Editing Miffy (section)

==Conflicts with Sanrio==
Miffy is sometimes assumed to be a [[Japanese language|Japanese]] character, because [[Sanrio]]'s [[Hello Kitty]], introduced in 1974, is rendered using a similar line style. The Miffy brand is popular in [[Japan]], with strong sales of Japanese-made Miffy merchandise. In an interview for ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'', Bruna expressed his dislike for Hello Kitty. "'That,' he says darkly, 'is a copy [of Miffy], I think. I don't like that at all. I always think, "No, don't do that. Try to make something that you think of yourself".<ref name=Telegraph>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3557810/Dick-Bruna-creator-of-the-Miffy-books-talks-about-his-life-and-work.html |title=Dick Bruna, creator of the Miffy books, talks about his life and work |date=July 31, 2008 |newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=18 September 2010 |location=London |first=H. |last=Harrod |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905195923/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3557810/Dick-Bruna-creator-of-the-Miffy-books-talks-about-his-life-and-work.html |archive-date=2009-09-05}}</ref> In 1999, Miffy was the ninth top-selling character in Japan, where licensed merchandise sold {{¥|{{#expr:2100*(1.79/100)}} billion}}<ref name="Japan1999">{{cite book |last=Tsukada |first=Yuko |chapter=Action! Report No.3: 市場環境を調べる |title=クリエイターのための自営学 |chapter-url=https://jieigaku.net/report3-2.htm |publisher=Creative Work Station / [[:ja:明日香出版社|Asuka Publishing]] |date=September 7, 2001 |isbn=4756911501 |language=ja |access-date=September 7, 2018}}</ref> ({{US$|{{#expr:37590/113.907 round 0}} million|long=no}}).<ref>{{cite web |title=Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) - Japan |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/PA.NUS.FCRF?end=1999&locations=JP&start=1998 |website=[[World Bank]] |year=1999 |access-date=26 January 2021}}</ref>

In addition, on 26 August 2010, Mercis BV, representing Bruna, brought suit against Sanrio with the claim that one of Hello Kitty's companion characters, a rabbit named Cathy, infringes on the copyright and trademark of Miffy.<ref name=miffysuit>{{cite press release | url=http://www.sanrio.co.jp/rs/english/corporate/ir/detail/20101104.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930032019/http://www.sanrio.co.jp/rs/english/corporate/ir/detail/20101104.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-30 |url-status=live | title=Announcement of Provisional Disposition Order Against Sanrio | publisher=Sanrio Company, Ltd. | date=November 4, 2010 | access-date=July 25, 2011}}</ref> On 2 November 2010, a Dutch court ruled against Sanrio and ordered the company to stop marketing Cathy products in [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], and the Netherlands.<ref name=miffysuit /><ref>{{cite news | last=Kollewe | first=J. | title=Miffy biffs Cathy in Kitty copycat case | newspaper=The Guardian | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/nov/04/cathy-infringes-miffy-copyright-case | access-date=May 16, 2011 | location=London | date=November 4, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Dawson | first=C. |author2=K. Takeuchi | title=Miffy, Hello Kitty Take Bunny Beef to Court | newspaper=Wall Street Journal | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2010/11/04/miffy-hello-kitty-take-bunny-beef-to-court/ | access-date=May 16, 2011 | date=November 4, 2010}}</ref> On 7 June 2011, following the [[2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami|Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]] in Japan, Sanrio and Mercis reached an out-of-court settlement requiring Sanrio to halt production of merchandise that features Cathy. Instead of continuing the court battle, the two companies announced that they would donate the legal fees to help the earthquake victims.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.sanrio.co.jp/rs/english/corporate/ir/detail/20110607.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930032026/http://www.sanrio.co.jp/rs/english/corporate/ir/detail/20110607.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-30 |url-status=live | title=Announcement Regarding Legal Dispute Settlement | publisher=Sanrio Company, Ltd. | date=June 7, 2011 | access-date=July 25, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/japans-hello-kitty-resolves-bunny-battle-miffy | title=Japan's Hello Kitty resolves bunny battle with Miffy | publisher=Radio Netherlands Worldwide | access-date=June 16, 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016224635/http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/japans-hello-kitty-resolves-bunny-battle-miffy | archive-date=October 16, 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref>