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PokéBeach webmaster Water Pokémon Master has leaked multiple images from Movie 13 on his website, outraging Japanese fans who have reported him to law enforcement as well as Nintendo and Pokémon officials for breaking a strict Japanese piracy law.

Currently living in Japan, the Pokémon enthusiast allegedly brought a recording device into a movie theater airing the newest Pokémon movie, Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark and took pictures during advertisements in the film, including one for Black and White in the beginning of the movie. 2ch's users begun reporting him to authorities for illegal behavior and are calling to others to do so as well.
It is not presently known if Water Pokémon Master will be prosecuted by authorities. The Japanese legal system relies on confessions, which WPM has already done by admitting it on his website. If arrested and in light of the confession, WPM would be at least deported, if not smacked with the full penalty of up to ten years in prison and a fine of ¥1,000,000 (US$11,292).
Bulbagarden has condemned WPM's actions.
More as details continue to surface.

Update (2:00 AM) - *rolls eyes* I find it rather revolting that rival sites (and others) are saying I should be arrested for posting two photos from advertisements promoting the upcoming Black and White; talk about blowing things out of proportion and starting unnecessary drama (or is it out of jealousy?). Said rival sites post photos from CoroCoro magazine before it is leaked, post episode screenshots immediately after episodes air, upload whole video of segments from Japanese television, have copyrighted material on their websites, post images of Pokemon that are (potentially) leaked to the public illegally, and even distribute DVD-quality Pokemon movies. Talk about a double standard! At least when I do something fishy, I fully acknowledge it. If you're going to complain about the way I run this website, make sure you're not going to sound like a complete hypocrite first. And chill out - the Pokemon will be revealed soon anyways. Like maybe even tomorrow during Pokemon Sunday (which I'm sure will be uploaded to thousands of places on the Internet), or in the leaked CoroCoro scans next week (which we all know, and have always known, come from people who illegally get the magazine first). Shooting me in the foot for something like this is pretty foolish when everyone does it to some degree; two low-resolution and blurry photos of Pokemon, whether the act of taking the pictures is illegal or not, is not going to hurt anyone and only promotes the games. If anyone should payAs this situation has been blown out of proportion by specific webmasters and others in private and on several different forums, I feel the need to give an extended response. However, this will be my last post on the issue. I originally had another very long paragraph detailing my opinion on the way these webmasters behave, but I don’t feel the need to prolong this already-ridiculous situation. PokeBeach will always be here, as will other webmasters, and it’s best to just address the heart of the issue.

While I agree (and would have much trouble arguing against) that recording a movie, selling it, or distributing it to the masses is highly illegal, I tend to side with the “spirit of the law.” As someone who is planning to become a filmmaker and is heavily involved in media studies, I read about these issues all the time. In terms of the spirit of the law, I do not hold that posting images of an advertisement is illegal. Advertisements are meant to advertise. Advertisements are meant to bring awareness to the advertised product. Advertisements are spammed down your throat wherever you go because companies are trying to get word of their product out. I have never heard of a company shooting down someone for spreading the word about an advertisement they have made widely available to the masses. Sounds quite ridiculous if they would, doesn’t it? - almost counterproductive. It would be like PokeBeach putting up a new Card-Dex and a fan of the website going around advertising it, then me suing them for it. While the medium was a film and the location a theater, the recorded material was still an advertisement for Black and White meant to get fans excited about Gamefreak’s latest product, which was not a violation of the “spirit of the law” and what the anti-recording laws in Japanese theaters were originally setup for. This was not an attempt to sell or upload The Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark to other fans for profit or kicks; it was to show them publically-available advertisements that happened to air before and after the new movie in an attempt to create excitement (and, in Nintendo’s point-of-view, sales). Why I even have to explain this to some people is beyond me; you would think it would be common sense. If the Japanese, Gamefreak, or the Pokemon Company want to convict me for promoting an advertisement they have distributed to thousands of theaters across Japan just because I got it out of a theater, then so be it, but I’m sure more than enough people will be laughing at this course of action. Regardless, I seriously doubt anything will come of this - I’m sure the Japanese have much more important things to worry about than where sprites of a few Pokemanz came from, and I’m sure Nintendo loves the free advertising.

