Manga Piracy: The Continuing Cost to the Industry

Manga has recently seen a surge in popularity with titles such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Blue Lock, but the industry is still facing significant losses due to piracy, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Despite the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry, popular franchises like One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen continue to dominate sales charts globally, joined by the likes of My Hero Academia, Blue Lock, The Apothecary Diaries, and other titles, marking a golden era for anime and manga.

Thus, popularity also brings a price to pay. According to recent data, the current piracy rates are alarmingly high, resulting in the industry losing nearly $1 billion each month. Authorized Books of Japan, an organization dedicated to combatting illegal distribution, estimates that the amount lost each month is approximately $800 million.

According to the company’s current campaign to promote the use of legitimate sources, the top 10 English translation piracy sites alone generate a monthly free reading amount of $800 million US. This number continues to rise each year and calls for immediate action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJZrmX9oWj4

【公式】漫画×Vaundy「ありがとう」 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJZrmX9oWj4)

Instead of resorting to shaming individuals who engage in piracy, a recent advertising campaign took a different approach by expressing gratitude towards those who read officially released translations. A flyer stated, “We appreciate your love for manga and its creators, and we recognize your diverse interests.”

“We appreciate your dedication in seeking out and reading the official versions, even if it requires extra time and effort. Thank you.”

The ABJ noted an increase in the number of sites offering pirated copies, with one site in particular jumping up four spots on the overall top 10 list. Although some large sites have been shut down, they simply reappear under a different name, continuing to offer the same illegal material to potential readers.

Unofficial translations of the original chapter or volume are provided by dedicated fans, catering to a variety of languages such as Italian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and others.

Despite the challenges faced in the battle against pirates, the ABJ was successful in contributing to a decrease in piracy in 2022. This ultimately resulted in less harm to the industry in 2023. However, various factors make the fight against pirates a challenging task.

We offer guides for staying up to date on the stories of One Piece Chapter 1123 and Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 266.