The United States has taken a major step in partnering with Japanese publishers to track down and potentially prosecute individuals leaking manga on social media. Reports from Japanese news site AnimeAnime reveal that the US has issued orders for websites to disclose the identities of these leakers.
This initiative stems from a court case where Aniplex and Toho, members of the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), requested that a US court reveal information about “leak accounts” that share unreleased anime on social media platforms. The court agreed to disclose the information on August 20, with the service procedure completed on August 30.
This marks a significant moment as it could be the first time the United States has actively engaged in addressing copyright violations originating in Japan. Historically, Western-based fans who leaked or shared manga materials, especially unlicensed ones, faced few repercussions. However, this new development, along with the crackdown on manga piracy sites, indicates a shift in enforcement rigor.
The leaks in question primarily involve popular titles like Jujutsu Kaisen and Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer). Notably, this isn’t Japan’s first attempt to involve foreign governments in combating manga leaks and piracy. In 2019, a Japanese national running the pirate site Manga-Mura was deported by Filipino authorities.
This evolving situation highlights the increasing global collaboration to protect intellectual property and could signal stricter consequences for online manga piracy in the future.