Despite what some webmasters (who have never even left their computers to report on Pokemon) want you to believe, their motivations for calling us out on this story are not admirable or in concern for the community, but in an attempt to damage the reputation of a competitor. It’s called PokéPolitics. You know, “Pokemon is serious business?” In my seven years of Pokemon reporting (PokeBeach’s seventh birthday is July 15th - opened in 2003 and going strong since), I have come to learn what some webmasters will do anything to bring negative attention to a competitor and anything to elevate their own position, especially around an important news time such as this. Were the Japanese to have leaked these screenshots, you would bet every Pokemon fansite would have them up even if they knew they originated from a theater. But since a competitor actually went out and got them on their own, the other competitors (naturally) became jealous and angry, leading them to dubiously change their value systems to fit the situation. Was I the only one that thought I was crazy when I was reading the positions of certain webmasters on this matter? They basically believe that illegally-obtained material should not be posted on fansites. Did we all suddenly forget where the Pokemon fandom’s news comes from? I mean, where do the early CoroCoro scans come from? A time traveler? Of course not - someone rips open the product before it should be sold, scans it in, and posts it on 2ch, to which all other sites consume and post - everyone knows this, and everyone promotes them continuing to do so by posting them early. And what about those Black and White demo photos from yesterday? In the photos, you can obviously tell the demos are being held at a private company or business conference - just check out the business suits. Yet obviously, someone from the company or the event took photos they should not have, revealing one new Pokemon, to which all sites, including mine, posted. It’s the nature of the “business” to post illegal material. But yet suddenly its just oh-so-wrong for me to post two photos obtained in a similar manner? And don’t even get me started on 2ch, the supposedly “enraged” individuals who laughably reported me to the Tokyo Police. These people have no problem leaking, spreading, and discussing the aforementioned news stories, which they know are obtained illegally. Yet suddenly they feel the need to report an American webmaster for advertising an advertisement? Ridiculous. This is all “hypocrisy” and “jealousy” at its finest.

All in all, I will continue to do what I do. I take my “job” very seriously and I do what I have to do. If any official has a problem with it, they are free to contact me at wpm@pokebeach.com and I will gladly listen to what they have to say. If any reader has a problem with the way I report, they are free to discontinue reading this website.

And for those of you with your crazy conspiracy theories, please stop. I’ll let you know if I have to pay an $11,000 fine, if I’m deported, or if I’m thrown in jail (-_-). And wow, talk about exaggerating things - I love how some rival fansites presume I’m already in trouble when absolutely nothing has happened at all. This article is completely ridiculous, especially since it presumes 2ch is a serious forum (it’s a trollfest) and that law enforcement really cares about a Pokemon fansite. Total drama queens. And I’ll tell you right now nothing’s even gonna happen. Now everyone be quiet before I go on a murderous rampage and really do something to land myself in international jail. a fine, it should be Pokemon and Nintendo to its loyal webmasters who have spent years out of their time and wallets promoting their products. After all, the only reason I came to Japan (spending well over $8,000 out of my own pocket) was to do coverage of the fifth generation.

As this situation has been blown out of proportion by specific webmasters and others in private and on several different forums, I feel the need to give an extended response. However, this will be my last post on the issue. I originally had another very long paragraph detailing my opinion on the way these webmasters behave, buAs this situation has been blown out of proportion by specific webmasters and others in private and on several different forums, I feel the need to give an extended response. However, this will be my last post on the issue. I originally had another very long paragraph detailing my opinion on the way these webmasters behave, but I don’t feel the need to prolong this already-ridiculous situation. PokeBeach will always be here, as will other webmasters, and it’s best to just address the heart of the issue.

