User blog:LastationLover5000/Japan Versus Pirates

Welcome to the Announcement Corner

I assure you the title is more interesting than the following blog:

So, I don't usually enjoy delivering bad news, I try to be the cheerful person. And to anyone snickering from that statement, I'm delivering a basket of muffins to your doorstep. Every single one of them is bran. But anyway, back to business: Japan is intending to crack down on sites that 'illegally' upload anime and manga.

"Beginning August 1, the Japanese government will start simultaneously sending requests to delete illegal anime and manga to the operators of the aforementioned 580 foreign pirate sites that they have found. This new operation will also launch a new website to guide fans to a legitimate site offering some 250 titles including the latest ones at a cost of several hundred yen."

- iDigital Times

I'm not sure how quickly this takes effect, or what sites will be affected (though I do believe Mangapanda, Mangareader, and Mangabird are on the list), or even which sites will kneel to Japan like beaten dogs, this apparently IS a thing that is happening and fans worldwide are unamused.

I don't see this as something permanently impacting piracy, since it's not something easily stopped (and I'm rooting for piracy here, Aha can't afford to pay for the series he likes to watch and read), but we'll have to watch from the sidelines and see how this goes.

On a final note: "Recently, ComiXology and Viz Media have teamed-up to bring Naruto, Bleach, One Piece and other manga to mobile devices. Perhaps this will curb the illegal piracy."

- iDigital Times

So to fans of the Big Three, there's still a bit of hope for those at the very least.

Well, Aha out: not sure how this will affect reviews that are upcoming for Fairy Tail, again, we'll have to wait and see.

Info Source: http://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/24069/20140729/free-manga-anime-online-more-anti-piracy-japan-illegal-download-sites.htm