Anime International Company (AIC) has won a major legal victory, securing recognition as a shareholder of AIC Rights following years of court proceedings. The company announced the win on July 3, marking the end of a dispute that began in August 2021.

The case centered on AIC's demand that AIC Rights return its shares. AIC Rights initially argued it had no shares to return, claiming that producer Yoshikazu Maeda had already sold his stake to a third party. The Tokyo District Court sided with AIC in March 2025, prompting AIC Rights and Maeda to appeal.

The Tokyo High Court affirmed the district court's decision in July 2025. Maeda filed one final appeal to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case on May 27, 2026—effectively ending the legal battle and confirming AIC's shareholder status.

The dispute traces back to 2015, when AIC underwent a corporate split that transferred the majority of its intellectual property to the newly formed AIC Rights. Since then, AIC Rights has produced anime based on legacy AIC properties, including Battle Athletes Victory ReSTART! and Tenchi Muyo! Ryo Ohki.

In April 2021, AIC Rights entered an agreement with Toei Agency to share joint ownership of several established franchises, including Megazone 23, Hades Project Zeorymer, Dangaioh, Bubblegum Crisis, Gall Force, and the Tenchi Muyo! franchise. This arrangement remains in place following AIC's legal victory.

The court's decision restores AIC's formal stake in AIC Rights and could influence the company's involvement in future projects developed from these classic properties. For fans of AIC's legacy catalog, the ruling may signal renewed potential for revivals or new projects drawing from these foundational series.