Horatio Nelson has never been more moe. Also, props to everyone for this!

Damn! That's quite the Alliance there!

I didn't understand the title at first - as "pub" means...well a pub over here in England. Anyway, I was never one for reading scans, so it doesn't affect me as much as it would others.

Though at the same time, what does this actually mean? I mean, there's been a war on piracy on nearly all formats - games, music, film - for some time. And yet personally I haven't felt much significant change. Does anyone agree with me, or am I just being blind?

Captain Corcoran, the world's most moe baritone

That kinda sucks in a way, especially in cases where there is a manga you like, but it isn't released here in the US and translated, which is obviously why these groups were created. I bet if they spent a quarter of the effort they are in doing this and put it into getting the manga translated and exported they would take less of a hit in the overall financial state; but no, they don't. This is why piracy happens. Someone, somewhere wants something they can't get at least the same or less cost. Oh well, what will be will be. Something tells me that they will be fighting an "up-the-side-of-a-cliff" battle on this one. As soon as a site is shut down, another will open to take its place. =_=''

As a semi-active (mostly inactive) scanlator, I'm not entirely surprised this has happened. In fact, I'm surprised it's taken this long since these aggregator sites continue to host series long after they've been licensed, or host actual scans of licensed series such as those from Viz or Tokyopop etc.

Somewhere along the line, the point of scanlations was lost and was no longer about sharing a series that wasn't available in English. It was just to get stuff out to be popular and licenses be damned.

Doesn't help that the fanbase also feels entitled to get everything asap and for free. Having a series licensed is treated like it's a bad thing because they now have to pay to read something that wasn't free to begin with.

They forget that someone had to buy that big volume of Jump or the tankoubon in Japan and that's how the publishers and mangaka make their money.

I still see many sites hosting Ichigo 100% long after it's been licensed and we'd stopped distribution years ago. And big name titles such as Bleach and Naruto are still blatantly advertised when they are released by the current generation of scanlators, despite being licensed and well into the releases by the publishers.

Can't stop the internet I guess, but they're welcome to try.

The only scanlations I read is hentai. But, that doesn't affect many US publishers.
I see why they need to protect their IPs, but some times I wonder the usefulness. A good example is Project Diva. PD is never going to be released in America, so why would Sega take the time to pull down Miku's real life performace off YouTube? Manga that will never see the light of day in the US, I don't think is harming their sales much. In fact, you can say that it increases their sales. Thats because, someone is buying the raw manga to scan.

If the manga does come out in the US (Haruhi for example), then their sales will boost as they already have fans of the series. In this respect, I think they are losing potential sales. If the anime industry would crack down on fansubs, they could not see what is popular. Scanlations do the same thing for manga. See: Churuya....Nyoro~n

This is different than anime. Anime looks the same if you torrent it or buy it. Manga, on the other hand, gives you a better experience in a physical copy than on a monitor. I think most people agree with it, and thats why book publishers are not whining as much as other media.

Bottom line: Publishers need to choose better manga to translate and release. Then would they not have this problem. Example: Where the hell is K-On Yen?

Hajime no Ippo is published in Japan since... well, forever. Here where I live, there's no sign of it at all. So, the only way for me to get my beloved boxing manga is through the internets. If this really is happening, well, then I'm f*cked.

But if the manga is published in your area and STILL you pirate, then you are the worst kind of lame pirate in the history of pirating. Really, unless you don't have money to eat, you can afford a manga. And if you don't have money to eat, manga should be the least of your problems.

The whole Scalations or fan subs or what have you creating fans thing is so twisted as to be retarded. I will 100% agree that scanlations and fansubs create new fans. That said these fans don't care about supporting anything. They will not buy the DVD or the Manga or the novel when it gets a real release because they have already seen or read it for free and will continue to do so.

That's why publishers don't seem to listen to fans anymore. A good example is Haruhi. When the anime came out fans were rabib all over the net for it. It should have been a MASSIVE seller when it came out in the US. But those "Fans" didn't bother buying the DVD's and whatnot and it wasn't a massive seller. After a few hundred times of this happening the publishers just don't care what the fans want anymore because the people who call themselves fans don't help support them.

This is true for scanlations and for Fansubs. I would like to see the anime side of thinks make some sort of alliance like this to attempt to bring down some fan sub sites. Or the sites that have nothing but rips from US releases of DVD which is just total BS.

