banner_jpg
Username/Email: Password:
News Article
Libre Shuppan sending out C&D's
icassop writes: Libre Shuppan has started to send out Cease & Desist letters to individual scanlation groups which include Liquid Passion/Biblo Eros, Bliss, and Attractive Fascinante.
Posted by lambchopsil on 
September 10th 9:00pm
Comments ( 46 )  
[ View ]  [ Add ]

Comments (limited to first 100 replies)

» darkraiders on September 10th, 2010, 11:07pm

Even though i don't read yaoi and shounen-ai it still suck to see the way it's going we will probably hear more compagny doing the same soon.

thread

» naikan on September 10th, 2010, 11:16pm

As far as I can tell, those three groups are very good at not scanlating licensed manga and dropping manga once they have been licensed. Yeah, this is only going to hurt their sales.

thread

» Gallaplacidia on September 11th, 2010, 12:06am

I don't think it's necessarily about english licensed manga. Aarinfantasy were also asked by Libre to stop allowing raw scans as well as scanlations to be shared on their forum.

thread

» naikan on September 11th, 2010, 12:14am

Well, Aarinfantasy getting a C&D is understandable since they shared the raws which could potentially take away sales of the original. These three groups only release English scanlations, which is free publicity for Libre Shuppan and for an entirely different audience. There are going to be a lot more foreigners buying these manga due to reading the scanlation than Japanese national foregoing on buying the manga because they want to struggle through some free English version of it just to save $5. Since these groups are also good at removing English licensed manga, they would not have hurt the licensing potential of popular manga either. All in all, a bad marketing move which will lead to fewer raw manga sold by this publisher.

Oh well, I just checked out the books by this publisher in the meantime and about 90% of them were awful stories to begin with.

thread

» artdjmaster on September 11th, 2010, 8:43pm

What do you mean "Japanese national foregoing on buying the manga because they want to struggle through some free English version of it just to save $5"? Don't you think the Japanese have their own raw scans sites? They don't need to struggle through the English version. And free advertising, or not, it's still the principle of viewing another artists work for free without them getting payment for it. Whether or not it builds an English-reading audience, it's still stealing. If a lot of people complain and threaten not to buy english editions of Libre manga, it does not matter to Libre. They already have commercial success in their country of origin so what makes you think the petty Western sales are even going to make a difference? Even the artist of Naruto doesn't get a lot from royalties of his translated work.

thread

» naikan on September 12th, 2010, 1:14am

"Don't you think the Japanese have their own raw scans sites? They don't need to struggle through the English version."

Exactly my point. Shutting down English scan sites do nothing to raise domestic manga purchases, so Libre's move was stupid.

"If a lot of people complain and threaten not to buy english editions of Libre manga, it does not matter to Libre. They already have commercial success in their country of origin so what makes you think the petty Western sales are even going to make a difference?"

Clearly they think it makes a difference or they would not have sent out the C&D's to English scan sites. This move was not about stealing or not, it was about money. If they didn't think that English scan sites were hurting their sales, they would not have bothered taking the time to send C&D's, which although are cheaper than lawsuits, still carry legal opportunity costs.

"Even the artist of Naruto doesn't get a lot from royalties of his translated work."

Irrelevant. English licensing fees are a good chunk of change that Japanese publishers do take into account. What the mangaka earns doesn't matter because it's the publisher's decision and not the mangaka's.

thread

» ayashe on September 10th, 2010, 11:56pm

I'm never going to buy any manga without having read it first, so Libre Shuppan has basically ensured this yaoi fan will not being giving them any business.

thread

» MewMan on September 11th, 2010, 12:01am

rename and start lurking in the dark water of IRC...

thread

» Conquestor on September 11th, 2010, 12:04am

Pretty much.

This does nothing but hurt them from reaching new consumers. Especially considering how many people hate yaoi (Myself included).

thread

» mangotango on September 11th, 2010, 12:17am

can IRC not be tracked? Or it can but just not easy?

thread

» SinsI on September 11th, 2010, 8:33am

IRC is a pure me-talking-to-you kind of a chat. Snooping on that is against every law that protects freedom of speech.

thread

» tina21 on September 11th, 2010, 11:20am

Unfortunately that particular freedom is one that people tend to go against and kill easily

thread

» strifekun on September 11th, 2010, 12:36am

If anything, it's sites like these that make it easier for publishers to track down scanlators. You're basically giving everything away except the scanners weight! But I'm being slightly critical. Can't say that this wasn't going to happen one day; though it's sad that it happened during such a rough patch in our worlds economic history. But like MewMan said, lets all head back to IRC.

