Nintendo is suing an enterprising Go-Kart company operating on the streets of Tokyo for intellectual property infringement, and it is easy to see why.
Nintendo is suing MariCar Co. for intellectual property infringement and for allegedly violating Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act. Nintendo alleges MariCar for letting the public ride in go-karts designed and decorated to look like "Mario Kart" vehicles while dressed as Mario characters. Customers of the company ride through Tokyo streets dressed up as brothers Mario and Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad, according to Eurogamer.
While driving go-carts on city streets in Japan is legal, customers need to have an international driving license. As of late, the go-karting business has been becoming popular with tourists. The added attraction it seems for MariCar is having its go-carts and customers appear as characters of the iconic Nintendo franchise.
Due to its popularity, Nintendo took notice and decided to take legal action against MariCar. Nintendo frown on the idea that even the company's name is a play of the gaming giant's branding and having customers wear Mario apparel for advertising purposes without permission, c|net reported.
MariCar allegedly charges customers from 8,000 to 10,000 yen ($70 to $100) for a 2-hour ride wearing Mario onesies in the fashionable Shinjuku area. Though customers will not shoot turtle shells against each other as they drive, it is not yet known if Nintendo's case against MariCar will reach the finish line.
Meanwhile, Kotaku profiled a go-kart business back in 2013. The company "Akiba Kart" operates in Tokyo's "Electric Town" of Akibahara. It operates the same way as that of the subject above but apparently, many customers of Akiba Kart enjoy cosplaying with their karting, popular of which is, Mario characters.
Customers donned in their own "Mario Kart" character costumes get to drive around Akibahara in go-karts with a full tank of gas. The Akiba Karts, though similar looking to Mario's have no branding on them aside from the company's own.
The costumes donned by its customers are their own and not provided for by the karting company. That is probably the reason why Nintendo is not taking issue with the karting company since it started operations in 2011.
