topic question.. yay or nay?
| I am surprised that this topic has not been made, as many people have varied opinions on scanlations.. some very passionately! I was curious about scanlations, because I personally had never read one until about half a week ago, where I read 1 chapter of Gantz.. I really wanted to compare the experience.. Then of course, after the first chapter I realized just how awesome Gantz was, and now I really want to buy it all.. ahhaha. I found that Dark Horse licensed it, and I personally like their quality subs. However, the benifit I found (though I may be inexperienced here) was that for a scanlation, the pictures were all bigger, and touched up. The size of my computer screen versus a small little page is quite different.. Another benifit I found was that it was hands free (that is, if you view it as a slide show that changes pages every 20-ish seconds..). That is nice, because my hand gets cramped sometomes (I think I am getting some sort of arthritis.. haha.. *sad* ) However, as I said, I am going to go buy gantz, because the first chapter was so intense.. I can see why people would read scanlations for something unlicensed, but I personally am not 100% sure on licensed stuff.. I prefer to own it, but I am not sure why (other than I like collections). Then again, I never buy licensed anime (I will, but..) yet I always buy licensed manga. The funniest thing is, a full manga series (like, even 10) usually, no always costs more than an anime dvd (unless you get the entire series on uber-sale).. so I was just wonder what you all thought of it! |
| I read Scanlations on Bleach and Naruto but only because retial cant translate them as fast as Scanlations. For finished Manga like Fruits Basket. I buy because I want to own it, the only time I go forscanlations is like when Im waiting for the next volume to be recieved by my local store. |
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| I have only read scanlations when it comes to manga that hasn't been translated into english,, if its available in english I will go and buy it. A scanlation can never replace the real thing according to me. |
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| don't see a problem with scanlations |
| I buy manga because I can, and it's much more affordable than buying anime. Buying anime requires a much larger budget. Manga is more managable, so I support the industry whenever I can. Some of the longer series though I don't bother buying, like Naruto. I rarely read scanlations though, probably cuz if I'm on a computer, I'll watch anime rather than read manga. Manga time is always away from the computer for me :) |
| I'll read scanlations, especially for series that are not available locally or have been discontinued. However I prefer to get my hands on the actual manga and read it that way. I'm not sure why but reading manga off a computer screen is very tiring for me. I'll go through a volume of manga in short order if it's in my hands but trying to read it off a computer screen can take twice as long. |
 ...even a saint needs a soldier to do the dirty work. |
| I prefer reading tankoban (manga in book format). I like the feeling, moving the pages in my hands, and it's easier on the eyes. You can also take it with you anywhere you go, and it's really light. Plus, I like the idea of supporting the industry, because that's how things get better (better translations, more series, etc). However, I'll download scanlations if the series hasn't been released here (especially for books like the Legend of Zelda series, which I bought, but I'm not fluent in Japanese ^_^; so I downloaded the scanlations in order to understand it XD!) and also to preview series. I don't usually bother getting them to get ahead of a series if I know that they'll be releasing it (haven't dropped it), simply because like I said I prefer reading the books. tainteddonut said: I'm not sure why but reading manga off a computer screen is very tiring for me. I'll go through a volume of manga in short order if it's in my hands but trying to read it off a computer screen can take twice as long. I feel the same way. I think it causes stress to the eyes, which makes me feel tired. And it does go faster when reading it in book format. |
| I prefer reading manga in book form, because it's just annoying to read from a screen. I first read Death Note as a scanlation, and now I'm buying the volumes as they are released. So I don't think scanlations are necessarily bad, because I wouldn't have known about Death Note if I hadn't read them. |
| Scanlations for great epic justice! Of course, if there is a manga I really like, I will probably buy it at some point in time. Problem is, unless you are in japan, manga tend to be both hard to get and excruciatingly expensive... |
| I love scanlations. I prefer reading manga in book format rather than on a computer screen, and as other people have mentioned, when you buy manga you're supporting the industry so I do that as much as I can. But there are sooooo many series that I love that haven't gotten licensed yet, and many that just aren't likely to ever do so. Also, most of my favorite series I first read in translation, and if I like it when I first read it, I always buy it when it's published here. Like Fruits Basket and Hana-Kimi, I've just been rereading as they're coming out in america. |