thread

» Aikanaro on September 11th, 2010, 12:52am

If scanlators aren't easy to track down, we can't read their stuff either. Plus it's the scanlator's choice to put their releases up here. I imagine most of them enjoy having as many people as possible reading what they release.

thread

» strifekun on September 11th, 2010, 1:00am

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that a list of everything they're working on is not the best way to skirt the law. I remember the days of IRC and when you had to actually scour the net to find scans. They wanted to be hidden. Now everyone has gotten so bold and it's almost like they're parading around the fact that they are doing something illegal. I'm not putting down scanslators. Fuck no. They've introduced me to some stuff that I've gone off and gotten legal copies of. But, we shouldn't be acting like it's okay. I say back into hiding; time for the crazy algorithm searches via google.

thread

» lyrebird on September 11th, 2010, 1:29am

You're absolutely right. It is too easy for any publisher to watch the new releases page for their titles and fire off C&D emails to the groups - as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

Someone has told Libre Shuppan about MU. They are probably watching the new releases page. If they figure out how to search the database for their titles, then we are all stuffed.

Once your details are up on MU, it's really hard to remove. I asked the mods twice to remove something...and nothing happened. It's very frustrating for those of us who are trying to keep a low profile.

thread

» strifekun on September 11th, 2010, 1:36am

Thank you for understanding at what I was trying to get at.

I figured that's what happened. It just takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch. But it's not like what we were doing is good either. Though how the publishers are reacting to it shows a lack of maturity. There have been some very good suggestions from various people and scanners in various communities. I'm sure they've been suggested to the publishers, but publishers don't want to play nice.

thread

» bakaliner on September 11th, 2010, 5:04am

ah another less yaoi in the world. but i think its pointless, somehow some other group will be formed, then they will scanlate those title in places where c&d aint gonna reach them. In my country no one even care if some foreign publishers give you a c&d, beside they hate lawmakers more than they hate their mother.

thread

» ArtsEnticingOrdeal on September 11th, 2010, 8:46am

Sounds like you live in my country, too. xDD

thread

» FullArmageddon on September 11th, 2010, 3:46pm

If they were yuri groups I'd care, but since they're yaoi scanlators I don't give a damn. In fact, good riddance.

thread

» Synthoxide on September 11th, 2010, 4:53pm

So when your yuri groups get C&Ds from publishers, I'll be sure to say exactly what you just said. (:

thread

» ArtsEnticingOrdeal on September 11th, 2010, 5:24pm

Exactly? Because, for that context, it would be kind of... you know... backwards. Can't help but notice.

thread

» Synthoxide on September 12th, 2010, 12:26am

Haha, well, of course, I'd switch it to fit. xD

thread

» ArtsEnticingOrdeal on September 12th, 2010, 3:52pm

Rofl, well, that works. xDD

Though, to be honest, I wish people wouldn't come and say stuff like that at all... but lol, I guess the person above you was deluded that this isn't something that will eventually affect the entire scanlation community.

thread

» icassop on September 11th, 2010, 11:49pm

You know, I didn't post this news just so people like you can (once again) start bashing BL manga and the scanlation groups. It's an example of publishers putting in some effort into preventing scanlations. Also, Libre is part of the recently established manga anti-piracy coalition, too. So more publishers - not only BL publishers - might follow this kind of procedure.

thread

» calstine on September 12th, 2010, 11:29am

@ icassop -
That's the way people are...they just want everything they hate in this world, to disappear. But they don't seem to realize that someone else hates the thing they love, and want that to disappear. If everyone got their wishes granted, then this world wouldn't even exist! smile

Anyway, this is bad news for everyone - not just yaoi and shounen-ai fans. Libre Shuppan is probably the first among many to start the issuing of C&Ds. And once Naruto , Skip Beat! etc. disappear from the web, maybe people will take this seriously.

thread

» kayue on September 12th, 2010, 12:11pm

Rather surprising that they didn't hit the Naruto, etc scanlators first. Since they lose more money on those properties as compared to the smaller BL market.

But then again I suppose Viz hasn't paid their lawyers to send out C&Ds yet. (insert sarcasm mark)

thread

» -zZz- on September 12th, 2010, 1:08pm

my question exactly..
i mean if they really serious with this anti-scanlations coalition, why targeting a small fish like BL fandom first, i think if they want to show (intimidating) people that they're not playing words hitting a big fandom like naruto or one piece would be actually make a huge effect..
(though i'm not hoping for that)

thread

» koala1976 on September 12th, 2010, 8:21pm

I have thought about this too. what sense makes to be targeting yaoi scanlators groups. is a so small market and the gruops in general are so respectull, in my case for example, I'm a subcripstor of FFXI online and square enix is in the coalition, if i get angry and drop the game (and I'm getting reallly angry) they will give up in 240 euros that I spent along the year, I highly doubt they license 30 yaoi tittles in a year....Why are they doing this even when the damage could be bigger than the profit¿??

