Site Update - 14th of May 2025

[pandascepter]

@BakedBanana
Pray and thoughts.

 

[Black_Percher]

I just realised the scans for Youjo Senki didn't get DMCA'd... hahaha whaat??? A popular isekai series, has an anime adaptation, has been officially licensed in English for more than 8 years, is published by Kadokawa which has send a lot of DMCA in this takedown wave somehow survives the purge?!

I read someone's speculation and I didn't want to believe it at first but... I think this DMCA is automated, barely any actual humans getting involved in the process. Oh God, they probably didn't even know what DMCA they send out.

 

[kn4ll]

But then you're dependent of scanlations that get nuked by the official release. There is no solution.

Pirate the official releases and buy the Japanese volumes then?

 

[T-sama]

If your main goal is piracy, then it's better using places like comick and mangasee which allow uploads of official releases.

Who said anything anout official releases? Is it only series with official releases that got dmca? No.

Fact that you had to cherrypick about official translations shows you have no argument against my previous post.

 

[Mur16]

Seems like postponing the reading of some mangas in my list really paid off, well, not in an good way

 

[pandascepter]

I just realised the scans for Youjo Senki didn't get DMCA'd... hahaha whaat??? A popular isekai series, has an anime adaptation, has been officially licensed in English for more than 8 years, is published by Kadokawa which has send a lot of DMCA in this takedown wave somehow survives the purge?!

I read someone's speculation and I didn't want to believe it at first but... I think this DMCA is automated, barely any actual humans getting involved in the process. Oh God, they probably didn't even know what DMCA they send out.

its german technology for a reason.

 

[kn4ll]

I just realised the scans for Youjo Senki didn't get DMCA'd... hahaha whaat??? A popular isekai series, has an anime adaptation, has been officially licensed in English for more than 8 years, is published by Kadokawa which has send a lot of DMCA in this takedown wave somehow survives the purge?!

I read someone's speculation and I didn't want to believe it at first but... I think this DMCA is automated, barely any actual humans getting involved in the process. Oh God, they probably didn't even know what DMCA they send out.

Afaik Kadokawa isn't in on the DMCA takedown, I haven't noticed any other works from Kadokawa being taken down.

 

[kreahleiser]

That won't keep the manga alive. The best way to support them is to buy the Japanese volumes honestly.

It'll keep the person alive though. Lost track of how many mangas got axed cus they didn't make enough in Japan, or the author couldn't continue for "health reasons" or the likes.

Between an option of losing 90% of your income to some corporate entity who may just shit-can you within 2 volumes or force you to end your creative work early, or having less reach than the first but perhaps a more stable income rate and getting to create what you want. The second option seems more favourable to the individual, and avoids effectively joining a corporate money grinder.

 

[Archimedes5000]

Like, mangadex can still be a hub for scanlation groups, but maybe it's time chapters are uploaded in a separate site, hell, ideal would be mangadex have mirrors, or at least a separate site where it can continue uploading stuff that isn't allowed in main one.

There already is a "hub for scanlators", it's called mangaupdates.com
MDex is too deep in with the publishers to become a link repository and pretend like they don't know anything

I admit, I wouldn't mind seeing ads if it paid for a version of mangadex that basically ignored dmca, after all theorically it might make enough money that it can just change domains to avoid problems lol

Maybe shitty manga sites full of ads do have the right idea :v

It's not money that lets you ignore DMCAs, and domains are the cheapest part of running a site.
What you need is anonymity that lets you dodge legal responsibility and shield your service providers from the burden of knowledge

 

[T-sama]

There already is a "hub for scanlators", it's called mangaupdates.com
MDex is too deep in with the publishers to become a link repository and pretend like they don't know anything

If that is the case why some here insist mangadex is a hub for scanlation and such first and foremost? Lol

Sounds like denial and copium from them about what mangadex really is for

It's not money that lets you ignore DMCAs, and domains are the cheapest part of running a site.
What you need is anonymity that lets you dodge legal responsibility and shield your service providers from the burden of knowledge

Yeah but having ads equal money, and money sure make things easier lol

As for anonymity, now I'm reminded of Dynasty, I think only reason they never got big dmca like this is because they're too niche, mangadex became too popular while trying to play by the rules, so it'll only go downhill from here

 

[DeepsterU6]

Well I have had to move the nuked titles to a new folder from all of my old set up. This way I will at least have a reminder of the title. Many were already completed but there will be no re-reading. I think that I will be spending a LOT more time in the Discords....at least until the nukes land there. Thank you for staying clean MD.