Huh, another anti-pirate movement. I wish them the best of luck, seeing as how they pretty much used scantalations to grow their audience in the first place. Somehow I just don't believe that they'll actually get anything done. For the most part the places that host mass releases aren't the actual scantalators themselves, so it's like trying to thread a needle in a haystack. Most scantalator websites can also be taken down and offline pretty darn quickly, then switched. The reason scantalations are so big is because it's way better quality than the yellow paper prints, lasts a lot longer, it's free, and it keeps up with magazine releases. Like I said before, good luck. They're going to need it.

@Norton But so many people blatantly ignore the fact that it's available because they're "poor" yet entitled to the manga, and even more just don't know it's available. So, I don't think that defense necessarily works.

I'd be interested to see just how the manga/anime and related media industry will function 10 or 20 years down the line if they really were successful in stopping scanlations forever. Frankly speaking, Scanlations and Fansubs are what drive the majority of the North American audience to the manga/anime hobby in the first place - because it's free, convenient and of a quality that's surprisingly decent. That said, I believe that those 2 'pirated' sources are actually feeders to get more people actively interested in this hobby. That's how I got into it, and I purchase manga quite regularly. I also know for a fact that this reason is why most of the other members of my college anime club also got into anime, and they're also regular purchasers of manga/anime related goods.

Has the industry executives accurately estimated just how much revenue is lost to 'piracy' and how much revenue is generated due to renewed interest in the subject? And how do they expect to enforce such a bold endeavourer?

@da MiGHTy pLUm:

Holy shit dude, I remember your name from the Ichigo scanlations I read in college back in the day. They helped me relax while studying for exams. Thanks man!

Don't care, most of the sites will go to another country like they always do. Until the US anime/manga industry stops censoring or blocking the anime and manga I enjoy I will continue to watch and read online. I will read Dance in the Vampire Bund online so I can see the naughty parts they edited out in the US release. I will read Kodomo no Jikan because the publisher has no balls and pulled it from being published in the US. I will find old series that are no longer being sold at the book stores and read it online.

US Manga Industry Motto: We don't burn books, we just prevent them from you seeing them altogether.

Good for them! I'll continue to support all of my favorite manga publishers while they fight the good fight.

Only way I can see this sucking is if they decide to go ahead and target Japanese only manga as well. Hopefully they'll just stick to the ones they have licensed or plan to license in the near future.

@fission2 Well, I think you pretty much said it right there. Though it introduces people to a new hobby, they also see it as something free and convenient.

Sure, some people who learned of this hobby through scanlations and fansubs eventually become paying consumers, but I'm pretty sure more people just keep pirating because, why start paying for something that was free for them to begin with?

It's this type of mentality the industry has to battle, and it's really hard to make people want to pay for something that they weren't paying for previously, even with the perks a physical copy of a book or DVD/BD may have.

@seltzermx Glad you enjoyed our work from back in the day.

I seem to remember gaining a reputation as a minor tyrant with the leechers back then and was sometimes abusive with them in the irc channel. ;)

Are there any good places on the internet dedicated to manga outside of Scataltion sites ? (and publisher sites) I mean type in Manga on google and the only result on the first page that is legit (I think) is Tokyopop. It seems to me they should at least try to fill that gap before they launch a campaign like this. If I am wrong someone please correct me.

@da MiGHTy pLUm: Haha, thats hilarious. I guess I'm glad I got most of it off of Gotlurk then :)

>> Don't care, most of the sites will go to another country like they always do.

If I'm reading this right, the JP companies will also try to work with the local governments when this happens.

Either way, we should take this as GOOD NEWS: It means that the world is watching. It means that they're starting to care.

And if they're starting to care, it's time for us to care, too!

If they're going after the online world, that means there might be plans to bring even more manga online, too. Free (With ad revenue), or at least at a very low price. The companies have a potentially huge market waiting to happen, and it's only a matter of time before a smart company decides to bring it all to the net, legally. Maybe even the publishers themselves could take the risk!

And that's why we need to give feedback on this: Because the companies are listening, and we're their market. After taking them down a notch, they need to convince us that they can provide the same stuff (Or even better stuff!) than the scanlators.

Otherwise, their efforts will truly be for naught.

I read the scanlations and buy the originals so I don't have to deal with, nor support the western companies and their censorship that Setre is talking about.

