Taiwanese manga artist Ao You-xiang disputes partial trademark cancellation

Manga artist Ao You-xiang has expressed frustration after the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) issued a decision to partially cancel the trademark for the classic manga series ‘Dr. Slump’ (Wu Long Yuan). Ao stated that he has paid trademark fees for ten years to protect his creations and questioned the necessity of the action, noting that the process has caused significant disruption to his work.

TIPO clarified that the cancellation was not a total revocation of the ‘Wu Long Yuan and Graphic’ trademark (No. 02003530). Following an application by a third party, the agency reviewed evidence of use under the Trademark Act. The agency decided to maintain the registration for ‘hotel’ services under Class 43 due to evidence of actual use. However, the trademark was cancelled for other services in Class 43, such as nursing homes, and for all products in Class 30, including tea and coffee beverages, due to a lack of sufficient evidence of use over the past three years.

Authorities also addressed claims regarding field investigations, stating they did not send personnel to Ao’s residence or studio to take photographs for evidence. TIPO emphasized that trademark rights and copyrights are distinct legal protections; the partial cancellation of the trademark does not affect the copyrights held by the creator for the manga works. Ao has engaged legal counsel and may pursue administrative remedies.