 

[Black_Percher]

Afaik Kadokawa isn't in on the DMCA takedown, I haven't noticed any other works from Kadokawa being taken down.

Off the top of my head, Otaku ni Otoku na Gal-gurashi was printing in Monthly Shōnen Ace and that's owned by Kadokawa. I'm sure there's more in the list.

 

[dOmOlz]

Hell naw fuck the Japanese man, they also took down series that aren't translated/fully translated and aren't gonna be complete in years or ever. Not only that but when they are they are at high prices and not even in my region. ((T_T))

 

[kn4ll]

Off the top of my head, Otaku ni Otoku na Gal-gurashi was printing in Monthly Shōnen Ace and that's owned by Kadokawa. I'm sure there's more in the list.

Considering that was one of the three I've worked on that got taken down, it's weird that I didn't think of that. I thought it was Kodansha, but in my defense it's four years since I worked on it.

Edit: Apparently it's these companies that are in on the takedowns.

• Kadokawa Corporation
• Kodansha Ltd.
• Shueisha Inc.
• Shogakukan Inc.
• Square Enix Co., Ltd.
• Futabasha Publishers Ltd.
• Hakusensha Inc.

If that is the case why some here insist mangadex is a hub for scanlation and such first and foremost? Lol

Sounds like denial and copium from them about what mangadex really is for

Yeah but having ads equal money, and money sure make things easier lol

As for anonymity, now I'm reminded of Dynasty, I think only reason they never got big dmca like this is because they're too niche, mangadex became too popular while trying to play by the rules, so it'll only go downhill from here

If I had to guess about dynasty scans, the publicity they get from them and the amount of people there that buy and support the Japanese releases (Love Bullet anyone?) probably makes the publishers reluctant to do anything about it. Yuri is in general niche and has low sales, so they need any sales they can get.

 

[kreahleiser]

Yeah but having ads equal money, and money sure make things easier lol

Sadly having any sort of money involved results in loss of anonymity. Ads themselves are typically run through Google Ads, which requires a location to transfer income to, such as a bank account, and may even require tax documentation. These in themselves are traceable and fuck you over for anonymity, open you up to enforcement. Similarly, MD making money from Nami will also have some sort of trail they can follow. It might even be why they acted on it, given corps archaic way of classifying "making money".

The only way to really anonymously make money is through the Blockchain, or cash in hand. Even then the former can technically be traced.


And sadly, not making money is the easiest way to stay off their radar.

 

[kn4ll]

Sadly having any sort of money involved results in loss of anonymity. Ads themselves are typically run through Google Ads, which requires a location to transfer income to, such as a bank account, and may even require tax documentation. These in themselves are traceable and fuck you over for anonymity, open you up to enforcement. Similarly, MD making money from Nami will also have some sort of trail they can follow. It might even be why they acted on it, given corps archaic way of classifying "making money".

The only way to really anonymously make money is through the Blockchain, or cash in hand. Even then the former can technically be traced.


And sadly, not making money is the easiest way to stay off their radar.

Making money on piracy is pants on head retarded though. If you're into scanlation for making money, you're completely in it for the wrong reasons.

 

[Hikage255]

this DMCA has knocked almost half the manga, i've been reading, or had on hold for more chapters. Frankly i haven't been this frustrated since Mangadex went offline some years ago, and this attack almost makes me want to just stop reading manga altogether if we can't read anywhere without fear of losing what we're reading.

 

[kreahleiser]

Making money on piracy is pants on head retarded though. If you're into scanlation for making money, you're completely in it for the wrong reasons.

I wholeheartedly agree yeah. Most decent pirates will instead say you should support the publisher if you like the product. This extends from scanlation to video games, software etc., and goes as far back as groups like Razor1911 or Skidrow in the 2010s.

In the context of MD though, it costs money to run this website. A lot of money. Far more than they're actually making from us supporters, and possibly more than they'd make from running ads.

 

[minhnghcm7]

RIP to the manga series hit by this DMCA.
I'll miss the comment section most. Although there were a few bad apples, the thread of each chapters are part of the reason why MD is the best.
If it is possible mods or whomever reading this, it would be fine to keep the chapters empty to comply with DMCA, but put the chapter number + read maker + comment section back.

 

[Angry_Panda]

If it is possible mods or whomever reading this, it would be fine to keep the chapters empty to comply with DMCA, but put the chapter number + read maker + comment section back.

This seems to be their intention, but it may take a bit of time.