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| Scanslations are great. I probably read as much manga as i do anime, so they are a great way to read things that wont come out for a while or never come out here in America. And if there is a licensed series I really like, I'll buy it. I prefer laying down and reading the book over on the computer screen. So whether it is licensed or not, if its good, you'll see me with the domestic copy when/if it gets released |
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| Scanslations first, book second. It almost always been like that since most series I read aren't even licensed. When they're licensed, I go buy it, if money isn't tight. I'm 18, so I gotta watch my money. Like right now. $300 something dollars isn't alot, really... I sure miss my $50 buys when I was 14... and didn't know how the internet really worked. |
| I love scanlations, I read them first then if I like the manga I'll buy it. If I don't then of course I won't get it XD Some manga I have I bought before reading the scanlations and I really regret it. :P |
| Scanlations are great. It is a perfect way of avoiding localizations. If the quality of US retail manga was up to par with scanlations, I'd definitely go for those, but as it is now... |
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| i haven't read much manga, but when i do it's usually scanlations i dont mind the computer screen but i dont like how some groups don't name their images correctly (so the images are out of order) this is one benefit of actually owning the book |
| Scanlations are wonderful...I don't know how people can stand to wait between entire volumes for the licensed releases of ongoing series. I can barely way a month in between the groups' releases. lol |
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| I prefer to buy mangas, translation on internet may be crappy and they are divided in chapters, which are smaller than an entire volume. So I'd better wait <3 the only scanlations I read are for the mangas who hasn't come out yet in Italy |
| I also prefer to buy mangas and I wish I could, but there is a little problem: Most (european) countries have the new volumes or series earlier than Germany. (we often get france or american-versions translatet into german) The newest volume of Bleach is 14 or the newest volume of Fullmetal Alchemist is 6. Well, I've read FMA long time bevor the most german fans even know that this awsome series even exist. And here's the next problem: We have... 4 main publisher. The cheapest two have risen their prises, Carsen and EMA (from 5€ to 6/6,50€) and then there's Tokyopop (6,50€) and the most expensive one is Panini (where FMA is published -> 7,95€). I don't want to pay nearly 8€ for a small manga which would be much cheaper when it would have been published from another publisher. So, what else can I do than read scanlations? Our newest Hana-Kimi volume is the 11th. I stopped buying it at volume 8 and read the scanlations through the end: I've finished it a while ago. Never the less: I have around 425 Mangas. XD |
| I like reading scanlations over paperback mangas, blame eyes who can't focus properly or anything you want, but it's how I like my manga. I do buy the physical manga when it comes out though, mainly for archival purposes. |
    Sam is my sweet peach |
| I'm not really sure... all my mangas in my list are by me at home.. (I know, it's a short list -.-') but for the latest chaps I read what I can find :P |
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| I hate reading manga on a computer, I'd far rather have the book in my hands. Most scans I've seen are terrible quality compared to the printed equivalent, they pixellate the lines and ruin it for me. However if I could download a book, I'd have no real qualms about doing so; translation and release seems so ridiculously slow for some things and really fast for others, I have no clue what goes on in retail manga. From a consumer point of view, I feel like the publishers don't make much of an effort for me or care about keeping my custom, so I have absolutely no qualms about bypassing them. Also, I'm all for avoiding localisations. Luckily I'm more of an anime person, so new manga I like being published is like a rare treat for me. |
YourMessageHereAug 17, 2007 7:32 PM
| I dont read manga on my pc... the one thing i truly buy only... But you all should start reading the BIBLE online or by book. Kids nowadays need jesus in their life ^_^ |
  "What happens when we die?" I know that the ones who love us will miss us. |
| I own a lot of English published manga. If I could read Japanese I'd live in a room with stacks of it. That said, since I can't read Japanese I'll read scanalations of anything I can't buy and I'm interested in. Found a lot of really great series that way, plus I enjoy reading a lot of the older stuff which is unlikely to get licensed at this point. |
| I read a lot of scanlations now. I've been reading manga for well over 7 years and I have bought at LEAST $1000 worth of manga in that span. I try to buy series that have been licensed... basically whichever medium I have found it in first I stick with, if I pick up a series before it get serialized and start with scanlations, I'm not going to stop reading them and wait for which ever company picks it up to catch up to the point I am already at knowing full well within that time I could have read maybe 4 more complete volumes. If I find a manga and start reading it I'm also usually not going to say screw it and pick up the scanlations in the middle (Bleach has been the ONLY exception to this rule) Scanlations are really helpful in getting new series licensed, many companies WANT feedback about what series you are reading so they know which to pick up. Sometimes I am so upset with the quality (This has to do with translations and sometimes censorship) of a publisher (I absolutely HATE DelRey) I have gone so far as to buy the tankoubans instead (I did this with Negima because I did want it in book form but like I mentioned I cannot stand DelRey) And I think I have paid my dues for the most part, in Japan manga sells for HALF the price we pay for it and I've bought A LOT. I favor manga over anime so I don't see why it is a problem for me to download some of my manga. |
