Netflix, Disney join global manga anti-piracy group
Netflix, Disney and hundreds of other media companies will join a new international anti-piracy coalition to curb the illegal distribution of anime, manga and related media.
The International Anti-Piracy Organisation (IAPO), which will formally launch in April 2022, brings together manga and anime rights owners, Hollywood studios and around 450 Chinese rights owners, TorrentFreak reported.
The IAPO is spearheaded by Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA)—a group of 32 of the country’s largest anime and manga companies, including Toei, Sunrise and Aniplex.
Due in part to the coronavirus pandemic, a “serious” piracy problem has emerged in the anime and manga industry, prompting CODA to partner with several countries and international organisations to crack down on the issue, the association explained on its website.
Among the biggest partners joining the IAPO are the Motion Picture Association, which comprises six of the biggest entertainment companies in the US, including Netflix, Disney and Sony.
The Copyright Society of China is also a key partner in the project, which comprises approximately 450 members, according to Nikkei Asia.
In total, approximately 13 countries will join the effort under the IAPO, including representatives from South Korea and Vietnam.
An announcement on the CODA website said: “Until now, CODA has carried out international enforcement and dissemination and enlightenment in cooperation with copyright groups in each country and region, but in order to deal with the recent pirated editions on the internet... It is necessary to aim for expansion and enhancement of the network.”
Manga piracy alone rose substantially throughout the pandemic, with estimated damages from online piracy in 2021 totalling approximately 780 billion yen ($6.73 billion), from the estimated 610 billion yen in 2020.
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