Famicom Wars: Nintendo Vs. Sharp & The Copyright Dispute Over "Famicom" (40th Anniversary Special!)

[@Pumpkin_King0]

You are like the anti-youtuber

[@MeesterTweester]

lol

[@TeeVeeGames]

Very interesting backstory about the name “Famicom”. That would explain the existence of the Sharp 19SV111 televisions with the built-in NES here in the states. Thank you again for inviting me to be a part of it.

[@GTV-Japan]

Any time! Do you have a sharp nes tv?

[@TeeVeeGames]

@@GTV-Japan I wish. LOL

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

When American fast food chain Burger King entered Australia in 1971, a drive-in restaurant established in 1967 already held the trademark to the Burger King name, so the parent company of Burger King at the time, Pillsbury, in association with their Australian franchisee, Jack Cowin operated the American Burger King chain in Australia under a different name, Hungry Jack's.

[@GTV-Japan]

Wow! I can’t imagine! If only Men At Work had one more record maybe they could have sung about Hungry Jacks 😂

[@darktetsuya]

oh yeah I remember this story. always wondered how sharp got the collaboration with nintendo on the twin famicom and the FC/SFC TVs, what a neat bit of history!

[@GTV-Japan]

The sweetest serendipity! 👾

[@CarletonTorpin]

Great re-master of a quality video! I love that you always find the highest-quality source images for your videos; your videos are literally broadcast-quality goodness.

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks Carleton! And I invested in an AI upscaler so I can try to make those old images shine! Its a miracle machine!

[@daisukegori2112]

As soon as I heard the name famicom ( in 1995 or 96) I immediately assumed it was short for Family Computer.

[@GTV-Japan]

I started hearing it a lot in 1991 with all the Super Famicom news but funnily enough no magazine ever bothered to talk about the original FC and compare it to the NES. At least I never saw that

[@fattiger6957]

I always assumed Famicom was a nickname fans gave it. In Japan, they often take two words, shorten them and make a compound word. Like how they call Personal Computers Persocom. Or how Professional Wrestling is Puro. So, in my head the story was always Nintendo named it Family Computer to try to give it more esteem and the fans just made a nickname from the two words so it would be easier (especially for Japanese people) to say.

[@Prodmullefc]

Watamote, Konosuba, Kancolle, Pokemon, etc.

[@GTV-Japan]

There is a lot of that feeling when things are given English names. A kind of gravitas I can’t explain. I think it is difficult to get those long words out though. 👾

[@blastprocessing1]

I love your videos, so much knowledge and the production value is insane!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for the support as always! Now you’ve got a great story to tell at a party!👾

[@jasonblalock4429]

It's kind of nice, how Nintendo and Sharp settled their differences in a mutually-beneficial fashion rather than being cutthroat about it. We could use more of that attitude these days.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah! The one time Nintendo didn’t use it’s might in a negative way! They must have been saving it up for taking down mom n pop rental stores! Thanks for watching 👾

[@ModernVintageTV0]

Sharp is a great electronics brand. Samsung,Sony,and Panasonic too.

[@GTV-Japan]

Toshiba too! They made my refrigerator and rice cooker.

[@ikagura]

Yet Sony are the only ones that managed to make a proper console.

[@GTV-Japan]

It was the VCR of gaming!

[@uncledot1868]

Thank you for sharing this interesting bit of Nintendo history. I think Nintendo is going to have some kind of Famico...Family Computer page on their Japanese website to commemorate the 40th anniversary on the 17th. I wonder if there will be any special announcements...

[@GTV-Japan]

Nice! Well… let’s hope and pray 👾👾👾

[@EvaFull]

Love the deeper dive into this topic since you found more information on it. Makes me wonder what other Video Game companies had a similar situation/experience happen to them in the Japanese Market.

[@GTV-Japan]

I haven’t found anything else like this but a while ago I made a video about how Nintendo was kind of forced to trademark “nantendo” but there are a lot of funny trademarks for other things out there. One of my favorite is Kuma as a parody of Puma!