@Reibooi, I totally agree. While there may be a few who buy the DVD/manga of a show/manga the watched/read fansubbed/scanlated (I pride my self in being one of those who support the industry), the pirates still far outweigh those who are true fans.

I have hated that the people at my school wear I love anime and manga shirts when they all steal it from streaming sites and scan sites. If I ask one of the supposed fans at my school how they read something like Sundome, they would answer with some random scan site. Their reason for not paying is because they can get it for free.

If they can do this for manga, I surely hope they can start something with anime and TV shows in general.

edit: I mean nakiko

Next they're going to start putting locked glass doors in front of the manga sections and forbidding librarys from buying their manga.

Personally, I only read scanlations of manga that will NEVER see the light of day in America (like Hajime no Ippo, what the hell publishers!?) so I'm not too concerned about this. Hell, I'm surprised that they hadn't organized a coalition already.

Although I do read scans, I also buy manga all the time. Heck, that's what most of my money has gone towards in the past few years. I won't exactly be a happy camper if they do shut down manga sites, considering that I am one of the few readers who actually buys the manga that I read if I enjoy it.

I am surprised this didn't happen sooner but the manga industry itself is shrinking in America anyway, while the audience is not. This is part of the reason people resort to scans, but scans are part of the reason the industry is shrinking. I don't think that measures they take against scans will work because it didn't work with the music industry.

I buy manga faithfully. But I read scans too.

I have been purchasing licensed volumes as soon as they hit the shelves, but I just wish they would release them out a bit sooner. Having to wait 4 months is a bit too long if you ask me. I admit I'm impatient and most of the time I want to know what happens next in a series I'm into, thus I go to scans since they're usually right up to date with the most recent chapters. Also there are anime series that have ceased, so I go to the manga to continue on with them {Kimi Ni Todoke) for example, so in part, I appreciate these scan sites. On the other hand tho, I also hate them, because often times the quality is poor. I'm talking about the scans themselves as well as the translation/editing jobs. It kinda brings a disservice to the manga itself. Most times I find it more worth it to just wait for proper translations when the volumes are published.

Complicated issue:

-Scans killing the industry- true
-Some people use scans due to unavailability in the states- true
-Unavailability in the states relates to supply and demand- true
-OR, they simply aren't available in america, and if they aren't available in the states, then they won't be losing money (from america, anyway) by scans...
-Demand won't increase if people are getting their fix for free- true
-If demand never increases b/c of scans, then they might eventually diminish- true
-There are those out there who read scans that won't purchase a manga after they read, there are those out there who would...

Okay, I'm done listing facts. Scans are bad for the industry, but I personally wouldn't read online because honestly, I think it sucks. I want a BOOK, with paper. It just sucks.

Meh, money is tight these days, so I've been getting my manga fix by reading them at the library or buying them for 4 dollars at used book stores. So I guess my legal way of it still results in the publishers not seeing a dime from me.

If scanlations are entirely banished, they'll come after the libraries and used book stores next. If that were to happen, it might go the way of video games, where if you buy it new or pre-order, you get some kind of extra. That's the only way I think they can get their sales numbers up.

I don't see why Japan just doesn't sub/translate their own show/manga and host it on their own sites that have ads and charge premium prices and release it simultaneously with the Japan release. Heck, Live Streaming seems fine to me, commercials and all.

The main reason I watch fansubs is basically because I'd rather not wait 10months for a domestic release if it even gets one and don't care much for dubbing.

I'm sure licensing issue are a problem, but Cruchyroll seems to have something going for it.

ret roh

The only way they are going to "win" is by having a subscription service that gives you access to high quality and properly translated manga. Without offering an online alternative for a fair price, they are going to fail miserable.

If they truly want to bring in more bucks, they have to realize that publishing in hard copy is mostly dead and that merchandise is where they will really get all their money. Shoot, a number of companies already know this.

This effort is futile, and I say that as a manga artist and an active member of the industry. People are not going to pay for atoms when they can get the bits for free. If the publishing industry is to survive, they'd better figure out a way to monetize scanlations.

Do I read 'em? Yes, but only manga that I can't get otherwise. Manga such as YKK, Iihoto, and the like are not and never will be released legit here in the States. You can't steal merchandise that isn't in the store.

