complicated simplicity

In an unsurprising development, Justice Woo Bih Li of the High Court has ruled against Odex in this long running feud with local anime lovers. However in his verbal judgement, he also ruled that the copyright right holders will be allowed access instead, piping a victory for the Odex led lawsuit.

THE High Court on Tuesday dismissed anime distributor Odex’s attempt to obtain the names of PacNet (previously called Pacific Internet) customers who had allegedly downloaded the animated Japanese cartoons. Instead, it ordered the Internet service provider to reveal their identities to six Japanese anime studios.

In a verbal judgement in the High Court, Justice Woo Bih Li said that since Odex could not sue downloaders under Singapore’s Copyright Act, there was no reason it should be allowed to obtain the names of the alleged downloaders.

This is the same reason District Judge Ernest Lau had given for turning down Odex’s request for the names last September.

Odex had appealed the decision, and had subsequently made submissions to add six Japanese anime studios to its case. Justice Woo granted this request.

Since these studios owned the copyright and could sue, they will have access to the downloaders’ names, he said.

Source: StraitsTimesInteractive

If anyone has seen the Odex versions of the anime, you know why it sucks. Boycott Odex. Parallel import or whatever. Screw Odex.