Even though the manga industry is growing and expanding globally, there is one issue that popular mangas like Vinland Saga, Jujutsu Kaisen, and One Piece have been facing, and it has caused a lot of hindrance for the creators, editors, and publishers. The issue is the pirating of these mangas through different mediums.
Piracy is one of the biggest crimes in the digital world, as it not only undermines the hard work and dedication of the creators who put their sweat and tears into their lives’s work, but it also affects them financially. Many third-party websites and social media accounts illegally share their content for free, which affects the overall sales of the manga.
While the entire manga industry criticizes and protests against piracy, the editor of Vinland Saga has a controversial opinion that may not be liked by his publishers but would make him a fan favorite. According to him, it is more important to read the manga, no matter what the source is, as it helps in the overall growth of the industry.
The Vinland Saga Editor’s Controversial Statement About Manga Piracy
In a recent interview with Manga Passion, the editor of Vinland Saga, Akira Kanai, was asked about the global exchange of the medium of manga and how it is important for the growth of the industry outside of Japan. The editor explained that the domestic market is shrinking, but the global market is growing day by day.
Kanai stated:
It would be nice if they didn’t just read the illegally pirated copies, but paid a bit of money for them. But if they don’t have money and there are a lot of pirated copies, I think the pirated copy is okay for now – I could be beaten to death by a board member for saying that now. (laughs) First of all, it’s important that manga are read.
According to Kanai, the global market majorly depends on illegal pirated copies of manga, and that hurts the industry; therefore, it would have been nice if they could have paid money for it. However, if the pirated copies are more spread out than the original, then it is okay for now to read through the illegal mediums.
Akira Kanai Wants Self-Drawn Mangas to be Submitted to Japanese Labels
The Vinland Saga editor continued his comment on the piracy of mangas and stated that right now, the important thing is for the mangas to be available to the readers. This will help in the overall growth of the industry, and not just the readers but also the authors from around the world could join the market.
Kanai explained:
Only when they are available is it possible for self-drawn manga to be submitted to Japanese labels. I would therefore be delighted if both the readers’ and authors’ sides were to become more global. But simply expanding into foreign markets because the domestic market is shrinking is really shameful and should be reconsidered. (laughs)
He wants the manga community to grow globally as much as possible, but if the growth comes from the shrinking of the industry in the domestic market, then it is not right for the manga, its creators, and its publishers.
The globalization of the manga industry is important to him, but not at the cost of the domestic market.
You can watch Vinland Saga on Crunchyroll.