[@EvaFull]

@@GTV-Japan Enjoyed that “Nantendo” video quite a bit.

[@dodgykebaab]

Don’t get the two machines mixed up! Burgers don’t cook in the Famicom, and Super Mario cooks too well in the Famicon

[@GTV-Japan]

Yes, Certainly.

[@GimblyGFR]

That was very interesting. I had no idea the Sharp Famicon even existed. I love this videos with console related rarities. Thanks for taking the time to make the content.

[@GTV-Japan]

You got it! No problem! Now if only a true Famicon oven could be found!

[@GimblyGFR]

@@GTV-Japan Imagine a museum display with the Famicom inside the Famicon and a Super Famicom on top of it all. That level of Famicomness would destroy people's brains.

[@GTV-Japan]

I heard there’s a humble museum opening near Seattle in 2024….. 😂

[@GimblyGFR]

@@GTV-Japan 😆

[@geoffgero6081]

Whoa that's cool! I didn't know this history, and its surprisingly fascinating. I really want a C1, Sharp CRTs are what i grew up with

[@GTV-Japan]

Cool! I think they were pretty hi-qual. Trinitron always got all the headlines. The C1 is different than the smaller Famicom TVs. There was also a sharp computer included too. I have a brochure I’ll look it up again but I’ve never ever seen one in person. I know they were sold in Taiwan too.

[@mightyfilm]

Well, I don't know about you, but I LOVE my comvectional oven. Nothing like baking up a fresh batch of cormbread.

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s like the old song goes. Biscuits and gravy. They make a man!👾

[@jaycenteno8385]

i love these odd/fun fact vids! Simple but so enjoyable :D

[@GTV-Japan]

Glad you like them!

[@ecu4321]

Glad you set the record straight as to why famicom only applies to twin famicom and the super famicom. it's become a common misnomer especially for western content creators to bastardize the family computer as the famicom

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah! And for a long time, people ask me why do you always say it that’s way. 😂 thanks for the support my friend 👾

[@ecu4321]

@@GTV-Japan true 💯 and people especially western youtubers need to be enlightened by facts 😇

[@RedCowArcade]

Thanks for having me be part of the video!

[@GTV-Japan]

You got it! Anytime!! 📦 🧀

[@WallyWallcakes]

Loved this! I had no idea the history of this. Thanks for educating!

[@GTV-Japan]

Pass it on!!!

[@WallyWallcakes]

@@GTV-Japan Done and done!!

[@chaseman94]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FAMICOM!!!🎉🎊🎆🎂💥💥

[@GTV-Japan]

🎂👾

[@GTV-Japan]

Does anyone have a Sharp Famicon oven? It might just be the holiest of Holy Grails out there!

[@cristibratu5616]

The birthday song commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Famicom: Happy birthday to you Happy birthday to you Happy birthday, dear Nintendo Famicom Happy birthday to you 😊

[@GTV-Japan]

And many more 👾

[@cristibratu5616]

What! Why, there are many more.

[@GTV-Japan]

That’s how the song goes

[@cristibratu5616]

Oh okay.

[@cristibratu5616]

​@@GTV-JapanWhich city/town in Ooita did you live??

[@geraq0]

I just found your channel, I got to say the quality of your documentaries is top-notch!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks so much! I appreciate that 🍺

[@thecunninlynguist]

This sounds fascinating

[@belstar1128]

Hahaha so that is why sharp was allowed to make famicom systems

[@GTV-Japan]

Weird ain’t it?!

[@crithitjace]

Another stellar retrospective! Happy birthday Famicom!

[@GTV-Japan]

🎂👾

[@godden18]

My grandfather still has his famicom oven! And his still using it to this day

[@GTV-Japan]

Really? All I have is a 2011 Healsio.

[@CriticalEatsJapan]

Awesome, man! Another great video and very interesting information👍

[@GTV-Japan]

No problem-o!

[@franciscojrosero]

Thanks for the Katakana lesson. Good work as always!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for joining the class!

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks for joining the class! 👾

[@Indalord.]

For once, I know the anecdote, but it's always better when you tell the stories, because you always provide unique details that make a difference.

