Donut Quente de Crème Brûlée were not interrupted in the franchise’s physical units throughout Japan. The product continues to be the main focus of the season’s dessert menu, maintaining its availability both for consumption in restaurants and for orders made through the brand’s official delivery app. The communications team redirected marketing efforts to other advertising pieces that were already approved and that do not use controversial animation elements, ensuring the continuity of the sales campaign. Public acceptance of the donut’s flavor and texture remained positive, isolating the copyright issue from the item’s commercial performance. The fast-food chain confirmed that the seasonal release schedule will follow the original plan established for the year, with no changes resulting from this specific episode.

Institutional position on respect for creators

The corporation reiterated its commitment to maintaining high ethical standards on all its corporate communication fronts. The public apology and quick resolution of the conflict with animator Kitsune (Kari) set an important precedent on how big brands should deal with copyright infringements in the digital environment, prioritizing dialogue and immediate repair of the damage caused.

Continuous monitoring of social networks

The brand’s crisis management team actively monitors online mentions to gauge consumer sentiment following the retraction. The metrics indicate a stabilization in direct criticism of the corporation.

The marketing department’s current focus is to rebuild the trust of the pop culture fan public through strictly original campaigns. Novas creation guidelines are now in place for upcoming scheduled releases.