Pirate Website Mangamura Sued for $14 Million by Japanese Publishers

Most otakus are guilty of pirating. While we think of it as giving in to curiosity, we are harming the very creators that we want to support.

After the anime and manga industry faced heavy losses in the last few years due to piracy, Japan has made tighter copyright laws. You might have already been deprived of your favorite pirate websites, and more heartbreak awaits unless you can convert to official sources.

Kadokawa, Shueisha, and Shogakukan, some of the biggest Japanese publishers, have sued the Mangamura platform for $14.2 million. Mangamura is one of the biggest pirate websites in Japan with a massive library of unlicensed manga.

The platform was struck due to hosting these 17 popular manga series: One Piece, Kingdom, YAWARA!, Dorohedoro, Overlord, Sgt. Frog, Wise Man’s Grandchild, The Rising of the Shield Hero, Trinity Seven, Hinamatsuri, Erased, Mushoku Tensei, Golden Rough, Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru, Karakuri Circus, Kengan Ashura, and Tasogare Ryūseigun.

Mangamura was launched in 2016 and was indicted in 2018. Zakay Romi, the administrator of Mangamura, was considered guilty by the Fukuoka District Court in June 2021.

Mangamura posted around 8,200 titles which is equivalent to 73,000 volumes. The website hosted manga, manhwa, and other literary works. At its peak, the website’s monthly access stands at 100 million.

The damage that Mngamura has caused due to illegal posting is deemed to be around $14.2 million.

Mangakas and other creators are the first to suffer in such cases. According to the publishers, depriving the creators of the fair result of the work they put so much effort into is unforgivable.  The three plaintiffs claim to have filed this lawsuit so that creators can challenge new horizons without fear of piracy.

Source: Oricon News

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