[@GTV-Japan]

Cheers! Much appreciated

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh hey this is weird. I know your Indalord but now notifications use the @ name. So if you changed the picture I would have no idea it was you!

[@Indalord.]

@@GTV-Japan Oh, I hadn't noticed that, KZbin must have made the change on their own, Google always adding things that no one asked for.... The thing is, I think I've fixed it, more or less, although I preferred to have just the name, as it was before

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah there are daily changes. It’s crazy. It adds up until everything is totally different. I really try to remember every regular commenter but some change the icon or name and omit it gets difficult

[@ecu4321]

growing in an asian country the 8-bit nintendo will only always be known as the FAMILY COMPUTER and not famicom

[@Agostoic]

"Family" for south America, and that's it.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah a lot of people from South America have told me that. Cool!

[@MeesterTweester]

Happy 40th anniversary to the Famicom :)

[@GTV-Japan]

If you go to the Nintendo dot jp homepage you’ll get a great tribute that will open in stages all summer long. Really good stuff

[@JasperTedVidalTale]

Good Famiwars video

[@pulsecodemodulated]

Not over 40 years, literally 40 years ago today. (15th July 1983)

[@GTV-Japan]

comeback tomorrow and it will be correct.

[@nahumgardner]

Hooray! New GTV Japan! Kind of. :)

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks! Well let’s look at it this way. In 2018 I had about 3000 subscribers, I can’t complain, some never reach that so thank God I did! But the original video like many others has just sat there for years with zero views. Now I have 53,000! Wow! So now there’s a chance for many more to see it. Also I have better equipment now and more energy than before so why not just redo the whole thing? It also buys me time to make longer vids without a stop in the schedule while I also maintain a full time job👾

[@neilt82]

Genuinely fascinating as always. I always learn new things from your videos. 👍

[@GTV-Japan]

Thanks. I’m working on two more now that are a little weird but interesting

[@neilt82]

@@GTV-Japan I'll keep a lookout for them. Sounds intriguing.

[@Prodmullefc]

This is what I love about this channel. I end up learning all about a thing I never would have even thought I wanted to know about lol. That said, really off topic question, but GTV先生, have you seen the animes Isekai Ojisan and Hi Score Girl? They remind me of your content.

[@GTV-Japan]

I have seen it. I haven’t thought of covering it though as most modern things will get an instant takedown. As of late many have been calling me the uncle from another planet as I do literally have a (self imposed) 20 year blackout on the culture and I love Sega so much 😂

[@Prodmullefc]

@@GTV-Japan oh yeah, no i know you don't really do anime reviews unless it's established history in some way. I was just wondering about these two in particular, and just if you'd seen them. I had a feeling you'd have like Isekai Uncle becuase of the Sega emphasis.

[@JustJulyo]

This channel must be preserved for future generations

[@GTV-Japan]

Yes! What’s comes after Generation X? They will need to be taught properly!

[@JustJulyo]

@@GTV-Japan Millennials need to know what it was like purchasing a product and thinking that was the only piece of tech you'll ever own

[@Dariothehungry]

I hadnt seen this one yet! Good stuff man!

[@GTV-Japan]

Glad you caught it! Happy birthday FC!! 🎉

[@JoJoZaka]

swaggy dabby doo i love you uploading new stuff for me to watch

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s a Must See GTV Thursday! 🍿👾👾👾

[@Adamtendo_player_1]

This a great and informative video with fantastic presentation.

[@GTV-Japan]

Now spread the word! And be “that guy” anytime someone uses the word Famicom!

[@Adamtendo_player_1]

@@GTV-Japan oh I definitely will. It’s very interesting that Nintendo wasn’t able to use Famicom for the first two years of its launch due to Sharp trademarking the rights to the name for a microwave which is hilarious, this was very interesting and an eye-opener into the history of the Famicom name.

[@GTV-Japan]

@Adamtendo_player_1 now check out my video on mega drive for even more

[@seekertosecrets]

4:10 It's that actor that played David Banner from the Incredible Hulk TV show!