While I agree (and would have much trouble arguing against) that recording a movie, selling it, or distributing it to the masses is highly illegal, I tend to side with the “spirit of the law.” As someone who is planning to become a filmmaker and is heavily involved in media studies, I read about these issues all the time. In terms of the spirit of the law, I do not hold that posting images of an advertisement is illegal. Advertisements are meant to advertise. Advertisements are meant to bring awareness to the advertised product. Advertisements are spammed down your throat wherever you go because companies are trying to get word of their product out. I have never heard of a company shooting down someone for spreading the word about an advertisement they have made widely available to the masses. Sounds quite ridiculous if they would, doesn’t it? - almost counterproductive. It would be like PokeBeach putting up a new Card-Dex and a fan of the website going around advertising it, then me suing them for it. While the medium was a film and the location a theater, the recorded material was still an advertisement for Black and White meant to get fans excited about Gamefreak’s latest product, which was not a violation of the “spirit of the law” and what the anti-recording laws in Japanese theaters were originally setup for. This was not an attempt to sell or upload The Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark to other fans for profit or kicks; it was to show them publically-available advertisements that happened to air before and after the new movie in an attempt to create excitement (and, in Nintendo’s point-of-view, sales). Why I even have to explain this to some people is beyond me; you would think it would be common sense. If the Japanese, Gamefreak, or the Pokemon Company want to convict me for promoting an advertisement they have distributed to thousands of theaters across Japan just because I got it out of a theater, then so be it, but I’m sure more than enough people will be laughing at this course of action. Regardless, I seriously doubt anything will come of this - I’m sure the Japanese have much more important things to worry about than where sprites of a few Pokemanz came from, and I’m sure Nintendo loves the free advertising.

Despite what some webmasters (who have never even left their computers to report on Pokemon) want you to believe, their motivations for calling us out on this story are not admirable or in concern for the community, but in an attempt to damage the reputation of a competitor. It’s called PokéPolitics. You know, “Pokemon is serious business?” In my seven years of Pokemon reporting (PokeBeach’s seventh birthday is July 15th - opened in 2003 and going strong since), I have come to learn what some webmasters will do anything to bring negative attention to a competitor and anything to elevate their own position, especially around an important news time such as this. Were the Japanese to have leaked these screenshots, you would bet every Pokemon fansite would have them up even if they knew they originated from a theater. But since a competitor actually went out and got them on their own, the other competitors (naturally) became jealous and angry, leading them to dubiously change their value systems to fit the situation. Was I the only one that thought I was crazy when I was reading the positions of certain webmasters on this matter? They basically believe that illegally-obtained material should not be posted on fansites. Did we all suddenly forget where the Pokemon fandom’s news comes from? I mean, where do the early CoroCoro scans come from? A time traveler? Of course not - someone rips open the product before it should be sold, scans it in, and posts it on 2ch, to which all other sites consume and post - everyone knows this, and everyone promotes them continuing to do so by posting them early. And what about those Black and White demo photos from yesterday? In the photos, you can obviously tell the demos are being held at a private company or business conference - just check out the business suits. Yet obviously, someone from the company or the event took photos they should not have, revealing one new Pokemon, to which all sites, including mine, posted. It’s the nature of the “business” to post illegal material. But yet suddenly its just oh-so-wrong for me to post two photos obtained in a similar manner? And don’t even get me started on 2ch, the supposedly “enraged” individuals who laughably reported me to the Tokyo Police. These people have no problem leaking, spreading, and discussing the aforementioned news stories, which they know are obtained illegally. Yet suddenly they feel the need to report an American webmaster for advertising an advertisement? Ridiculous. This is all “hypocrisy” and “jealousy” at its finest.

All in all, I will continue to do what I do. I take my “job” very seriously and I do what I have to do. If any official has a problem with it, they are free to contact me at wpm@pokebeach.com and I will gladly listen to what they have to say. If any reader has a problem with the way I report, they are free to discontinue reading this website.

And for those of you with your crazy conspiracy theories, please stop. I’ll let you know if I have to pay an $11,000 fine, if I’m deported, or if I’m thrown in jail (-_-). And wow, talk about exaggerating things - I love how some rival fansites presume I’m already in trouble when absolutely nothing has happened at all. This article is completely ridiculous, especially since it presumes 2ch is a serious forum (it’s a trollfest) and that law enforcement really cares about a Pokemon fansite. Total drama queens. And I’ll tell you right now nothing’s even gonna happen. Now everyone be quiet before I go on a murderous rampage and really do something to land myself in international jail. :)t I don’t feel the need to prolong this already-ridiculous situation. PokeBeach will always be here, as will other webmasters, and it’s best to just address the heart of the issue.

