Manga Marked $800 Million Loss From Piracy in One Month, New Date Reveals

As a lifelong manga enthusiast, I can’t help but feel disheartened by the rampant piracy that continues to plague our beloved industry. I remember the days when buying a new volume was an exciting event, the thrill of holding a fresh copy in my hands and diving into a captivating story. But now, it seems that every other manga available online is a pirated version, robbing creators of their rightful earnings and threatening the very future of this art form.

If you’re well-versed in the world of manga, it’s likely you’ve encountered unauthorized copying or distribution of manga works, not the exciting pirate adventures depicted in series like One Piece. Instead, this type of piracy has long been a problem for the manga industry and appears to be growing even more widespread. As technology advances, so does the prevalence of manga piracy, causing significant financial losses. In fact, a recent report shows that the manga industry lost approximately $800 million in just one month this year, and such substantial setbacks are expected to become increasingly frequent.

The entire report is provided by Authorized Books of Japan (ABJ), a significant anti-piracy organization based in Japan. Over the past year, they have taken steps worldwide to educate people about piracy and its detrimental effects on the publishing sector. Recently, they placed advertisements in various publications such as the New York Times and Le Monde, among others. This campaign was designed to express gratitude towards readers who stick to official manga translations. Unfortunately, May 2024 was a particularly difficult month for the industry, resulting in substantial financial losses, which is why ABJ chose to show appreciation at this time.

In brief, the month of May saw a substantial financial setback to the tune of $800 million for the manga industry, primarily due to piracy on English-speaking platforms. To grasp the magnitude of this issue when considering non-English platforms as well, it’s safe to say that the problem is significant.

According to ABJ’s recent data analysis from May 2024, an estimated 800 million US dollars worth of free monthly reading on the leading 10 English translation piracy sites is growing annually, necessitating urgent action. The organization also revealed that they are monitoring 1,332 sites for unlawfully distributing manga, although a significant portion of these cater to readers worldwide, not just Japanese ones. Notably, these piracy platforms predominantly publish in English, with Spanish, Russian, and Chinese being the next most common languages.

It’s undeniable that online manga piracy remains active, yet the Association of Japanese Animations (ABJ) reports encouraging signs from the industry’s anti-piracy efforts. From legal actions to apprehensions, major publishers like Shueisha and Shogakukan have become more proactive in pursuing pirates recently. As per ABJ, online piracy decreased by 25% between 2022 and 2023; however, constant vigilance is crucial. With manga’s increasing popularity worldwide, anticipate stricter measures against piracy in the future.

HT – Torrent Freak

2024-08-12 01:10

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