They ask for jail for the leakers of One Piece and Dragon Ball
Two individuals are facing possible prison sentences following their recent trial for leaking manga chapters of the Weekly Shonen Jump before their official release date. The verdict is expected on July 25, 2024. Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of 1.5 years in prison for the company's manager, Musa Samir, and 1 year for his assistant. In addition, they have called for hefty fines, reportedly 500,000 yen and 300,000 yen respectively, for both individuals and their company.
The defense argued for a suspended sentence (i.e., they won't go to prison unless they commit another crime), alleging that the men were tricked into leaking the chapters by a foreign individual known as "DBS Hype," who promised to promote his company in exchange for the leaks. However, they claimed that this promise was never fulfilled and that they received no financial gains. In addition, it was revealed that the leaks of "Kagurabachi", "Sakamoto Days" and "Edens Zero" are also part of the investigation.
The defendants, both French nationals, were arrested on February 4, 2024. Kumamoto police revealed that Samir's company is involved in the marketing of Shonen Jump-related products and that they obtained copies of the manga before its release to sell in their own company. In some cases, the scanned images were modified to appear as if they were not scanned from a paper magazine, although editors have confirmed that no electronic data from publishers was leaked. According to police, the leaked images were translated into several foreign languages, including English, and reposted on various sites.
Leaking information about upcoming manga chapters in Japan is considered a crime for several fundamental reasons:
- Copyright and Intellectual Property Infringement: Mangas are copyrighted works, and their unauthorized distribution prior to official release infringes these rights. Creators and publishers have the exclusive right to control the first distribution and publication of their works.
- Industry Impact: Premature leaks can negatively affect manga sales and reception. Creators' and publishers' revenues may decrease if readers choose to read filtered chapters instead of buying the official editions.
- Damage to Trust and Reputation: The leak compromises trust between publishers and their contributors, as well as between fans and publishers. It can damage the reputation of those involved and affect business relationships within the industry.
There are several ways in which you can get access to the contents of the next manga chapters before their official publication:
- Insider Leaks: Individuals with internal access to the editorial process, such as publisher employees, printing facilities, or distribution centers, may share images or information prior to the official release.
- Early Copies: Sometimes, early copies of manga volumes or chapters are distributed to retailers, reviewers, or other parties prior to the official release date. If these copies fall into unauthorized hands, they can be leaked online.
- Hacking: Hackers can gain access to digital files or servers containing manga content before their official release and leak the information online.
Fighting manga leakage is crucial to protecting creators' rights, maintaining the integrity of the manga industry, and ensuring a fair and equitable experience for fans and professionals involved.
Source: Manga Reporter
