Key Takeaways
- Piracy costs the anime and manga industry billions in losses annually.
- Japan is developing an AI system to combat unauthorized sites hosting anime and manga.
- Accessible platforms like Shonen Jump and streaming services contribute to the growth of the industry.
The anime and manga industry has drastically increased in size. A decade or two ago, only a small portion of the world’s population was interested in the two types of media, but things have changed. The big publishing companies have made it easier to access manga, while streaming services have made it possible to watch anime almost anywhere.
Unfortunately, the manga and anime industry is still affected by piracy. In fact, a few months ago there was a massive leak in which several anime episodes were made publicly available. To combat such problems, Japan is working on an AI system that will help them prevent manga and anime piracy.
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Piracy Is At An All-Time High
- Piracy is hurting the anime and manga industries
- Every year the loss is in billions
According to multiple reports, the manga industry incurred losses of over $3 billion in 2023. Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs also revealed that the anime and manga industry as a whole lost more than $13 billion due to piracy. The numbers are astonishingly high, so it’s hardly surprising that Japan wants to take strict action against the perpetrators.
The new artificial intelligence system will help them deal with this problem. The system will track down and target unauthorized sites hosting anime and manga. By eliminating these websites, the manga and anime industries will reap bigger profits, which in turn will be used to bolster them.
According to Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, this AI system will be designed to analyze their layouts, content placement, and advertisements. They are also investing $2 million in the project, which shows how serious they are about dealing with this problem. If everything goes well, the manga and anime industries will be able to protect their money. For now, it remains unclear when the new system will come into effect.
The Anime Industry Will Keep Growing
The growth of the anime and manga industries over the years did not happen by a stroke of luck. Many companies have stepped up their efforts to help the media reach a wider audience. They have released platforms like the Shonen Jump app and Manga Plus, which give fans access to a ton of free content. Additionally, fans can buy the premium service for a small fee.
The majority of anime series are streamed on Crunchyroll. In certain cases, they are also available on platforms like HIDIVE, Hulu, Disney+, and Netflix. Each of these streaming platforms also charges a fee to gain access to all their libraries.
Japan’s new AI system is expected to go live in the coming years.
Source: X (formerly Twitter)