All Rights Revert Back to Tatsunoko Source: Tatsunoko Production press release

The main cast of the classic anime series SPEED RACER. © 1966 Tatsunoko Production

The two SPEED RACER licensing lawsuits filed by Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd., entitled Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. v. Speed Racer Enterprises, Inc., et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court Civil Case No. BC477332, and Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. v. James E. Rocknowski, et al., U.S. Central District of California Court Civil Case No. 2:12-cv-09236-CBM (FMOx), have each been settled by mutual agreement of all parties and are being dismissed in full. The two lawsuits arose from that certain written agreement SPEED RACER aka MACH GO GO GO, dated June 1, 2000, between Tatsunoko and Speed Racer Enterprises, Inc. (“SRE”), as amended on April 15, 2010 (the “Licensing Agreement”), by which Tatsunoko previously licensed to SRE certain intellectual property rights pertaining to SPEED RACER. The settlement includes the parties’ mutual agreement that the Licensing Agreement was terminated in its entirety on May 31, 2011 (the “Termination Date”), and that any and all rights and interests previously provided to and/or held by SRE pursuant to the Licensing Agreement ceased immediately as of the Termination Date, and completely and automatically reverted to Tatsunoko as of the Termination Date. Accordingly, as of the Termination Date, Tatsunoko alone owns, and is exclusively entitled to use and control, all SPEED RACER intellectual property rights worldwide. As a result of the settlement, both sides have mutually agreed to discontinue their business relationship, and have further agreed that any and all exploitation and licensing of SPEED RACER intellectual property rights subsequent to the Termination Date may, and shall, only be made by and through Tatsunoko, and that any other use of SPEED RACER intellectual property rights subsequent to the Termination Date is unauthorized and ultra vires.

For more information on SPEED RACER please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan:

• Here He Comes! Here Comes SPEED RACER!
• Part 1: Go Speed Go! A Series Overview
• Part 2: Racers Start Your Engines! How it All Began
• Part 3: Speed Racer is Born! MACH GO GO GO Comes to the U.S.
• SPEED RACER Production Notes
• SPEED RACER: Interview with Rain
• First 7 Minutes of SPEED RACER
• Part 4: The Aftermath of Speed: Remakes and Sequels
• Part 5: Speed Racer Now!
• RETROSPECTIVE AND REVIEW: SPEED METAL
• SPEED RACER Coming to Blu-ray and DVD
• SPEED RACER DVD and Blu-ray Cover Art
• SPEED RACER COMPLETE CLASSIC SERIES COLLECTION