[@GTV-Japan]

Don’t make him angry! 👾

[@seekertosecrets]

@@GTV-Japan XD LOL

[@GTV-Japan]

Maybe it would be a fun idea to make a video about every home computer celebrity endorser. Alan Alda, Bill Cosby, even Charlie Chaplain, in a way!

[@sonder420]

This is still the best piece of information I've learned from your channel. Not helpful to me in anyway but it is nice to point out to nerds who say Famicom.

[@GTV-Japan]

and they often say fay-muhhhh-kawmm and have the audacity to say fa-mee-kom is somehow incorrect!!

[@ash2dvst]

Great seeing Frankie in a GTV vid!

[@GTV-Japan]

He’s very aware!👾

[@ash2dvst]

@@GTV-Japan Big Ryan fan, btw

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh yeah. Cool. Mmhmmm.

[@FeralInferno]

I am kind of digging that olive green retro style of the Sharp Famicon. Great. Now I need to add a convection oven from 1979 to my gameroom! 🤣

[@GTV-Japan]

I own the descendant, the sharp Healsio

[@ToranosukeEdo]

Very interesting. A Famicom Oven/Console combo would've been funny

[@GTV-Japan]

I own the modern day successor. Healsio

[@Foxxy999]

Sharp remake!

[@marcelo.o.s]

When reparing my Game Boy screen I noticied that Sharp logo on LCD

[@GTV-Japan]

Nice!

[@KUGYUOJI]

こんなオーブンレンジあったんだ、初めて見た。

[@GTV-Japan]

ファミコンです。

[@supsollc.3647]

5:03 same question likely applies to CapsuleComputer and ServiceGames

[@jimmylarson7856]

Fascinating

[@ドリフト180X]

Seems like a similar story to the whole reason behind MegaDrive being called Genesis in the US.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yeah. I did a video on that too!

[@jescis0]

Family Computer(ファミリーコンピュータ) was and still is the best system they ever concocted!! I have a RF only Family Computer(ファミリーコンピュータ) and the Sharp Twin Famicom AN-500R(シャープツインファミコン)(which I actually use for streaming on Twitch) and games for it! 😂😂😂😂

[@GTV-Japan]

Wow! You got the hookup!

[@SuperTrainStationH]

In US law this would be more of a trademark dispute than a copyright problem, I’m interested to watch and see if that distinction matters as much in Japan. I know in the US Nintendo was refused a patent on the phrase “Wii Remote” on the grounds that it implied Nintendo owned the word “remote”, meanwhile a company who made a small remote control meant for toddlers called the “Weemote” were being trolls by sending legal threats to gaming sites that abbreviated “Wii Remote” to “Wiimote” which I’m sure was merely a publicity stunt for their unrelated product and never actually went to court.

[@GTV-Japan]

In Japan they called it remote in advertising but not sure what the status was. A new quest perhaps

[@SuperTrainStationH]

@@GTV-Japan Oops, said " was refused a patent" when I should have said " was refused a trademark", an ironic mistake for me to make in the situation.

[@SUBTORR]

Great video! Now I know.

[@Ryuhei64]

Very interesting!

[@GTV-Japan]

Cheers thanks for watching ✌️

[@MegaManNeo]

The seal of quality is also used in Europe, probably for the entirety of western nations. That Famicom thing sounds like a silly story but in the end both companies had a good run together.

[@GTV-Japan]

I think it’s funny how over time the word quality disappeared from the seal

[@thewingedavenger1007]

I'm sure some insane collectors will be going to Japan to search for a Family Convection Oven to add to their game rooms...

[@GTV-Japan]

Pray it doesn’t end up in the humble museum or become a hidden gem for the metal militia.

[@thewingedavenger1007]

@@GTV-Japan LOL

[@frankf684]

Frankie from red cow ,good to see him here.

[@GTV-Japan]

He’s still around! Nothing but good memories ⚾️

[@JoypadDivison]

I can't believe nobody has found one of those convection ovens. Hoping for a Sharp Famicon Mini in 2029. 😜

[@GTV-Japan]

The best we can hope for is a new Healsio

[@teen_laqueefa]

Big Frankie fan btw 0:11

[@GTV-Japan]

Oh yeah? Cool. Mmhmm.