While I agree (and would have much trouble arguing against) that recording a movie, selling it, or distributing it to the masses is highly illegal, I tend to side with the “spirit of the law.” As someone who is planning to become a filmmaker and is heavily involved in media studies, I read about these issues all the time. In terms of the spirit of the law, I do not hold that posting images of an advertisement is illegal. Advertisements are meant to advertise. Advertisements are meant to bring awareness to the advertised product. Advertisements are spammed down your throat wherever you go because companies are trying to get word of their product out. I have never heard of a company shooting down someone for spreading the word about an advertisement they have made widely available to the masses. Sounds quite ridiculous if they would, doesn’t it? - almost counterproductive. It would be like PokeBeach putting up a new Card-Dex and a fan of the website going around advertising it, then me suing them for it. While the medium was a film and the location a theater, the recorded material was still an advertisement for Black and White meant to get fans excited about Gamefreak’s latest product, which was not a violation of the “spirit of the law” and what the anti-recording laws in Japanese theaters were originally setup for. This was not an attempt to sell or upload The Ruler of Illusions: Zoroark to other fans for profit or kicks; it was to show them publically-available advertisements that happened to air before and after the new movie in an attempt to create excitement (and, in Nintendo’s point-of-view, sales). Why I even have to explain this to some people is beyond me; you would think it would be common sense. If the Japanese, Gamefreak, or the Pokemon Company want to convict me for promoting an advertisement they have distributed to thousands of theaters across Japan just because I got it out of a theater, then so be it, but I’m sure more than enough people will be laughing at this course of action. Regardless, I seriously doubt anything will come of this - I’m sure the Japanese have much more important things to worry about than where sprites of a few Pokemanz came from, and I’m sure Nintendo loves the free advertising.

Despite what some webmasters (who have never even left their computers to report on Pokemon) want you to believe, their motivations for calling us out on this story are not admirable or in concern for the community, but in an attempt to damage the reputation of a competitor. It’s called PokéPolitics. You know, “Pokemon is serious business?” In my seven years of Pokemon reporting (PokeBeach’s seventh birthday is July 15th - opened in 2003 and going strong since), I have come to learn what some webmasters will do anything to bring negative attention to a competitor and anything to elevate their own position, especially around an important news time such as this. Were the Japanese to have leaked these screenshots, you would bet every Pokemon fansite would have them up even if they knew they originated from a theater. But since a competitor actually went out and got them on their own, the other competitors (naturally) became jealous and angry, leading them to dubiously change their value systems to fit the situation. Was I the only one that thought I was crazy when I was reading the positions of certain webmasters on this matter? They basically believe that illegally-obtained material should not be posted on fansites. Did we all suddenly forget where the Pokemon fandom’s news comes from? I mean, where do the early CoroCoro scans come from? A time traveler? Of course not - someone rips open the product before it should be sold, scans it in, and posts it on 2ch, to which all other sites consume and post - everyone knows this, and everyone promotes them continuing to do so by posting them early. And what about those Black and White demo photos from yesterday? In the photos, you can obviously tell the demos are being held at a private company or business conference - just check out the business suits. Yet obviously, someone from the company or the event took photos they should not have, revealing one new Pokemon, to which all sites, including mine, posted. It’s the nature of the “business” to post illegal material. But yet suddenly its just oh-so-wrong for me to post two photos obtained in a similar manner? And don’t even get me started on 2ch, the supposedly “enraged” individuals who laughably reported me to the Tokyo Police. These people have no problem leaking, spreading, and discussing the aforementioned news stories, which they know are obtained illegally. Yet suddenly they feel the need to report an American webmaster for advertising an advertisement? Ridiculous. This is all “hypocrisy” and “jealousy” at its finest.

All in all, I will continue to do what I do. I take my “job” very seriously and I do what I have to do. If any official has a problem with it, they are free to contact me at wpm@pokebeach.com and I will gladly listen to what they have to say. If any reader has a problem with the way I report, they are free to discontinue reading this website.

And for those of you with your crazy conspiracy theories, please stop. I’ll let you know if I have to pay an $11,000 fine, if I’m deported, or if I’m thrown in jail (-_-). And wow, talk about exaggerating things - I love how some rival fansites presume I’m already in trouble when absolutely nothing has happened at all. This article is completely ridiculous, especially since it presumes 2ch is a serious forum (it’s a trollfest) and that law enforcement really cares about a Pokemon fansite. Total drama queens. And I’ll tell you right now nothing’s even gonna happen. Now everyone be quiet before I go on a murderous rampage and really do something to land myself in international jail.