Japan has initiated an ambitious project wherein it plans to use AI techniques to keep an eye on sites that offer pirated versions of anime and manga, The Japan Times reported. With the rising popularity of manga, there has also been a spurt in piracy of manga and anime content that is believed to cost the industry billions of dollars every year. As some publishers have … [Read more...] about Japan to Deploy AI Sleuths to Counter Manga Piracy
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Japanese Association of Translators Shoot Down Govt-Backed Manga AI Translation Plan
Japan's ambitious plans to translate manga to English using AI technologies seem to have hit a roadblock already even before things got rolling on this, PRTimes reported. The Japanese Association of Translators has come out in strong opposition to the move stating it isn't in the best interest of the country. Earlier we came across a mega plan of translating manga from Japanese … [Read more...] about Japanese Association of Translators Shoot Down Govt-Backed Manga AI Translation Plan
E Ink and Papercast unveil Japan’s first smart bus stop
In a groundbreaking collaboration, E Ink Holdings and Papercast Ltd have joined forces to introduce a cutting-edge solar-powered e-paper passenger information display technology for a pioneering smart bus stop project in Aizuwakamatsu city, Japan. Administered by Aizu Riding Car Development, a consortium led by Michinori Holdings, operator of the Aizuwakamatsu bus service, … [Read more...] about E Ink and Papercast unveil Japan’s first smart bus stop
Japanese Government spearheads global manga promotion with specialized lists for foreign libraries
The global popularity of Japanese manga has prompted a unique initiative by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Japanese government. In a move to bolster awareness and accessibility of manga worldwide, the agency is collaborating with critics from various countries to curate specialized lists for overseas libraries, Crunchyroll reported. In a meticulous curation process, … [Read more...] about Japanese Government spearheads global manga promotion with specialized lists for foreign libraries
The closure of a prolific pirate manga website is a boon for authors
The closure of one of the largest pirated manga websites in Japan is led to authors and publishers seeing an influx of revenue. This is proving that manga users are more likely to purchase digital content, than ebook readers who will just move on to the next pirate site when one shuts down. Mangamura originally launched in January 2016 and became one of the most popular … [Read more...] about The closure of a prolific pirate manga website is a boon for authors
Digital Manga has Overtaken Print for the First Time
Digital manga sales in Japan have overtaken print for the first time ever. According to a survey by the Research Institute for Publications, sales of digital manga last year are estimated to have risen 17.2% from a year earlier to 171.1 billion yen, while sales of prints fell roughly 14.4% and generated $166.6 billion yen. The research body of the All Japan Magazine and Book … [Read more...] about Digital Manga has Overtaken Print for the First Time
Digital Manga Sales Increase by 27% in 2016
The Japanese publishing industry has experienced a solid year of growth according to the All Japan Magazine and Book Publisher’s and Editor’s Association. They have reported that the combined physical and digital sales of the manga industry in Japan amounted to $3.91 billion billion in 2016, a 0.4% growth compared to 2015 where all formats generated $3.89 billion US. Print … [Read more...] about Digital Manga Sales Increase by 27% in 2016
Amazon Launches Manga Model Kindle in Japan with 32GB of Storage
Amazon is getting serious about manga and the company has just launched a Kindle Manga Model in Japan. This model basically the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, but with 32GB of internal storage which will hold over 700 volumes. Basically you could fit every issue of Naruto, Asari-chan, and Kochikame on the new Kindle. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Manga Edition has a e-ink Carta … [Read more...] about Amazon Launches Manga Model Kindle in Japan with 32GB of Storage
Amazon is Prioritizing the Manga Experience on the Kindle
Amazon has announced that they are going to be pushing out a new firmware update for the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Voyage and Kindle Oasis. They intend on dramatically improving the manga reading experience with a critical new feature. Later this month Amazon will be introducing a new enhancement called Ultra-Fast Skimming. It will give users 33% faster single page … [Read more...] about Amazon is Prioritizing the Manga Experience on the Kindle
Japanese Readers Spend the Most Money on e-Books
Digital Books may have hit the proverbial glass ceiling in North America but across the world they are starting to really catch on. This is most evident in Japan, where readers are spending the most amount of money on e-Books. According to a new research report by Statista, Japanese readers have spent the most money on e-books per individual user, around $86.50. Following … [Read more...] about Japanese Readers Spend the Most Money on e-Books
Anime and Manga: What Pirating Is Doing to the Industry
In 2014 Japan passed a new anti piracy law and had begun cracking down the whip on copyrighted materials and intellectual properties such as anime and manga from Japan. The Japanese government then commanded a lot of illegal streaming and hosting sites which has resulted in a lot of websites getting shut down. With the help and cooperation of fifteen major anime production … [Read more...] about Anime and Manga: What Pirating Is Doing to the Industry
Kindle for PC Now Available in Japan
Amazon launched their Japanese e-Book store in 2012 and in order to read e-books, manga or comic books you basically needed to use the dedicated Kindle app for Android or iOS. Now users have another option, Kindle for PC has officially launched in Japan. The premise of Kindle for PC is to keep your content synchronized across multiple devices. It also allows for a ton of … [Read more...] about Kindle for PC Now Available in Japan
Copyright Law to be Amended in Japan to Combat e-Book Piracy
Japan is planning on augmenting their copyright law in early 2015 so publishers can actually go after e-Book pirates. This should assist the entire industry and hopefully speed up the rate in which e-Books are produced. The old copyright law just protected physical books from unlawful print and distribution by people who did not have the right to do so. This caused … [Read more...] about Copyright Law to be Amended in Japan to Combat e-Book Piracy
13 Japanese Companies Band Together to Challenge Amazon
Online retailer Rakuten have joined forces with a dozen other companies in Japan with the aim to sell ebooks from regular brick and mortar bookstores across the country. With this, they hope to bring about a higher degree of awareness among consumers in Japan about ebooks. Such a move, they believe, will also allow the traditional bookstores to remain relevant at a time when … [Read more...] about 13 Japanese Companies Band Together to Challenge Amazon