The new Shadow the Hegdhog manga published by Japanese publication Monthly Corocoro Comic has been a huge hit in The Land of the Rising Sun. Unfortunately the manga isn’t available here in the west and has been widely published and translated by individuals on various social media sites, which Corocoro says a blatant breach of copyright law. Corocoro recently put out a statement on X saying that this can not continue and is harming the industry. Here’s a rough translation of what the company had to say:
“Thank you very much for reading “Shadow the Hedgehog” serialized in “Monthly Corocoro Comic”. We have received a great deal of feedback since the serialization started, and we hope that you will continue to look forward to it in the future.
We hope that you will continue to enjoy this work. Unfortunately, we have confirmed that some screenshots of this work have been uploaded to social networking sites such as X and YouTube without permission. We have also seen malicious cases where an entire episode has been posted. We have also seen malicious cases where an entire story has been uploaded. Manga works can only continue to be produced with the support of many readers. Posting a screenshot of a manga on a social networking service or blog without the permission of the copyright holder is an infringement of copyright, even if it is just a casual act.
Even if it is done lightly, posting a screenshot of a manga on a social networking service or blog without the copyright holder’s permission constitutes copyright infringement. If copyright infringement continues, cartoonists will not be able to create new cartoons. In order to protect cartoons, please do not post images without the permission of the copyright holder (except in the case of quotations under copyright law). Please do not repost or spread links to malicious posts that infringe on copyrights. We ask for your understanding and cooperation in not reposting or spreading links to malicious copyright-infringing posts. Please note that copyright infringement may result in criminal penalties or claims for damages.
Please be aware that copyright infringement may result in criminal penalties or claims for damages.”
Well maybe if it was actually available in an official capacity outside of Japan they wouldn’t even have this problem in the first place
That’s what I’m fucking saying, Year of shadow, everyone’s hyped for that movie and they can’t even translate their comics lmfao
People wouldn’t be doing this (or at least, the number of people doing it would be drastically lower) if y’all just made it available in other languages from the get-go.
Seriously, how does this concept just still not click in some folks’ heads?
This reminds me when the forces demo was on the eshop in Japan, and they basically told people outside of Japan to not play it or access
Feels like this is a real issue to them. Can’t see why that this is a big deal.
\This situation really highlights how digital content protection is becoming a global concern across industries. Clear public guidance and transparent notices can help users understand the legal impact of unauthorized sharing. Similar awareness efforts around data accuracy and public information access have proven effective, as seen with resources like Cook County Appraisal that emphasize responsible usage. Educating audiences early is often the best step toward reducing misuse and long-term harm.
Rampant piracy really shows how important transparency and traceability have become across industries. In other sectors, people rely on tools like Colorado tag lookup to verify records, track authenticity, and reduce misuse of information. Clear access to reliable data can discourage bad actors and help protect original creators. Greater awareness and accountability could go a long way in addressing issues like this.