11.1
Glossary (English / Japanese)
This glossary collects the licensing and anime-industry terms used throughout this guide, with Japanese equivalents where they are commonly used. Keep it open during your first deal; you will hear many of these words in emails, meetings, and contracts.
Key terms
- Romaji
Japanese written in the Latin alphabet, such as kanshū.
- Kanji
Chinese-derived characters used in written Japanese, such as 監修.
- Katakana
The Japanese script often used for loanwords, such as ロイヤリティ (royalty).
How to use this glossary
Terms are grouped loosely by topic, from the basics of IP to deal terms, process, money, and fan culture. Japanese terms are shown in kanji or kana with romaji. Where the industry simply uses the English word, the Japanese column is left blank. Definitions are simplified for beginners; the exact meaning of a term in your contract is whatever the contract says.
IP and industry basics
| Term | Japanese (if any) | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Intellectual property (IP) | 知的財産 (chiteki zaisan) | Creations of the mind protected by law, such as stories, characters, and logos. |
| Copyright | 著作権 (chosakuken) | Legal protection for original creative works, including artwork and episodes. |
| Trademark | 商標 (shōhyō) | A registered name, logo, or mark that identifies a brand or title. |
| Licensed rights / character rights | 版権 (hanken) | Common industry word for the rights to use a title's characters and artwork. |
| Source material | 原作 (gensaku) | The original work an anime is based on, such as a manga or light novel. |
| Production committee | 製作委員会 (seisaku iinkai) | A group of companies that jointly fund an anime and share its rights and revenue. |
| Lead committee company | 幹事会社 (kanji-gaisha) | The committee member that coordinates the project and often manages licensing. |
| Point of contact / rights window | 窓口 (madoguchi) | The company designated to handle licensing inquiries for a title or category. |
| Publisher | 出版社 (shuppansha) | A company that publishes manga or novels, often a key rights holder. |
| Animation studio | アニメ制作会社 (anime seisaku-gaisha) | The company that produces the animation itself. |
| Media mix | メディアミックス (media mikkusu) | Spreading one story across anime, manga, games, music, and goods at once. |
| Broadcast season | クール (kūru) | A roughly three-month TV airing block, usually starting in January, April, July, or October. |
| Simulcast | 同時配信 (dōji haishin) | Streaming an episode abroad at or near the time of its Japanese broadcast. |
Deal terms
| Term | Japanese (if any) | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| License | 許諾 / ライセンス (kyodaku / raisensu) | Permission to use IP under agreed conditions. |
| Licensor | ライセンサー (raisensā) | The party that grants the license. |
| Licensee | ライセンシー (raisenshī) | The party that receives the license and usually pays royalties. |
| Merchandising rights | 商品化権 (shōhinka-ken) | Rights to make and sell products featuring the IP. |
| Territory | 地域 / テリトリー (chiiki / teritorī) | The countries or regions where the license applies. |
| Term | 契約期間 (keiyaku kikan) | How long the license lasts. |
| Channels | 販路 (hanro) | Where you may sell, such as mass retail, specialty stores, or e-commerce. |
| Exclusive | 独占 (dokusen) | No one else receives the same rights in the same scope. |
| Non-exclusive | 非独占 (hi-dokusen) | The licensor may grant the same rights to others. |
| Sublicense | サブライセンス (sabu raisensu) | A license granted onward by a licensee or agent to a third party. |
| Master licensor | The party holding the main rights for a territory or category, which may appoint agents. | |
| Sell-off period | A short period after the term ends for selling remaining approved stock. | |
| Contract | 契約書 (keiyakusho) | The written, signed agreement. |
| Letter of intent (LOI) | 意向書 (ikōsho) | A non-binding or partly binding document outlining intent to make a deal. |
| Term sheet | A short summary of key deal terms agreed before the full contract. |
Money terms
| Term | Japanese (if any) | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Royalty | ロイヤリティ (roiyariti) | A percentage of sales paid to the licensor. |
| Royalty base | The price the royalty is calculated on, such as wholesale or net sales. | |
| Minimum guarantee (MG) | 最低保証 (saitei hoshō) | The minimum royalties the licensee commits to pay. |
| Advance | 前払金 (maebaraikin) | An up-front payment, usually credited against future royalties. |
| Recoupment | The point at which earned royalties have covered the advance or MG. | |
| Royalty report | ロイヤリティ報告書 (roiyariti hōkokusho) | A periodic statement of sales and royalties owed. |
| Withholding tax | 源泉徴収 (gensen chōshū) | Tax deducted at the source on cross-border royalty payments. |
| Tax treaty | 租税条約 (sozei jōyaku) | An agreement between countries that can reduce withholding tax. |
| Audit | 監査 (kansa) | The licensor's review of your records to verify royalty payments. |
Process and culture
| Term | Japanese (if any) | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Approval / supervision | 監修 (kanshū) | The licensor's review and approval of products and materials. |
| Sample | 見本 / サンプル (mihon / sanpuru) | A physical or digital version submitted for approval. |
| Newly drawn artwork | 描き下ろし (kakioroshi) | Original illustrations created specifically for a product or event. |
| Copyright notice | 版権表記 / コピーライト表記 (hanken hyōki) | The required credit line, such as "© Creator / Publisher," shown on products. |
| Internal approval process | 稟議 (ringi) | A Japanese company's circulation of a proposal for sign-off at several levels. |
| Groundwork / consensus-building | 根回し (nemawashi) | Informal discussions to build agreement before a formal decision. |
| Business card | 名刺 (meishi) | Exchanged formally at first meetings in Japan. |
| Collaboration | コラボ (korabo) | A brand tie-in between an anime title and another brand or product. |
| Favorite character | 推し (oshi) | The character a fan most supports; a key driver of purchases. |
| Fan activity | 推し活 (oshi-katsu) | Activities fans do to support their favorites, including buying goods. |
| Pilgrimage to real-world locations | 聖地巡礼 (seichi junrei) | Fans visiting places that appear in or inspired an anime. |
Example
In an email, Moonfox Apparel's contact at the fictional agent writes: "The madoguchi for apparel is our office. Please submit samples for kanshū and include the hanken hyōki on every hangtag." Using this glossary, Moonfox understands that the agent is the official contact, samples need approval, and every tag needs the required copyright credit.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a glossary definition overrides what your contract actually says.
- Mixing up "production" (制作, the animation work) and "production committee" (製作委員会, the funding group). The kanji differ.
- Using Japanese terms incorrectly in emails to seem fluent; plain English is often better.