As you may have already heard, we have received a number of reports of some sort of business proposition between Viz and Mangahelpers. At this point, it appears that the information was leaked in draft form, and hasn't actually been proposed directly to Viz.

Before getting into the details, we ask that everyone please maintain an open mind. The MangaHelpers community has been around for a long time, and before jumping to conclusions, please make sure to get all the facts.

The news looks to have been first reported via a negative analysis by the scanlation group FoOlRulez. At this time, this seems to be the most in-depth information source regarding the business plan.

The following are quick links to the proposed email and business plan, and the official response from mangahelpers themselves.

A link to a topic in our forums discussing this.

Thanks to woxxy for reporting this information.

The illiterates and ignorant are flocking in masses, pumping their chest like a drum thinking they have a half a clue about what's going on.

Funny.

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-GGpX

I run Illuminati-Manga. You're welcome.

I blanked out. Are they planning to create a dictator amongst the online community?
From what I've read in mangahelpers they also want to turn this into a manga monster.com?

Keep in mind, "Business" is the definition of money so yea... I'll enjoy this outcome.

Any and all "business" ends with money.

I'd quote section 5.4 Competitions from the business plan but people are pissed off enough as is. Here's a fun one yet relevant one from "The Three Stooges" instead.

"We will extend a helping hand to our neighbors. We will extend TWO helping hands to our neighbors! And then help ourselves to our neighbors!" --Fuehrer Moe of Moronica

The majority of the people freaking out are concerned about fan works being removed or distributed without permission.

Perhaps, you sir, are the ignorant one.

I'm pretty sure they know what's going on... its quite obvious once you read the "rough draft" presentation and their email.

Great quote, yet sadly it seems so true despite being so funny.

lol, just read that section... About MangaHelpers having problems "from the strong illegal scanslation scene..."

And MangaHelpers will try and help control the distrubtion of RAWs, I mean seriously, I'm a bit scared here ^^

As I wrote in the subject when business is involved then any form of "things made by fans for fans" disappears. I think it's time to move somewhere else, because the Web is FULL of growing communities of evrey kind and most of them are very promising.
Sayonara Mangahelpers: thanks for what you've given to the manga community these years, but now it's time to move on and looking for new places! ^_^

That was the funniest business proposal I've read in a while. I almost hope they do send it, so it ends up as teaching material of how not to write business proposals (or do business for that matter), and goes on to be shown in many universities and other sites and laughed at by students and professors and Viz staff alike.

I just want to know who leaked the document out. No comment on who's at fault, but interested in the bastard who stabs behind his own friend, oh, should i say "business" partner.

Did you guys know that recently Kodansha send a letter to MH to force them to remove all of their material from MH. It does hurt a lot, especially since many scanlation group depend on MH for their RAW. If you notice, we dont have any release from Kodansha's title for the past few days like a new Fairy Tail and Negima.
Im not sure that this draft was planned before that incident but probably after that incident.
I presume that njt is desperate enough that he think that this will solve the problem. Well I do think that it is a stupid proposal.

ntj has always tried to squeeze as much profit out of MH as he could. nothing surprising there.

if MH wants to implement a pay-to-view system, I say go ahead. Its their site, they can do whatever they want. but theres only so much of the naive cant-google-for-shit crowd to go around between MH, crunchyroll and tazmo.

The problem is that most people either don't read it, or don't understand it. People seem to think that MH was planning a tazmo (which is illegal). What they actually intended was to legitimize scanlators, turning them into *paid* freelance workers. (If they wanted to be, they of course wouldn't be obligated to participate.) Also, no current work would be sold, it would be a combination of matchmaking service between Viz & scanlators to help people get freelance jobs in the industry, help Viz get in touch with more potential employees (even if freelance), and turn an existing popular community into a legal business venture.

My comment for MH's post:
"In other words, you're willing to steal all the fame scanlators brought to you, and turn it into a commercial proposal backed by illegal means."

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Member of FoOlRulez and head coder of the FoOlSlide project.