With the renewed interest in the Olympics these past two weeks, director Shinji Takamatsu (Gintama, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, Daily Lives of High School Boys) discussed the potential for Olympic-themed projects on Sunday. While he noted that there were a lot of Olympic-themed anime during the sports anime boom before 1989, "we can no longer use the word 'Olympics' in anime in recent years, so such anime can no longer be made."

He added that up until about a decade ago, it was OK to use "Olympics" in dialogue, but it is no longer OK recently. He noted that the recent Captain Tsubasa anime resorted to using the term "Internatonal Cup" instead of the "World Cup." He mused that it may be necessary to come up with a similar substitute word for "Olympics."

He explained that "Olympics" and the five-rings logo are trademarks of the International Olympic Committee, and anime productions would have to pay huge fees for the rights to use them. According to Takamatsu, the first time this issue came up was with Kochira Katsushika-ku Kamearikouen-mae Hashutsujo and the term "Olympic Otoko."

[Via Yaraon!]