Stephen Chow, the guy behind Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle has a new movie out this month in China. It's called Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, and part of it will look very familiar to gamers. Very.
As numerous Chinese websites point out, a scene in Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons is nearly identical to a scene in Japanese action game Asura's Wrath, which was released in February 2012. You can see a video which compares them below.
The character of Augus in Asura's Wrath might be based on Sun Wukong, The Monkey King, from the 16th century Chinese novel, Journey to the West. The Stephen Chow movie is a new cinematic retelling of this classic literature.
Online in China, many commenters are saying Chow rips off Asura's Wrath, which is something Chow's people seem to be sidestepping.
"Mr. Chow had previously said that in making Journey, he would take parts from other creative adaptations of Journey to the West," Mr Chen, an assistant to Stephen Chow, told Sina. "In my opinion all this talk about plagiarism is just netizens being bored and having nothing to do."
Sources close to Chow say the director "did consult with other versions of Journey to the West." Consult or copy?
If you missed it, here is Kotaku's review of Asura's Wrath.
Update: Capcom told Kotaku that it does not have a comment at this time.
片段被指像遊戲 片方否認抄襲 [Sina]
票房衝破8億 被爆抄襲引熱議 [Yes!]
『少林サッカー』チャウ・シンチーの新作映画に日本のゲームのパクリ疑惑浮上か [ロケットニュース]
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