Akira Kanai ,
editor of the hit manga “ Vinland Saga ,”
recently shared his thoughts on the importance of global sharing in the manga
industry and the piracy controversy.
Kanai considers global exchange
fundamental to the medium of manga. Although the
management of Kodansha, the publisher responsible for “Vinland Saga,” believes
that the declining child population in Japan and the shrinking domestic market
are sufficient reasons to expand internationally, Kanai does not completely
agree. “ I find it embarrassing to expand overseas just because the
domestic market is shrinking ,” Kanai commented. “ It's
the same all over the world; The birth rate is declining overall, except in
Africa and India .”
Thanks to advances in digital technology, Kanai
acknowledges that it is now much easier for people around the world to access
Japanese manga. “ I'm glad that people who find Japanese manga
interesting are contacting us more and more, and that fans are reading it,
whether they live in Brazil, Antarctica, Tibet or Kenya ,” he
mentioned.
Regarding piracy, Kanai admits a somewhat controversial
position. “ It would be great if they not only read illegal pirated
copies, but paid a little money for them. But if they don't have money and
there are a lot of pirated copies, I think piracy is fine for now – I could be
killed by a board member for saying this now ,” Kanai joked.
“ First it is important to read the manga .” Kanai
believes that only when manga is accessible is it possible for authors from
other countries to submit their works to Japanese publishers, fostering broader
cultural and creative exchange.
Kanai concludes that expansion into the foreign
market should not be based solely on the decline of the Japanese market, but
rather on the desire to share and enjoy manga in a global community. “ The
thought that Japanese publishers will become poorer if they don't expand
overseas is pathetic and should be abandoned. Now that it is possible to read
and draw manga abroad, I hope the community of manga fans will grow, no matter
where they come from or what religion they practice .”
In short, Akira Kanai advocates for a
globalization of manga not out of economic necessity, but because of the
pleasure and diversity it brings to the community of fans and creators.
Source: MangaPassion