thread

» koala1976 on September 12th, 2010, 8:13pm

I know we can ask this from the scanlators because thet are the ones that are taking all the risk , but I hope the publishers don't succed in this, If It's not for the scanlators groups manga wouldn't have so many fans outside Japan, although they have the law on their side they ought scanlators a thanks and not a bunch of threats, furthermore the work of USA publishers is no more than lousy (the worst series,very late first edition, inexistence of reeditions....)they only bring shame.
I think all scanlators must leave their differences and look for a secure server where they can post their releases and where Usa laws can't reach them.
What infuriates me the most is that this has nothing to do with the autors f.e. Miyamoto Kano has a more than friendly relatiomship with liquid passion.
One thing is for sure we must stop buying manga till this stops as a punishment. or so i thought.

thread

» naikan on September 12th, 2010, 8:30pm

Heh, if Miyamoto Kano boycotted Libre, that would just make my day. Her stories are a level above most of the other stuff Libre publishes anyway.

thread

» voraciouszest on September 13th, 2010, 2:26pm

Honestly, I can't help but believe that the first genre to be targeted is yaoi because us girls have always been the easiest to push over. Libre, and certainly the coalition, hopes to make an example of us as a genre to the whole scanlation community. Still, all in all, Libre's sales will be damaged greatly by this because, if anything, yaoi readers are loyal to their communities. For the most part...

In any case, as a scanlator for one of these groups, I'd urge you not to panic. We live in the Information Age, after all.

thread

» naikan on September 13th, 2010, 7:03pm

This is a very good point. It makes sense that they would hit upon a small niche to make examples, but what they've utterly failed at is 1) shounen/shoujo scan groups are not going to feel threatened when it's just yaoi groups hit, and 2) yaoi manga fans have always struck me as unbelievably willing to purchase the official versions of scanlated manga. Eg. In the Amazon manga forum, the ONLY thread that is updated very single day with people buying manga is the yaoi one.

P.S.- Thanks for your hard work, and hope you guys won't get discouraged too! I still remember 4-5 years ago when CT was hit with a C&D and they're still around today.

thread

» trixa_13 on September 14th, 2010, 2:56am

Please they are all my favorite scanlation groups, please don't disband!

thread

» Onizuka on September 14th, 2010, 3:10pm

A lot of you people fail to realise you should be blaming yourselves instead of the publishers. The publishers can do whatever they deem necessary to protect their rights and interests. Unlike them, we are not the victims and have no right to be complaining or have any rights to enforce. They owe us NOTHING. The immature ones are those complaining the publishers are immature. Also it is absurd to separate the mangaka and the publishers in this context - do you honestly believe they're happy about people stealing their stuff?! I THINK NOT!

thread

» naikan on September 14th, 2010, 7:33pm

Miyamoto Kano + Liquid Passion. Look it up.

thread

» StarlightDreams on September 16th, 2010, 7:39pm

I absolutely agree.
A lot of people are being ridiculous.

thread

» sabi on September 15th, 2010, 2:03pm

i'm an art student so I can understand what people mean about stealing the mangaka's work but as people said before, these sites are actually good with removing licensed manga when it comes out which is great-because in many cases, i'll buy it afterwards and have my own copy. I think the C&D letters are a bit much in the regard that many of these mangas (about 80% if not more) won't get licensed..which is a shame because there is some REALLY good, unlicensed stuff out there, and the only way to read it is thanks to these scanlation groups. And I agree with some of the points about it not affecting sales - japanese people, who can buy the magazines with the raw versions aren't going to stop buying them and start reading the scanlated stuff,therefore resulting in less sales,and vise versa, english-speaking people can't buy the japanese versions because a) most of us don't speak japanese and b) it can actually be REALLY hard to get a hold of some of the magazines, so it's not like the C&D letters will lead to an increase in sales over in japan either.. :/
i think if a mangaka demands that her stuff is not scanlated then ok, but i think many of them will be ok with their unlicensed manga being available to people in usa/europe etc. And like others, I also find it really weird that out of ALL the [almost] infinite number of manga genres, yaoi had to be the one REALLY affected by these things..
oh no! the IRC stuff, its been such a long time since I've used it by the time I get onto it successfully, i might be 80 hahahaha!
and the person who made the comment about not caring if its not yuri- well done on wasting around 5minutes of your life for the most pointless comment ever smile we'll look out for your posts in a few weeks when all the yuri scanlators get affected ^^

i hope they work this out successfully, i'm sure there's other options which can give the mangakas their due credit whilst the unlicensed mangas are still available in english? :S

thread

» icassop on September 18th, 2010, 8:38am

Since you're only talking about the magazines, I think magazine sales aren't that big a chunk of the publishers' profit, especially for the mangaka themselves. They only earn whatever is left of the mag sale after deducting the costs for all the people involved (printers, editors, assistants, etc.). It's really not that much. The main income is in fact the book sales. A mangaka gets a fixed 10% of the profit. (There's also merchandise which they get a part of the profits for.)

