The sketchings and manga in the public domain can be transformed into niche product line without copyright violation.
In the past dozen years, manga translations into non-Japanese languages have grown exponentially. This, in turn, has spawned an anime industry which had little exposure overseas since the Tezuka hit cartoon “Atom Boy.”
Blockbuster anime and manga-based films such as Transformers and Kill Bill are modern-day testimonials to the wealth-creating possibilities of the Japanese art form.
The translation of American and other countries’ superhero-type comics into Japanese has scantly been tried. Some might categorize doing that as a selling of ice to the Eskimos. It is assumed that such comics could not compete with the local genre.
Remember: Many people were rabidly skeptical that Japanese would not chomp down on Big Macs and Mr. Donuts’ jelly rolls as well. The real blockbuster could be in making these manga characters into T-Shirts, stationary, or even mobile phone jackets.
Find a native Japanese collaborator who can assist you to translate the works of aspiring westerners creating unknown superhero comics in the States and elsewhere. Alternatively, contact a local clothes wholesaler and produce clothing with such characters in your home country and export to Japan.
No doubt, they will be snatched up and a new fashion cult initiated. A good starting reference is through the extensive, viral otaku network or finding importers in the Success in Japan Directory.
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