Anime & Rock: Dandadan song sparks copyright dispute with X Japan - Apple restores watch feature post ITC import ban

Anime & Rock: Dandadan song sparks copyright dispute with X Japan

Dandadan, a popular Japanese anime series gaining international recognition, has unexpectedly found itself at the centre of a copyright dispute. Episode 18 of the second season featured the song 'Hunting Soul', performed by the fictional band HAYASii, which quickly went viral with over 10 million views on YouTube. However, this success has also led to accusations of infringement due to the song's similarity to "Kurenai", an iconic song by the well-known Japanese rock band X JAPAN.

X JAPAN, active since the 1980s, is one of the most influential rock bands in Japanese music history, known for its fusion of symphonic metal and dramatic ballads. Led by the charismatic musician Yoshiki, the group has left an indelible mark on Japanese pop culture. “Kurenai”, in particular, is one of their most recognisable and popular tracks.

The episode in question featured a guitar performance by Marty Friedman, a former member of Megadeth. The names of the fictional band members (Toshiro, Yoshikichi, Hideji and Patarson) clearly reference the real-life X JAPAN band (Toshi, Yoshiki, Hide and Pata). However, several musicians and listeners have pointed out that the song's intro and bridge bear a striking resemblance to “Kurenai”, raising concerns that this may be more than just a tribute.

After the episode was released, Yoshiki posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his surprise at the resemblance between the two compositions. Although he initially reacted with humour, he later revealed that his legal team had begun investigating potential copyright infringement. Shortly after, the song was removed from Japanese streaming platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and Mora (a Sony affiliate), fuelling speculation that a formal dispute was underway. Currently, “Hunting Soul” is officially only available on YouTube.

Although anime frequently draws inspiration from real-life figures, Yoshiki pointed out that previous tributes to X JAPAN had been organised in advance with the production teams. The current uncertainty is further complicated by the fact that both songs are tied to Sony: Sony Music Publishing holds the rights to “Kurenai”, and Milan Records, a Sony subsidiary, distributed the anime song. This has led to speculation that the issue may stem from a lack of internal coordination within the same corporate ecosystem rather than any malicious intent on the part of the creators of Dandadan.

'Hunting Soul' is either set to become one of the musical highlights of anime in 2025, or it will serve as a reminder of the legal risks of drawing inspiration too closely from protected works without proper authorisation.

Apple restores watch feature post ITC import ban

As we discussed in previous blogposts, Masimo, a medical technology company specialising in pulse oximetry, has been in dispute with Apple over the Apple Watch’s blood oxygen feature since 2021. In October 2023, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued a limited exclusion order and a cease-and-desist order for patent infringement. As a result, Apple temporarily paused sales in the US and, in January 2024, disabled the feature on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 models while appealing the decision.

On 14 August 2025, Apple announced that it would reintroduce a redesigned version of the blood oxygen feature in the United States through a software update, following authorisation of this approach by U.S. Customs.

Following the update to iOS 18.6.1 (iPhone) and watchOS 11.6.1 (Apple Watch), users can start a blood oxygen measurement using the Blood Oxygen app on their Apple Watch. This only applies to Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10 and Ultra 2 units originally sold in the U.S. without the feature. It does not affect watches that already had the Blood Oxygen feature, nor any watches sold outside the US.

It is worth noting that the litigation is ongoing, the ITC decision is under appeal, and Masimo is maintaining its claims. Meanwhile, Customs has authorised Apple to offer the measurement again with this new software while the case is ongoing.