Controversy of the Song 'Hunting Soul' in the Anime 'DANDADAN': Allegedly Violating Copyright, Ending in an Apology

Kapanlagi.com - Episode 18 of the anime DANDADAN has sparked controversy after featuring the song titled Hunting Soul performed by a fictional band named HAYASii. The song Hunting Soul is considered similar to works by the legendary Japanese band X JAPAN. This has triggered a reaction from the founder and leader of X JAPAN, Yoshiki.

This controversy has led to discussions between Yoshiki and X JAPAN fans regarding respect for creative works and copyright infringement. Here is the chronology and what follows:

Read other DANDADAN news on Liputan6.com.

1. Chronology

This controversy began during the airing of episode 18 of DANDANDAN on August 8, 2025. In this episode , the song Hunting Soul performed by the fictional band HAYASii attracted public attention due to its similarity to the song Kurenai by X JAPAN.

Through his official X account, Yoshiki expressed his confusion by stating that the song was similar to X JAPAN and that he was unaware of any licensing issues. Initially, Yoshiki was merely surprised and found the situation somewhat amusing. However, his reaction changed after Yoshiki's legal team contacted him and explained the copyright infringement.

2. Official Apology

x.com/@anime_dandadan

On August 22, 2025, the official representatives of the anime DANDADAN issued a statement and apology through their official X account. They stated that the song Hunting Soul was a tribute to X JAPAN. The DANDADAN team hoped that through this tribute, they could channel the energy and characteristics of X JAPAN to the audience. However, the DANDADAN team acknowledged their mistake for not having official permission from X JAPAN.
The producer also emphasized that they had already discussed with X JAPAN regarding copyright issues and potential collaboration in the future. After the discussion process, Yoshiki felt more respected and deleted his initial posts on X. This indicated that both parties had resolved the issue amicably.

3. Who is Yoshiki?

x.com/@YoshikiOfficial

Yoshiki Hayashi, better known as Yoshiki, is a musician, producer, composer, and the founder of X JAPAN. The band he founded is a legendary rock band that has had a significant influence on the development of Japanese music and visual kei. This band has been around for 40 years and made its debut in the indie scene in 1985 before entering a major label in 1989.

As the creative brain behind X JAPAN, Yoshiki is known for his musical style that blends the power of rock with the softness of classical melodies. Throughout his career, Yoshiki has become a living legend in the Japanese music industry and a global figure through his music's international influence.

(kpl/vaj)