Vanguard Princess IP Controversy Explained

Image: Vanguard Princess/eigoMANGA/Steam

The Vanguard Princess IP controversy revolves around who legally owns and can profit from the 2D anime-style fighting game that originally started as a free fan passion project. Created by ex-Capcom developer Tomoaki Sugeno—also known online as Suge9—the game was released as freeware back in 2009. But what began as a solo dev’s labor of love has now turned into a legal mess involving publishers, arcade developers, copyright strikes, and a whole lot of community frustration.

At the heart of the issue are conflicting claims between eigoMANGA, a U.S.-based publisher, and exA-Arcadia, a Japanese arcade hardware company. Add in the fact that Sugeno has been off the grid for years, and you've got a recipe for confusion.

The Game’s Origins: A One-Man Project Turned Cult Classic

Tomoaki Sugeno developed Vanguard Princess entirely on his own, using the 2D Fighter Maker 2002 engine. It was first made available for free on June 26, 2009, through his blog. The game stood out for its colorful visuals, hand-drawn characters, and fluid combat—impressive considering it was a one-man effort.

Since it was released as freeware, players could download and enjoy it freely. Sugeno never initially intended to commercialize the game, and for years, it remained a niche favorite among fighting game fans.

eigoMANGA Enters the Picture

In 2012, U.S. publisher eigoMANGA started distributing a paid version of Vanguard Princess online via Amazon, which eventually made its way to Steam in 2014. The commercial release included some changes like character DLCs and censorship edits, but it didn’t sit well with everyone.

Many fans immediately questioned whether eigoMANGA had actually secured the rights to sell the game. According to archived posts from Sugeno’s blog, there were hints that he never gave permission for the game to be sold—though these claims remain unconfirmed.

Meanwhile, eigoMANGA insisted they had spoken with Sugeno and even said he received a share of profits. The problem? They’ve never publicly shown any evidence of this agreement. 

To make things even murkier, the engine Sugeno used (2D Fighter Maker 2002) has different licensing rules depending on the region. The Japanese version permits commercial use, which Sugeno was within his rights to use—but whether eigoMANGA had similar rights remains debatable.

exA-Arcadia’s Arcade Version Adds Fuel to the Fire

Fast forward to April 2024, and arcade platform exA-Arcadia entered the picture with an announcement of Vanguard Princess R—a new arcade-exclusive version of the game co-developed with studios BVTaisei and FK Digital.

The twist? exA-Arcadia claimed they couldn’t reach Sugeno, so they utilized Japan’s copyright arbitration system under Article 67, which allows usage of “orphaned works” when a creator can’t be contacted.

This didn’t go unnoticed. Just a month later, eigoMANGA issued a copyright strike against exA-Arcadia’s promotional trailer, asserting that they held the IP rights in both the U.S. and Japan. Fans were quick to call this out, accusing eigoMANGA of overstepping boundaries and “scare tactics.”

The “Full Ownership” Claim That Didn’t Stick

In May 2025, eigoMANGA made things even messier. In a now-deleted public post, they claimed full ownership of the Vanguard Princess IP, pointing to a U.S. trademark (No. 7,791,666) and copyright (TXu002461296). They also cited a ruling from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs as proof of rights to the game under orphan works arbitration.

But here’s where it gets tricky. According to reporting by GameSpark*, Japan’s orphan works system allows temporary usage rights, not full ownership. This means eigoMANGA could legally use the game in Japan only because Sugeno couldn’t be contacted—but they definitely can’t claim they now “own” the IP.

Shortly after fans and media pushed back, eigoMANGA deleted the ownership claim and updated their messaging in June 2025. Now, they say they hold “usage rights” in Japan but maintain their U.S. copyright and trademark.

Where’s Sugeno Now?

That’s the million-dollar question. Tomoaki Sugeno hasn’t made any public appearances or online posts since around 2011. While there were rumors he passed away during the Fukushima disaster, those were debunked by Sugeno himself in a rare blog update. Still, no one seems to know where he is now or if he’s aware of what’s happening with his game.

His absence has made it difficult to get to the bottom of things. Neither eigoMANGA nor exA-Arcadia has provided solid proof of direct communication with him.

Fans Are Not Happy

Players and longtime supporters of Vanguard Princess haven’t held back. Many believe eigoMANGA is mishandling the IP and exploiting a freeware title for profit without proper authorization. The commercial Steam version has also come under fire for being buggy and offering DLCs for characters that were already in the original free version.

Things got even more heated when eigoMANGA launched a mobile version of the game and promoted it through a Kickstarter campaign. As of May 2025, the campaign had around 220 followers. Critics argue that this mobile version uses assets from the freeware game, rebuilt in Unity, again without any sign of permission from Sugeno.

Adding to the confusion, eigoMANGA has been posting the same vague messages in Steam Discussions, claiming they were “licensed” by Sugeno while also referencing arbitration-based usage rights. As GameSpark* noted, if they were truly licensed directly by Sugeno, there’d be no need to go through arbitration in the first place.

So, Who Actually Owns Vanguard Princess?

That’s still up in the air. As of June 2025, eigoMANGA holds a valid U.S. trademark and copyright registration, but their broader claim to the IP—especially in Japan—is still full of gray areas. Their earlier attempt to assert full ownership backfired, and the revised “usage rights” claim hasn’t fully satisfied critics.

Meanwhile, exA-Arcadia continues to develop its arcade version, and eigoMANGA is pushing forward with the mobile game and a new PC port. But with no official word from Sugeno and no resolution in sight, the IP remains tangled in legal uncertainty and fan frustration.