Unless the Western publishers can expand their operations in order to speed up the process of releasing manga in English, people will use scanlations, which are instantly available. The publishers can't expand if no one gives them money. So, they lose.

On a related note, I still hate hobotaku. Buy the damn books. It's 6 to 10 dollars. Get off the floor of the f&*@ing bookstore. Either go back to your mommy's van, or get a job so you can buy the books. Otherwise, you are directly killing the industry.

My fiancee does buy Bleach when it comes out, despite having read the scanlations ahead of time. We've also bought good shows we've seen online, like Spice and Wolf. But still, the second season isn't out in licensed format, so we ended up getting fansubs.

There's no way to compete. Plus, not enough gets released here, because it's a fiscal risk. It's a risk because not enough people will buy anything. So nothing new comes out. So nobody buys anything. And so on. It goes in circles.

Ah! They're going to fight piracy by releasing things I want to read? No? Then they're pissing in the wind.

The anime/manga companies don't listen to their customers, they only listen to the money. They are all up and in arms only because of their most popular manga whose target audience is kids under 18 (One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, etc). Who will never pay for something if they don't have to. For the rest of us who use scanlation it is the only way for us to get the manga we read. Most manga companies won't publish titles that will get mommy or the church angry at them. I have so many titles I follow that are not licensed in the US. Some companies have no balls and cancel publishing, Kodomo no Jikan for example. I love this series. Others drop part way through because their target audience didn't like it.

Now for the ones that are licensed, I do buy the books as long as they are NOT censored or edited from the Japanese version. I will not pay for Dance in the Vampire Bund because they censored it. I also will not wait x months or years for a company to finally get around to publishing a manga, you sit on the title I won't buy it. In a day of publishing on demand there is no reason to take months or weeks. The books should be out in days on a print on demand ordering system. steal the fan translation and publish the damn book already, they have no copyright to it anyway.

The best solution, get Google to stop listing them first when typing in manga. If stupid kids can't find it on Google or whatever search engine they won't know to read it online. That is the #1 problem. Joe Stupid kids watches Bleach on TV, wants to read the "comic book" goes to the internet and searches for bleach comic and guess what, the first sites are READ FREE. Who's at fault? Google! Now I love Google, I have an android phone and everything but the search system does screw up like this and can hurt normal businesses if they are not listed first. As everyone has said, the websites will just go to another country are open up there and continue to make money. They have to be delisted to stop kids from using them. Kids are 90+% of their target audience, that and girls who want boy on boy love, yes you!

I would totally pay for and read Manga if I could ever find a series that interested me. The Manga section at Barnes and Nobles is a little overwhelming.

i think thier best solution is to follow in the footsteps of funimation and start releasing these things online for free viewing with high res images [they will have access to better versions than the scanlators]. I'd easily switch from sites like onemanga to tokypop's, yen's, etc's page and bring htem the add revenue for each and every page click. as proof i offer my own experiance with funimtions FMA brotherhood releases. i watched the first episode subbed, then found out that funi was subbing it on thier site, and ive watched the remaining 40 somthing episodes through them and been more than happy to do it.

Two things are bugging me now. First is, I've just read the Yakuza 4 article, and I thought that this was an announcement that PS3 Vesperia is coming west. Second, when I read the title I was thinking, wtf? why are drinking establishments fighting scans?

Then I read the article properly and I think that this is probably a good thing. The way I see it, if publishers are scared that people will just read scans anyway and that they won't profit, they'll just not bother localizing the manga in the first place. Let's face it, manga is a bit of niche in the west and we're lucky to get as much as we do, imo.

Man, fuck VIZ. Way to stop at volume 25 of Zatch Bell dicks.

It will never stop....its kinda like the downloading music and movie war. A lot of people still do it despite the laws and high fees. But i cant read japanese thats why i like scans.

I love my scanlating sites X___X I'm not a paitient person and manga releases are very slow in Germany (Air Gear is still not released here)... AND expensive FUCKING 6€ or higher...
Don't get me wrong I still buy my mangas when I can afford it, but until then I like to read them when it's fresh.

>Read Scantilations for Manga not available
>Buy Manga when it comes out
>Donate it to library for others to read

Of course, something that isn't available over here is another story. So I plan to just leave envelopes full of yen at various publishing companies when I go to Japan. Then I will cure cancer and bring peace to the middle east.