The issue of copyright infringement in the anime and manga sector has long been a contentious topic with production and publishing companies in Japan. However, this ongoing battle still lacks a clear solution when observing the staggering figures presented below.
According to a recent study published by the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), based in Tokyo, Japan, the entertainment industry, including manga, anime, music, and video games, has suffered losses estimated between 1.9 and 2.2 billion yen (approximately $13.5 to $15.5 million) in 2021 due to copyright infringement. This figure represents a fivefold increase compared to a similar study conducted in 2019 by CODA, indicating a significant escalation in the issue.
CODA specifically calculated that anime and other video content from Japan lost around 906.5 billion yen (approximately $6.5 billion) due to copyright infringement, while manga and other publishing formats lost between 395.2 billion yen (around $2.9 billion) to 831.1 billion yen ($6 billion). The association attributes this increase in copyright infringement to people’s increased time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of various online streaming services.
CODA is a coalition focused on combating copyright infringement, comprising 32 Japanese companies such as Kodansha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, Aniplex, Kadokawa, Sunrise, Studio Ghibli, Bandai Namco Arts, Pony Canyon, and Toei Animation. As of January 2022, many companies and organizations from over 13 countries worldwide are collaborating to establish the International Anti-Piracy Organization (IAPO), with CODA serving as a central hub. This organization is currently working with cybersecurity experts to identify the operators behind websites providing infringing content.
In April 2023, CODA revealed that Brazil had shut down 36 websites providing infringing anime content. Members of the coalition, including Toei Animation, TOHO, and Bandai Namco Filmworks, filed complaints against four websites. After local authorities conducted investigations into the operators of these four sites and engaged in negotiations with the administrators of various other sites, 31 websites were shut down, while five others were allowed to operate as they were. CODA reported that these 36 infringing sites averaged 83 million views per month during the time frame from December last year to February this year.
Another significant issue arises when China collaborates with Japan to address major copyright infringement websites in their region. In the case of the targeted website, the content was primarily aimed at Japanese viewers and not meant for Chinese users. It garnered over 300 million views within just two years.