[@teen_laqueefa]

@@GTV-Japan yeah, mmhmm

[@pferreira1983]

This looks suspiciously like a re-upload. Anyway, probably not a good idea to release it as the 'Famicon'. 😂

[@GTV-Japan]

It’s a remaster!

[@ikagura]

Wasn't that subject done before? Or maybe from another youtuber...

[@CushionSapp]

It's an anniversary re-release

[@GTV-Japan]

It was me! I did it for the 35th anniversary in 2018 and brought it back lean and mean for the big 4-0!

[@Azuris190]

The Law about Trademarks seems to be the same as the german.

[@GTV-Japan]

It makes sense. I often find minor changes in laws across borders or unusual laws very interesting though. One thing though is that fair use doesn’t exist in japan and the rules for even wearing a logo tshirt on tv are so strange, basically you have to pay them if you do it!

[@Azuris190]

@@GTV-Japan Yes, some laws are very strange in japan about copyright, guess their lobby is very strong. I remember reading a few years ago that it counted as copyright infringement to edit save game data, something that is in the west very normal and could be called part of the culture, be it people doing it themselfs on a C64, using a Trainer on PC or Action Replay on Console. And Mods ... :) But i guess even here Companies would like to chain this to them to monetize it.

[@GTV-Japan]

@Azuris190 I suppose they do own it and so you shouldn’t modify or distribute it. Yes I can see that

[@GTV-Japan]

@Azuris190 here’s something. In the years long before KZbin I was lucky enough to be on a TV show that was all about foreigners doing Japanese things and in one episode I actually interviewed the creator and owner of sudoku! Pretty big deal!! But despite his willingness to be on the show and feature his books etc we could not use the name sudoku because then he would get a big payout. Legally required! So we had to say number puzzle! It was so weird.

[@Azuris190]

@@GTV-Japan Oh i can imagine that this is a really hard task, by thinking all the time to avoid it, sometimes it can slip out by accident :D Truly some strange laws. But by reading that, i am seing how you got your talent to make those videos :)

[@jbmaru]

"Famikomu". ファミコム. Problem solved.

[@GTV-Japan]

But then it would be ファミリーコムピュータ which isn’t right

[@JaxCoolKartunes]

Do a video on "Volvic"

[@GTV-Japan]

The water? Why?

[@CushionSapp]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqeXpZ-vZd-Kj5I That's a Nintendo, as my parents would say. Are you going to call my parents liars or suggest that they were wrong about something!?

[@GTV-Japan]

Well, some of us come from a Sega household and others a ‘Intendo household 👾

[@tiagopereirasantossilva556]

is he Not Japanese person ??

[@Prodmullefc]

No but he's lived there for decade(s, iirc)

[@tiagopereirasantossilva556]

@@Prodmullefc cool !!! I would like to go to Japan, mainly Tokyo , Osaka and Tanegashima

[@GTV-Japan]

He? Me? Well. Technically no.

[@tiagopereirasantossilva556]

@@GTV-Japan ok ...

[@FloridaMan69.]

i own 4 hamsters

[@CHanafuda]

Excellent video about the history of the Famicom name, by the way since you mention that Nintendo did not use the abbreviation even when they already partnered with Sharp and gave them the rights to the abbreviation. I think I know more or less why they didn't use the Famicom name during their entire console era. I don't know in which interview it was but I remember that the reason was that the former president of Nintendo, Hiroshi Yamauchi, did not like the Famicom abbreviation very much.🎴👺♠

[@GTV-Japan]

I did mention it! They almost never use famicom and when they do it’s just games or the general idea of the 8 bit era. Thanks for watching day one! 👾

[@CHanafuda]

@@GTV-Japan Thanks to you for sharing details about the relationship between Sharp and Nintendo, now we have to celebrate its 40 years not only to the Famicom or Family Computer but also to Luigi.

[@GTV-Japan]

Yes! Year of Luigi 2!!! Must happen