Parody: Perspectives from the U.S and Japan

By Ayaka Isaji^[1]

Introduction: What are parodies?

What kind of artworks do you think of when you hear the word "parody"?^[2][3] The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai or Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci^[4] are some of the most parodied masterpieces. While there is no strict definition of parody, it is generally thought of as the use of copyrighted materials^[5] that appropriate the originals as objects of ridicule, criticism, satire, or medium for other expressions. Usually, parody is also the unauthorized usage of originals unless the original creators grant permission to use their materials. Originals can be various types of media such as songs, novels, movies, sentences, or visual arts, but this article will concentrate on the parody of visual arts. Nowadays, anyone can create parodies easily by using Photoshop or other apps whose tools make it easier to copy, paste, and modify originals. In such situations, how do copyright laws approach parodies? This article introduces ideas from two countries: the United States and Japan.