Recently, renowned Japanese mangaka Mayu Shinjo published an
article describing what she considers “ the biggest problem in the
manga industry in Japan .” In her post, Shinjo calls urgent attention
to the increasing exploitation of manga artists by large corporations and the
persistently low royalty rates. This publication was motivated by the
tragic suicide of the mangaka Ashihara Hinako, who, it is believed, was ignored
in her rights as the original creator in the live-action adaptation of her
work. The controversy surrounding this incident still continues.
Shinjo wrote: « I wrote this a while ago,
but I couldn't publish it... It's about what I consider the biggest
problem in the manga industry. I think we need to raise awareness about the current
situation and bring about change at an individual level… With what has
happened recently, I have grown tired of the immutable system imposed by large
corporations. Please read this. The era of exploitation of manga
artists by publishers has begun .
Mayu Shinjo ,
a shojo/erotic manga artist who has been active since 1994, used to
work for Shogakukan, one of the largest publishers in Japan. However,
she left the company to work as a freelancer due to increasingly unfavorable
working conditions. In her recent viral post, Shinjo offers a detailed
explanation of the reality faced by mangaka, who, according to her, “are being
strangled by bad business traditions.”
One of the main points that Shinjo highlights is
royalties. For printed manga, artists have received a 10% standard over
the years. This low rate was justified by the need to involve various
parties, such as editors, typographers, printers, sales mediators, retailers,
and warehouse management companies, to bring the manga to readers. However,
as Shinjo points out, even with the advent of digital publishing, royalties for
mangaka have remained extremely low, usually at 15%, and in rare cases, 20%. This
is despite the fact that most downstream companies are no longer involved in
the process and the publisher has much less responsibility than with printed
manga.
Shinjo also mentions personal experiences that reflect
the attitude of publishers towards mangaka. After leaving Shogakukan
and refusing to give up the rights to his works, Shinjo attempted to negotiate
directly with his e-book distributor to have his manga published and offered at
a higher price. However, when Shogakukan found out, they attempted to threaten
the distributor, pressuring him not to accept the deal. At the time,
e-book distributors were dependent on publishers, putting them in a
disadvantageous position. Although this has changed, with publishers
increasingly relying on e-book distributors to host their titles, publishers
continue to take the lion's share of royalties.
Shinjo points out that more and more authors
are raising complaints about the low fees they receive, but that publishers are
not listening, maintaining an “everyone gets that” attitude. Additionally,
it is common for professional manga artists to rent studios and hire assistants
for their work, but according to Shinjo, this is paid for by the artists
themselves in most cases, further reducing their already low income.
Shinjo concludes his article by
appealing to mangakas to question publishers about royalties, ask for
percentage breakdowns, and negotiate for publishers to cover the costs of
attendees. Call on creators to help protect the manga
profession and not allow it to be exploited.
The manga industry, one of the
cornerstones of Japanese popular culture, faces a crossroads. Mayu
Shinjo's complaint is a call to action to protect the rights of creators and
ensure a more just and sustainable future for all who work in this beloved art
form.
Source: Automaton Media
