#i’ve always wanted to try making merch??? so i tried to make a chibi style i think would look cute as merch

[akkivee]

i like the cheebs i drew for jyushi’s bday last year lol

[hawberries]

Hey, I was wondering. Is it really illegal to still Captive Prince merch? And if so can you give me a source link on it? Thanks ^^

okay, fine, let’s go over this!

all fan merchandise is illegal!! you aren’t legally allowed to be out there profiting off of other people’s IPs. however, many companies/creators turn a blind eye to it because it’s understood that these are hand-made, short-run items, created by fans for fans; not very much profit is being made, and the purpose is to share the love and passion you have for a series. it’s a strange grey-area culture, everyone has a different take on it.

so basically, whether or not you sell merch of a series is not really a legal question as much as a personal one. a moral one, i guess? it’s polite to not make merch of indie properties; if i tried to make fan merch of a webcomic for eg that would be downright douchey, since that’s like one indie artist doing a thing, and it’s directly taking money away from the original creator. but when i draw a pokemon and make a couple hundo, it’s like… i don’t think nintendo the company is going underwater because of this, you feel? so i don’t feel like i am doing a Wrong Thing. personally.

e.g. TAZ is an indie creation that is donor-supported (so it’s not even directly monetized) and the creators explicitly ask that we do not monetize fanart of it. undertale, conversely, is an e.g. of an indie property where some merch is allowed by the creator.

captive prince is a weird grey area where it’s like, the author put this book on LJ and self-published, but also now it’s signed by penguin? also it’s a BOOK and there are no visuals associated with the property at all, so idk what the deal is there. i am not in a position where i’m judging anyone else for making tcp merch, but like… when i first started making items i was making stickers and charms which i felt lacked any sort of artistic flair or integrity. they were just symbols and silly chibis that i printed because i myself wanted them, so i decided that i didn’t want to monetize them. i’ve never said anything like “you aren’t allowed to sell tcp merch”, but always “i don’t feel comfortable selling tcp charms/stickers”. that’s the only stance i have, and i apologise for leading anyone to believe i was trying to make a statement about what other people should do.

i actually do want to sell some tcp merch, such as prints or a zine. these items i feel demand more artistry and like… there is a unique style associated with my prints that only i can offer. it’s not like i’ve slapped “akielos” and “vere” on some buttons and started selling those – i’m not using tcp as a prop to make a quick buck, but adapting my love of the series into unique artworks. it feels very different to selling stickers/charms of dumb chibis that i put no effort into. these are just, like, PERSONAL boundaries that i’ve created for MYSELF, not any sort of pronouncement on what anyone else should do. if you wanna sell tcp merch, come to your own conclusions and if you heart says “go for it” i think you should go for it.

regarding what pacat herself feels, i don’t think she objects or has put any real thought into it. at the moment she is asking her agent. the answer will probably be “legally, no”, so i guess i’ll make my decisions later. at the least i will probably sell a zine bundle with some of my goodies for production cost (so i won’t be profiting), which she’s already established she’s okay with. but maybe i’ll change my mind.

the one thing i do wish people would stop do is outright beg me to sell my captive prince charms? like if someone says “oh i don’t want to do this thing” maybe… stop asking them repeatedly to do that thing! it doesn’t even matter what reason they have… like even if i was like “i didn’t like this art, i don’t wanna sell it” you should maybe respect that? i’m not withholding my merch specifically to spite you, and all the art is on the internet for you to look at with your eyes for free ANY TIME YOU WANT. like. i’m sorry but these are kind of the boundaries that i’ve set for myself and i would like the freedom to stick to them or expand them at my own discretion!! thanks