TikTok videos of Sylvanian Families drinking and dealing drugs sparks legal battle
The videos, posted under the username @sylvaniandrama, tell outrageous stories featuring the toys including breaking fellow fury friends out of hostage situations, cheating on their partners and running each other over with toy cars.
Japanese toymakers Epoch Company have filed an infringement case in the US, claiming the videos have caused 'irreparable damage' to its reputation.
Irish creator and owner of the TikTok account, Thea von Engelbrechten, responded by filing a counternotice, claiming her videos are 'parody.'
While the toys are intended for children, Sylvanian Drama uses the animals to explore adult themes, often embellishing them with fake eyelashes, jewellery and weapons to set the scene.
Sylvanian Drama has amassed 2.5 million followers on TikTok and over 66 million likes, along with an additional one million followers on Instagram.
The account which also posts on YouTube, X and Facebook has partnered with several brands for advertising campaigns, including luxury fashion houses Marc Jacobs and Burberry, and the online streaming service Netflix.
When asked why she thought her videos were so popular in interview with Fohr, von Engelbrechten said: 'Maybe it's because it's coming from the voice of a 22-year-old who struggles with the same things as [they do].
'I have a lot of storylines about insecure people, diet culture, toxic men, and sustainability, which I think other girls my age are also thinking a lot about."
Court documents filed by Epoch in New York on July 4, first reported by the BBC, accused Von Engelbrechten of infringing the company's copyright without its permission, causing irreparable injury to its reputation.
A date has been set for 14 August for a pre-trial conference where legal teams from both sides will meet to explore settlement options or prepare the case for trial.
The small furry animal toys, first launched in 1985, are animal families – a mother, father, son and daughter, with species including cats, dogs, bears and foxes.
The wholesome toys have names including the Walnut Squirrel Family, the Marmalade Bear Family and the Cottontail Rabbit Family.
Epoch also produces accessories for the toys including caravans, bicycles, cottages and bakeries.
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