Manga Piracy Cost the Industry $2.4 Billion in 2023

Manga publishers are taking a harder stance than ever against piracy these days.

By Megan Peters

Piracy has plagued the entertainment industry for ages, and no field is more versed than manga. For decades, manga titles have been raked globally by pirates. Thanks to technology, it is easier now than ever to find manga simulpublications than ever before, but piracy is still rampant. And according to a new report, it seems piracy cost the manga industry $2.4 billion USD in 2023.

Yikes. Actually, big yikes. That is a lot of money, and according to Nikkei, the piracy race has only grown since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs touted the shocking number at a recent meeting with ABJ centered on anti-piracy measures. It was there the group said pirated manga cost the industry upwards of 380 billion yen which equals roughly $2.4 billion USD. The presentation also revealed that manga piracy sites are popping up faster than ever before. The agency says sites have been showing up in force for the past six months, and the top ten piracy sites in Japan drawn in over 100 million visits each month.

"New sites are being born one after another. The trend is becoming malicious. It is essential we continue to take [anti-piracy] measures as much as possible in tandem with all stakeholders," the agency shared.

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Clearly, manga piracy is costing the industry lots of money, and that hit is not affecting the people at the top. It is the everyday editorial staff and even the readers who experience the blowback from piracy. In recent years, publishers like Shueisha and Kodansha have railed hard against piracy with lawsuits and DCMA takedowns. Plus, these publishers and others in Japan have launched apps globally to simulpublish new content, giving readers instant access to their favorite series. Even so, this new report proves piracy is still a major issue in manga, and only time will tell if it gets better.

What do you make of this latest piracy report? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

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