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JManga – A Digital Cautionary Tale

Published Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:16:00 -0500

Last updated Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:35:07 -0500

JManga was the digital comic distribution launched in 2011, seen as a legal alternative to the scanlation community that had dominated much manga reading in English speaking languages, by finding a way to monetise the translation of Japanese comics into English that had, up until that point, not been officially translated.

Although it initially used geolocking devices, these were removed, and it did manage to mix free and paid-for titles, along with interviews and extras not in the original print comics. The cost was also an issue, but that was soon halved, and "pay as you go" options were introduced. iOS and Android apps were launched last October and things seemed to be going well, with the Japanese government sponsoring a manga translation contest.

But today, it all went to hell. JManga has announced that it is shutting down and all content that was available wil soon be unavailable. And at the end of May, all content will be deleted from user's accounts. And they won't let you download it.

So right now, customers are trying to take screenshots of everything they can in a mad frenzy. All sorts of solutions are being offered as to what JManga could do, but it seems they are falling on deaf ears. And the likelihood is that much of what is currently offered will never be offered in English again – unless someone else steps up to grab them all.

JManga is closing. Anything you purchased is gone: jmanga.com/urgent-message Comixology should pay attention & pbulishers should wake up

— david brothers (@hermanos) March 14, 2013

If you're a JManga user you want to read this. Digital #Manga distributor is closing. You don't keep purchases. jmanga.com/urgent-message…

— Ron Perazza (@Perazza) March 14, 2013

we can point at Jmanga for what they *should* have done, but i think they really gave it their best shot, given the circumstances.

— Deb Aoki (@debaoki) March 14, 2013

What a way to start the day. JManga announces that they'll be shutting down: jmanga.com/urgent-message

— Erica Friedman (@Yuricon) March 14, 2013

one thing i fear about JManga's fate is that it'll make readers even more reluctant to support sites that only offer comics via the cloud

— Deb Aoki (@debaoki) March 14, 2013

And now…those former Del Rey manga from Kodansha are, I'd assume, finding their final resting place.

— Conner (@to_aru_Oni) March 14, 2013

Oddly, I recall at JManga's panel at NYCC, the #1 question was "will our manga go away if you die?"Now we know.

— Sean Gaffney (@Toukochan) March 14, 2013

This week, ComiXologys showed its own weakness, as no one could access their cloud comics during the Marvel Free Offer crash. This is the moment when the real winners are comic stores… and pirates.

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