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| Generally speaking, I use scans only to browse series I'm looking into, usually not available across seas in America yet, or read ahead on Manga I am already collecting. I find them convenient, but much prefer the books and buy them when I can. A volume or two tends to be enough to tell if I'll continue with it or not. Series that don't urge me to keep reading them get tossed. That said, I'm also an avid bookshop reader, when I can find the time. |
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| just like I don't buy anime, I don't buy manga |
 and with this post my post count has increased, making me 1 post cooler than before |
| Good if you use them to read series that you won't have a chance to otherwise. Bad if you use them as a way not to pay for manga. Plain and simple. |
| :[ |
and with this post my post count has increased, making me 1 post cooler than before |
| Well, in a way, it is stealing if you do it just to get around having to buy something. But if you're doing it to preview a series that you plan on buying, or to read a series that will never come here, then I don't see what's wrong with it. |
| I find it interesting that someone brought up being an avid bookstore reader... It made me think, no one seems to have a problem with that, but scanlations are obviously stealing... Aren't people who go to a bookstore and read entire manga just as much thieves as those of us who download and read scanlations? Just a thought ^_^ |
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| Possibly, and I can accept those sentiments, they're true enough; but I've yet to see anyone arrested for "Just browsing." Something of a loop-hole, I suppose. |
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ayaseyue said: I find it interesting that someone brought up being an avid bookstore reader... It made me think, no one seems to have a problem with that, but scanlations are obviously stealing... Aren't people who go to a bookstore and read entire manga just as much thieves as those of us who download and read scanlations? Just a thought ^_^ Interesting point you have there. Personally, however, I think one of the big problems with scanlations is that they're on such a large scale. If someone uploads a volume of Naurto online, anyone with an internet conncetion has access to it, and hundreds, even thousands of people might read it. On the other hand, if a bookstore gets the same volume in, only so many people will have access to it, and there's a good chance someone will eventually buy it. (And plenty of people have problems with bookstore readers, but not for the reason you've mentioned -- many people are annoyed with readers clogging up the aisles and messing up books.) |
| I don't think reading books instore is good either... >_> actually, I think that would be the most annoying to do. I would rather just get a scanlation. *shrugs* People who do that may cracck the spine of the book *glares*.. and it would suck if you were kicked out half way through, haha. |
selective_yellow said: People who do that may cracck the spine of the book *glares*.. and it would suck if you were kicked out half way through, haha. I try to be courteous to future readers/consumers and leave the spine as unfolded as I can. It's actually easy to preserve if you're careful about it. |
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| If I had my way, getting the book version would always win, if my Japanese was good, I'd buy the originals. I love the tactile feeling of flipping through pages, being able to take it with me and read, whether it be on the bus, in a park or in a bathtub :D I often use scanlations to preview a series, I have way too many first volumes of series littering my shelves because I didn't like or couldn't get into them. And, of course, there are many, many unlicensed works that may never make it into English (or other) language manga. I also opt for scanlations when the manga has be butchered into oblivion by the publisher, flipped and censored, but that's another can of worms. |
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| I am like most of you. I will buy the manga, if its availabe. Currently Im buying Fruits Basket, once that is done, I will be buying Ghost Hunt. Once Ghost Hunt is done..probly Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. |
