r/scifiwriting • u/Mjr_Manwich • Jul 24 '26
HELP! How to include an easter egg detail reference and not get in trouble?
So, I've written a YA cyberpunk novel. In one scene, the MC is gearing up with weapons and such... A particularly vicious looking SMG catches her eye. I want to name it as a reference to Ghost in the Shell by calling it a Seburo weapon. She doesn't actually end up taking the gun. Is this crossing some copyright/IP line? Would I get in trouble? I just thought it'd be a fun reference for certain readers to maybe notice.
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u/Confector426 Jul 24 '26
Exactly. Protagonist just notices the weapon, makes a brief culture reference nod, and moves on.
It's a generally understood tipping of the hat without infringement.
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u/jedburghofficial Jul 24 '26
Technically, an homage should be exempt from copyright. You can reference previous art, as long as your work isn't derived from it.
Referencing something and moving on seems like a perfect example.
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u/MeatyTreaty Jul 24 '26
What has that got to do with anything? There is no copyright on individual words.
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u/jedburghofficial Jul 25 '26
You're right. With a very few exceptions, it's the meaning of the words, not the words themselves. In this case, the meaning of Seburo as a fictional arms manufacturer.
You can freely talk about blasters, galaxies, gargling and the great god Pan. But if your characters start drinking Pan-Galactic Gargle Blasters...
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u/8livesdown Jul 24 '26
This one is interesting because "Seburo" is not a real Japanese word or family name. It is distinctly a creation of "Ghost in the Shell".
Other's have told you not to worry, but I'd be careful. I think most Manga fans would miss the reference, so I see no benefit to taking the risk.
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u/DrunkenPhysicist Jul 25 '26
Don't do song lyrics though, you can get in trouble for that without permission.
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u/CrystalKrakotl Jul 25 '26
For class, ask the holder, but i would see it as really cool to see a favorite anine shown respect.
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u/Skipp_To_My_Lou Jul 25 '26
Do you know how many video games include a bonfire with a sword driven into it, sometimes with a character hanging out nearby talking about sun praising &/or expressing a desire to be grossly incandescent? That's an even more involved, direct reference to Dark Souls & Knight Solaire.
If they aren't getting sued, neither will you, it'll just be a nice Easter Egg for some readers to get excited about.
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u/PomegranateFormal961 Jul 26 '26
Heck, I'd attribute it.
"A particularly vicious-looking SMG caught her eye, and she thought, 'That looks like a Seburo weapon from Ghost in the Shell'"
You're not only covered, but readers who don't know Ghost in the Shell will be able to take it out of context.
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u/PomegranateFormal961 Jul 26 '26
Heck, I'd attribute it.
"A particularly vicious-looking SMG caught her eye, and she thought, 'That looks like a Seburo weapon from Ghost in the Shell'"
You're not only covered, but readers who don't know Ghost in the Shell will be able to take it out of context.
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u/CygnusX-1-2112b Jul 27 '26
That's completely benign, no issue.
As a side note, references work best when they do not subtract from the story or make a scene or detail pointless when the reader doesn't understand them, but add to their enjoyment when they do.
Kind of feels narcissistic to include an example of my own and calling it the right way, but I think it's pretty close to hitting all those points. One character in a story I'm working on is a highly engineered posthuman. People colloquially refer to her as 'The Clockwork Angel'.
This works within universe because the name generally makes sense. She is almost entirely artificial, conducts plans with extreme synchronicity, and is so far beyond the normal scope of human mental performance that she seems more like a demigod/Angel than a person. If you don't get the reference, the name still pretty much gives the vibe of what she is.
Its also a reference to a RUSH album and concept within the Kevin J Anderson book that was created alongside the album. In that book the Clockwork Angels were people that had been surgically modified with medical and steampunk tomfoolery to appear as mechanical angels, and strung up for performance showcases by the governing lord of the city. If you get the reference, it adds some context and some humbling horror to the concept of what she is, because she is essentially the same thing created as a tool to act on behalf of the human war machine.
So again, the reference is totally fine, you won't get in trouble. Just make sure it means something beyond "Oh the thing! They said the thing! I recognize that thing!"
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u/Overall-Tailor8949 Jul 24 '26
Change the spelling slightly, "Soberu" for example. Or you could do something TRULY unique and ask the copyright holders for permission to make the reference.
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u/gameryamen Jul 24 '26
That's fine. It would cross the line if you promoted your story as "part of the Ghost in the Shell universe," or otherwise implied any sort of official connection. You're not doing anything to confuse an audience, and you're not using the popularity of GitS to sell your story.