Bandai warns of legal action as fans duped by AI-generated images of anime figures
Japanese toy and hobby giant Bandai has issued an official statement regarding the use of its registered trademarks in AI-generated images.
The warning was posted to the company’s official website on Tuesday, the 16th of September, 2025.
In the statement, the company says that it has confirmed a number of cases on social media where users have been creating and posting images of products, such as figures, using generative AI.
These fake, AI-generated images have then had official, registered trademarks, such as the corporate symbols and brand logos of Bandai and BANDAI SPIRITS, added to them.
Bandai has stated that it has received a number of inquiries about these images, which in some cases consumers have incorrectly believed related to new products that were in production by the company.
The company is now officially warning the public that these images are not of real Bandai products and that people should be careful not to be misled by them.
In addition to the warning for consumers, the statement also includes a caution for the creators of these images.
The company has pointed out that, depending on the image, the act of posting such content to social media may be considered a copyright or trademark infringement and could be deemed illegal.
Depending on the severity, this could mean that anyone posting images that infringe on Bandai’s copyright could find themselves faced with legal consequences, especially if the images are being used to fool unsuspecting model enthusiasts into purchasing non-existent products.
Bandai is requesting that people refrain from posting AI-generated images that could be mistaken for official company products.
This new statement highlights the growing and complex issue of AI-generated content and how it can cause issues with intellectual property and trademark law in the modern, social media-driven landscape.
Source: Bandai
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