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AnomalousOne said: Interesting point you have there. Personally, however, I think one of the big problems with scanlations is that they're on such a large scale. If someone uploads a volume of Naurto online, anyone with an internet conncetion has access to it, and hundreds, even thousands of people might read it. On the other hand, if a bookstore gets the same volume in, only so many people will have access to it, and there's a good chance someone will eventually buy it. (And plenty of people have problems with bookstore readers, but not for the reason you've mentioned -- many people are annoyed with readers clogging up the aisles and messing up books.) I know they aren't the same, wasn't pretending/insinuating they are even close to being on the same level. I thought it was interesting none-the-less. Especially considering I've known a lot of people who think scanlations are the devil, but they will gladly sit and read piles of manga in the store. And many scanlations come out on a chapter by chapter basis so the readers can't eat up an entire volume unless they are way behind... the people reading manga in the store are reading entire volumes in a sitting (4-14 chapters or so) and not paying for it. Neither are really all that legit. And I know, I hate the people who are always in my way when I am in the manga section or when the only copy left of a volume I need is all bent and broken but I have no idea when they will get any new ones so I buy it anyways... yeah, that sucks. |
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ayaseyue said: I know they aren't the same, wasn't pretending/insinuating they are even close to being on the same level. I thought it was interesting none-the-less. Especially considering I've known a lot of people who think scanlations are the devil, but they will gladly sit and read piles of manga in the store. . Yup, it's definitely somewhat of a double standard. |
| Imo reading manga in a bookstore is way worse then scanlations. Because book store readers are dicks to the people who actually support there favorite manga. Im so glad the bookstore I get mine from always puts there manga on the top shelf. |
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| I'm going to take the subtle hint and get out of this thread while I still have my head attached to my shoulders. Of course as a parting shot, if you're not purchasing a series regardless of how you read it, there is no moral high ground. |
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| My opinion is still the same here as it was in a similar thread about anime. Until a new method of distribution, subtitling, and selling of Manga/ Anime is introduced into the mainstream. I see no reason to not download watch/read the newest anime and manga releases. If they truely wanted to sell them to me, they would do a Itunes like method of distribution. However the mainstream production people have not caught up with the times. |
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| Oh, I agree on that point. And at the very least, we have the right to preview any given title; blind purchase of Anime DVDs is haphazard when they haven't had a television run, which is more commonly the case than not. |
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| True, I suppose. I generally treat it as though I were watching TV. Since the majority of my fansubs I get from a Direct Download server, that I pay money for bandwidth on. I figure if the companies did something similar then I might be more willing to switch to legit purchases of all my money. Although admitably I would not get the same kind of bang for my buck. Also I've always wondered why, cant said animes post there episodes on a website and imbed advertisements in them. THen they still maintain that Ad dollar :P |
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Sandgolem said: Also I've always wondered why, cant said animes post there episodes on a website and imbed advertisements in them. THen they still maintain that Ad dollar :P That could also work rather well as a preview system. Upload the first episode of a licensed property for public viewing as a teaser, then offer to supply the rest. But of course, there's always the problem of waiting for the English debut. Some series take forever to get licensed, others get picked up right off the mark. |
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| Why could these companies not just hire subtitlers? Im sure fan subberwo uld love to do that for a living. |
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Sandgolem said: Why could these companies not just hire subtitlers? Im sure fan subberwo uld love to do that for a living. I see no reason why they shouldn't, but they don't. I am aware, though, that there is something of a delicate, unsaid mutual agreement between the more responsible sub groups and certain companies. |
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| Well the main point Im getting at is the market is ripe for the picking, they are just unwilling to move on it. Until said time as the anime market cracks down like the music market I doubt anyone really has a real reason to stop watcing fansubs. (hell, maybe I should learn to program and pitch my idea to some CEOs lol.) |
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BadSeafood said: I'm going to take the subtle hint and get out of this thread while I still have my head attached to my shoulders. Of course as a parting shot, if you're not purchasing a series regardless of how you read it, there is no moral high ground. Looks like you haven't run yet... don't take it as a sign to leave, I'm not going to run rampant with a machete and decapitate those who do read in the store... we're having a nice, friendly discussion, everyone is more than welcome XD I've always wondered why more fansubbers don't get hired. It would save time and money for production companies to get them to do it for them. It just doesn't make much sense. Probably because of the accreditation needed these days... getting a job without some sort of degree is becoming unheard of. Its ridiculous. |
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