Sylvanian toymaker drops lawsuit against Kildare content creator

JAPANESE toymaker, Epoch, has dropped its lawsuit against Kildare TikTok creator behind the hugely popular 'Sylvanian Drama' account.

Thea Von Engelbrechten from Kildare runs the TikTok account, ‘Slyvanian Drama’ which is a comedic account portraying the toys in various imaginative scenarios – with stories including themes with drink, drugs and murder.

Epoch, the Japanese company that first launched Sylvanian Families in 1985, filed a civil case in New York, alleging "copyright infringement" and "irreparable injury" to its reputation.

In January, 'Sylvanian Drama’s' social media accounts went quiet, prompting questions and concerns from fans.

Ms Von Engelbrechten claimed that her videos were pure “parody” in a countersuit.

A defence of "fair use" hinges on whether the use is "transformative," according to Vincent Allen, managing partner at Carstens, Allen and Gourley law firm, in Texas.

In the end, the case, which was due to go before New York’s Southern District Court this week, was not tested in front of a jury.

On Friday, Epoch dismissed all claims "without prejudice, with each party to bear its own costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees," according to court documents.

While no details of a settlement have yet emerged, it appears Ms Von Engelbrechten will make changes to her social media accounts.

In a post on Instagram, she announced she would be adding a new profile picture and also asked her followers to suggest a new name.