SANJIESAN LICENSING / Image origins
Name the image version, not only the series
Two images can show the same character while coming from different productions. Kodansha’s licensing FAQ explicitly distinguishes its original manga and animation image rights. That is a useful prompt to identify the exact material before an enquiry, not a reason to assume that every publisher uses identical arrangements. Prepare a visual-origin note that the relevant rights team can understand.
Keep a source reference beside the selected image
Record the exact page, supplied asset identifier or other reliable reference used to locate the proposed image. Include the production or edition named by the source where it is available. If you only have an unattributed crop, identify that uncertainty before treating the crop as a working asset. The character record remains linked but separate, so correcting an image source does not accidentally change a confirmed identity.
State what part of the image is proposed
Show a small labelled study of the intended crop or treatment and describe the proposed object or page. A plan to use one supplied illustration differs from asking for newly drawn artwork inspired by a particular screen appearance. Keep the two questions separate. Do not combine a manga drawing, an animation colour reference and an unofficial recreation into a single unlabelled reference board that makes their origins impossible to follow.
Let the actual rights route answer
Send the clear question through the relevant official route when the project is ready to enquire. Retain any answer with the exact image and use description it addresses. A reply about one visual should not be copied into a blanket permission field for every depiction of the character. If the team directs you to another party, update the contact path and preserve the unresolved status until the intended material and use are actually confirmed.