Latest crackdown on manga piracy might be the end for Western fans

Tuesday, March 26, 2024, saw an unfortunate update on the ongoing struggle against manga piracy led by Shueisha, Kadokawa, and other Japanese publishers of the medium. In their latest efforts, it seems those at the head of this chase have begun diverting efforts to focus on “scanlation” sites outside of Japan, which make up a majority of piracy sites.

“Scanlation” sites are those websites that promote manga piracy by taking the raw scans of a manga chapter, cleaning them up with digital tools, and then translating and releasing the issue as an unofficial copy. Popular manga series such as My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, and One Piece have one or more scanlation sites that engage in this practice with their releases.

While efforts to strike out the root of manga piracy will naturally lead to the decline of scanlation sites due to the domino effect it triggers, it seems there is now a concerted and ongoing effort to target these sites specifically. Likewise, it could lead to the death of the spoiler system as Western fans currently know and partake in it.

Western manga piracy seemingly on death’s door, as are scanlations for One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and more

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The aforementioned update comes from an article published by the Japanese news site NHK, also known as the Japan Broadcasting Association or “Nippo Hoso Kyokai.” As summarized above, both in this article and in X user @MangaMoguraRE’s post, the article largely focuses on ongoing efforts against manga piracy by those spearheading the operation.

According to the article, there are over 1200 piracy sites, over 900 of which (or roughly 75%) are not directed toward Japanese fans. In other words, while this piracy does affect Japan to a certain degree, a vast amount of these websites and the support and engagement they receive are focused on people outside of Japan.

In fact, the article claims piracy has decreased within Japan thanks to the recent closure of several large sites. With the manga industry looking for urgent and effective countermeasures, those involved in the fight against manga piracy have begun not only shutting down apps and websites but also exposing their operators as well.

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However, some are arguing that the death of manga piracy could backfire greatly, killing the interest in anime and manga in the West. There’s certainly an argument to be made that piracy brings the manga industry additional revenue by allowing for easy exposure to new prospective fans. Several casual fans have also come forth to share their claims that they started on piracy but later switched to legal viewing and reading sources.

It’s also worth noting that this is far from the first time such an effort has been made, as many have pointed out. Likewise, the sites are always replaced, largely because reading translated manga in an official capacity is significantly difficult in the West. While platforms and apps like MANGA Plus and Shonen Jump+ have alleviated these difficulties for some series, others see piracy as their only means of a regular Western release.