You drew a Chiikawa picture and you want to post it.
So you search “Chiikawa fan art guidelines.”
As far as I could confirm on official terms pages, I did not find an official guideline that broadly permits fan works (as of 2026-10-05; this is not a claim that none exists). What should you do when you cannot find one?
0. “Not found” does not mean “free to draw and share”
Fan-work guidelines are something a rights holder chooses to publish, work by work. If none is published, the default legal rule applies.
Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs explains that a derivative work based on someone else's work generally needs the rights holder's permission because of the reproduction and adaptation rights. [1][2]
So no guideline means “unclear,” not “allowed.”
1. Drawing in your own notebook vs. posting online
Copying for personal or family enjoyment can fall under “private use.”
However, the Agency says that publishing on the internet is outside the scope of reproduction for private use. [1][2]
A simple way to think about it: a notebook sketch is one thing; a social media post is another.
2. “Images found online are free to use” is a myth
Many people edit an image from a search result and post it.
The Agency calls the idea that images found on the internet are free to use a misunderstanding. [1]
Unless the official side distributes wallpapers or assets for that purpose, the image belongs to the rights holder.
3. What do official shop terms say?
For example, the terms of an official merchandise online store state, in essence, that the copyright in the site's content belongs to the operator or to third parties who licensed it, and that copying, distributing, selling or publishing beyond private use is prohibited. [3]
This is not a fan-work guideline. But it shows that the rights side does not assume unauthorized copying and distribution.
4. A three-step check before you draw
- Look for “fan works” or “fan art” on the official site and on the terms pages of the merchandise, publishing and streaming companies involved.
- If nothing is stated, check the copyright notice and ask the contact point if you cannot tell.
- Until you get an answer, keep it personal: do not sell, distribute, or publish it in ways such as AI-training datasets.
It looks like a chore, but it takes a few minutes.
5. Summary: by the time you finish searching, the rough sketch is done
The conclusion is simple.
- No confirmed guideline does not mean permission.
- Private enjoyment and public posting are different things.
- When in doubt, ask the rights holder.
By the 30-minute mark of searching for a guideline, you will usually have a rough sketch done. Go ahead and draw it. Just read this again before you post.
Note
This is a general overview, not legal advice. For your specific case, ask the rights holder or a professional. [2]
References (3)
- 文化庁 — 「ここが知りたい著作権」 bunka.go.jp
- e-Gov法令検索 — 著作権法（第27条・第28条・第30条） laws.e-gov.go.jp
- ちいかわマーケット — 利用規約および個人情報の取り扱いについて chiikawamarket.jp