So if you really want to support your favourite author by buying their works, don't hunt down those rare mags but rather get your very own original japanese copy of the released tankoubon (which are easier to find anyway) ^^

thread

» alesana17 on September 16th, 2010, 2:14pm

I don't yaoi or yuri but if it wasn't for these english translators and scans i would have never even heard of manga the only reason i started to read manga is cuz i was watching the bleach anime i only found out about manga because of these scanlation groups so that sucks for those groups even thou i never heard of them

thread

» akuma_river on September 19th, 2010, 11:38am

You can add Nakama and Blissful Sin to that list as well.

thread

» Kyousukeee on September 22nd, 2010, 1:44pm

The funniest thing is , most of the yaoi mangakas would never ever have their names known outside Japan if it wasn't for scanlation groups . I believe most of the people looking for scanlations want to enjoy the story of the manga and not only the smex scenes . In any case , they ( publishers and mangakas ) are only losing potential buyers of original stuff , fans and possibly a connection with companies around the world who buys the rights to translate and sell their mangas in other languages . Licencing a manga that no one knows of is crazy and not all the mangas that are popular in Japan might be in other countries and vice versa . I could say the same about animes and the likes - Back in the 80's there was a tokusatsu called 'Jaspion' that was VERY popular in my country but it barely made any success in Japan .

As someone pointed out , they owe us nothing of course but I wonder how many bucks imports shops and the like make out of readers who by chance found out a scanlated manga and enjoyed the stories and bought the original one . . . I'm an example , back in 2000 I was so in love with X/1999 that I went to the import store and bought 10 originals and years later bought the other 8 , I'm pretty sure the woman in the import shop was more than happy to have me buying and I put some yenes in the publishers/mangakas pockets as well . I know more people who does buy the raw mangas if they can afford too and many other people are like that too . If it weren't for scanlations I would never know that manga and wouldn't give the mangakas a penny .

Japan is an oyster and shunning out people who are interested in their culture won't help them at all to improve sales . As people have said already , most of those works will never get released outside Japan due to high costs to buy the rights anyway . And if only the popular stuff are licenced then we'll get stuck with only those pop crap and lose the opportunity to really find something that we would enjoy more than what is popular . Speaking of manga/anime as a whole I rarely fancy the popular kind because most are just too plain simple and doesn't have a good story , only 'cool' scenes and characters acting their 'coolest' .

So yes I think it's their loss if those and possibly others scanlation groups ceases to exist .

thread

» kawasaki on September 28th, 2010, 12:41am

I agree 100%. I would never ever be aware of manga, let alone any particular genre but for the scanlation groups. I highly appreciate their works and I will support them as much as I can.
I never liked popular licensed series. Because along with their unlikeble shoujo-like, plain storyline, the translations suck: It is like watching dubbed anime.

thread

» veenav on September 24th, 2010, 5:02pm

the whole mess about many publishers joining in to stop scanlations was started because of online reading sites and a certain app which can read manga from those sites in iphone and others. some people don't think scanlatons are illegal that they read them even in public places with laptops or mobile phones. thus it become so wide spread so that manga haters and others can easily get their way and publishers noticed it too. i even suspect that the shota/loli problem in april was started because someone thought the april fool joke on manga traders was real and reported to those child welfare organizations how shota/loli was bad.

thread

» aoi0101 on September 29th, 2010, 7:16am

what's what is, a lot of people never gone to Japan, nor buy it online.
plus, there's no yaoi at all in my country and perhaps another country too. even some of the popular or good shoujo manga isn't published here in my country...... that's why i a lot of people have to read online including me!!! taking scanlators and scanlations from net means the end of us, people who depends on translators!!

as a comment here says, people reading online isn't really going to decrease sales in japan or another country. and, even if i want to buy it, they don't sell it. if want to read it online, they cannot translate it. moreover, a lot of people don't understand Japanese or Chinese or Korean since a lot of them is in that language....

thread

» paputsza on July 25th, 2011, 8:31pm

I'm not going to buy mangas in a language that I don't understand and Tokyopop has been divided by zero so just ahhh! No more yaoi. Btw, they also sent a message to anim-ation apparently.

thread