The manga industry faces a significant challenge: piracy, even amidst its global growth. Popular titles like Vinland Saga, Jujutsu Kaisen, and One Piece are all affected by illegal distribution through various platforms.
This poses a major problem for creators, editors, and publishers alike, not only robbing them of rightful earnings but also undermining their hard work and dedication.
In a controversial stance, the editor of Vinland Saga, Akira Kanai, expressed an opinion that diverges from the industry’s general stance against piracy. Kanai believes that the priority should be on manga being read, regardless of the source.
He acknowledges that while piracy hurts the industry financially, it’s crucial for manga to reach a global audience, especially as the domestic market in Japan contracts while the global market expands.
During a recent interview, Kanai highlighted the importance of manga’s international reach.
He noted that the global market heavily relies on illegal copies, which presents a dilemma: it would be preferable for readers to support the creators financially, but if pirated versions are more accessible than official ones, he sees no issue with reading them for now.
Kanai emphasized that making manga accessible to readers is paramount for industry growth. He hopes for a thriving global manga community where creators from around the globe can participate.
However, he cautioned against this growth happening at the expense of the domestic market in Japan, stressing the need for balance.
Ultimately, Kanai’s viewpoint supports manga’s globalization but not at the cost of undermining its creators and publishers in Japan.
He advocates for readers to engage with manga legally but recognizes the current reality of the industry’s global expansion dynamics.
