The Kumamoto Prefectural Police in Japan have recently arrested two individuals for illegally leaking unpublished manga content. Specifically, the suspects photographed and distributed scans from upcoming issues of Weekly Shonen Jump magazines to scanlation websites and online leakers prior to the official on-sale date.
On February 4th, 2024, the police displayed a selection of the confiscated scans – including leaked panels from popular series like Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece – as evidence of the copyright violations.
Asahi also informs that police are investigating websites in which 'ONE PIECE' and 'Jujutsu Kaisen' were published before the release of the magazine.
Images depict evidence collected, including scans, raw images, and posts on social media.https://t.co/JtWSswpPLG https://t.co/jbYm3cKH0Z pic.twitter.com/53CmpTkNNW
— Shonen Jump News (@WSJ_manga) February 4, 2024
According to their report, the two detainees worked with unnamed accomplices to sneak snapshots of the latest installments on their phone cameras while the issues were still being printed.
They then transmitted those pirated images in exchange for monetary compensation from impatient fans and scanlators seeking early access.
This leak is part of a broader crackdown on piracy by Japanese authorities, who have intensified efforts to combat the unauthorized distribution of comics like those from the legendary Jump anthology.
The prefectural police aim to discourage both domestic and overseas groups from undermining the profits and release schedules of the country’s publishing industry.
It remains to be seen whether wider mangaka fandoms will rally to defend or decry the accused scanners and their unknown associates.
Authorities Target Notorious Leakers and Scanlation Platforms
Among the leaked manga panels displayed by the Kumamoto police was a screenshot of a tweet from the notorious Jujutsu Kaisen leaker who goes by @Go_Jover on Twitter under the handle Myamura.
This makes it evident that the authorities are aware of this individual’s existence and potential involvement with the detained suspects in illegally distributing upcoming installment scans.
Moreover, the investigators are looking into various websites where pirated copies of popular Jump comics like One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen appeared in advance of official release dates.
These likely include prominent scanlation platforms such as TCB. In the aftermath of this news, some scan groups like OP Scans and Scanpiea have preemptively shut down their sites to avoid legal scrutiny or charges.
This incident underscores the increasingly perilous environment for leakers and illegal distributors of unlicensed manga content.
It also serves as a stark reminder for fans to support the creators of their beloved anime/manga franchises through authorized channels – either by paying for access or using sanctioned platforms.
The efforts of the Kumamoto authorities indicate that Japanese publishers are taking an aggressive stance against piracy threats that undermine both profits and carefully coordinated promotional timelines.
With leakers and scanlators now facing greater risks, it may fall to consumers to uphold ethical standards and respect the intellectual property of manga artists and licensing holders.
This could entail learning to patiently wait for official release dates rather than accessing pirated copies.
How Fans Are Reacting To This Event
Manga enthusiasts have had strong and mixed opinions about the arrests of the alleged leakers in Japan. Some feel that this crackdown signals an end to the prevalence of illegal early chapter drops or spoilers for popular ongoing comics.
Others have pointed out the apparent irony that the country has come down much harder legally on piracy than perpetrators of sexual crimes.
There are also fans making references to dramatic moments in series like One Piece, joking that the police have unleashed a massive show of force.
Some netizens observe that the authorities are treating a localized color page like hard criminal evidence rather than creative work.
However, certain voices stand by the decision to go after leakers who they feel damage broader anime/manga fandoms just to performatively build their own reputation.
There are calls to make an example now and set a precedence.
Additional perspectives highlight how leakers have eroded the traditional experience of eagerly anticipating each weekly or monthly issue release.
It’s also noted that platforms like MangaPlus invest a lot into securing proper licenses, which rampant piracy then undercuts unfairly.
Finally, a few fans have been predicting that between unauthorized distribution and other copyright strikes, various internet creators related to the community may soon face account/channel terminations or even potential jail time in this changing climate.
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