copyright intellectual-property website
Using a franchise images in my own website
<p>A friend and I want to develop a website related to IT, where we could get hired, however we both like Digimon and we got the idea of using some of the characters images in our website such as the background and those kind of things just to provide some "personality" to what we like.</p>

<p>The question here is, is it legal to do this? We won't be earning money while selling / using the characters in our software, only as a visual presentation in the website.</p>

<p>I checked <a href="http://corp.toei-anim.co.jp/en/contact" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Toei Animation</a> contact page where it says:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>We do not grant individuals permission to use any character images.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I checked there because I wanted to ask them this same question, however that makes me think it's impossible to get their permission to use their characters in our website and thus it would be illegal to use them.</p>

<p>For <a href="http://www.bandai.com/terms.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Bandai</a> terms &amp; conditions page they say that Digimon Intellectual Property Rights belong to:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Digimon: © Akiyoshi Hongo • Toei Animation. TM Licensed by SCG Characters LLC.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>We don't want to get into troubles while using those images but we would really like to use them if possible, is there any way we could also get written permission to use the characters in our website?</p>

<p>It's almost certainly illegal.</p>

<p>The creators/owners of those characters have copyright and trademark rights that allow them to use the images exclusively or to decide who else may use them. The exact extent of those rights varies by jurisdiction, but the use you're describing -- as part of a marketing scheme for commercial profit -- is generally going to be impermissible without permission.</p>

<p>If you can get written permission from the owners, you should be fine, but it seems unlikely that they will grant that permission.</p>
