One Piece Forum

Remember last year, when FUNimation started simulcasting One Piece online, and someone managed to sneak in and access their file, leaking the episode early not just to North Americans, but to people who couldn't have even seen the episode in Japan? This...might be even worse.

In spite of One Piece being the best-selling manga in Japan these days, that doesn't mean it's not also one of the most-pirated: there's growing concern about chapters leaking out early, and not just via filesharing, but via YouTube. I just caught wind of this via IT Media: apparently the latest chapter of One Piece (#574, released on 2/15) was leaked to YouTube on the 11th, four days before its official release. The video of the raw that I found had over 100,000 views (though a video of chapter 490 pretending to be unreleased chapter 575 has over a million). 

It seems as though someone with the proper authorization is (or are?) getting their hands on early copies of Weekly Shounen Jump and, if you can imagine it, PHOTOGRAPHING the manga to upload it to the Internet, a process that seems destructive to one's career along with being excessively tedious. 
 
...No, seriously, think about it: the guy takes PICTURES of the manga, rather than scanning it, and then he uploads it to YouTube. Not to mention he puts his job in jeopardy doing so. A masochist maybe? I mean, what else would inspire someone who works at Shueisha to scan illegal copies of one of the company's serious bread-and-butter titles?

If this wasn't published by VIZ in the US I wouldn't so much support people only viewing it online. Since it is a VIZ property in the US. Online fan translations is the only place I read this series.
 
Does seem wrong and kind of confusing that this latest chapter was leaked so early. I had heard the jist of this chapters events. Even if you are going to post it on youtube. At least have the manners to wait till it's officially out. Maybe even give it a day extra.
Though, part of you has to wonder if this all could be a publicity stunt. By releasing this early. Youare partially exposing yourself.
 
I heard after this chapter there will be a one week break. This series has been having a lot of breaks recently. I really want the crew back together again.

@Magnificent: I have to say, the brief bit of the video I saw-- the one with 100k+ views --was actually pretty decent-looking. That's why I suspect the photos were taken so tediously...he would have had to fuss with lighting and a tripod and all sorts of nonsense. It just seems silly. 
 
Though it could be that he took scans. The article specifically talked about taking photos though. That might even be how they knew it was someone at Shueisha, since a camera would potentially have exif data.

@FoxxFireAnt  It shouldn't matter if Viz does the US manga or not. Online fan scans hurt the Japanese manga just like the fansubs for the anime. I would personally love if Viz does something similar to what Funi does for the anime.
 
Still it sucks to know that last week that the scans were leaked. Not cool.

Well, shit.

One Piece fans are hardcore man.

I find all of this funny. I mean, taking a picture of the manga and putting it on Youtube!? Thats funny as hell.

@FoxxFireArt: See @mikeydpirate. You may think it's awesome for VIZ to lose money, which is pretty stupid in and of itself, but don't forget that when they lose money on One Piece, so does Shueisha, and when Shueisha loses money on One Piece so does Eiichiro Oda, the original creator of One Piece. Along with his assistants and his editor and all the people who help develop that material that you enjoy.
 
People have such tunnel vision when it comes to this shit, I swear.

@lanaswift said:

" @FoxxFireArt: See @mikeydpirate. You may think it's awesome for VIZ to lose money, which is pretty stupid in and of itself, but don't forget that when they lose money on One Piece, so does Shueisha, and when Shueisha loses money on One Piece so does Eiichiro Oda, the original creator of One Piece. Along with his assistants and his editor and all the people who help develop that material that you enjoy. People have such tunnel vision when it comes to this shit, I swear. "

Yes, I think it's hilarious as I watch a publisher that butchered my favorite series does poorly. Shueisha licenses it out to VIZ. They don't publish it for them to distribute. Also, in Japan One Piece is one of the highest selling mangas. Along with all the games, movies, and assorted merchandise that is made in Japan. Oda and assistance are not hurting. You can drop the self righteous sob story.
 
If VIZ wants the fans to buy their products, then they shouldn't edit the content. There is no reason to buy an altered One Piece from VIZ. Until they stop altering content I full support a boycott on all things VIZ. There are publishers out there that do it right, such as Del Rey.
 
I'll continue to read One Piece and my favorite series Detective Conan the right way. On the fan translation group sites.

@FoxxFireArt: Since you're an artist, I'm a little horrified that you would treat an artist's right to be compensated for his work so casually, whether he's making decent money already or not. You don't have a right to read Oda's work, it's a privilege that you earn by buying said work. If you like One Piece that much, and you hate VIZ that much, at least import the manga from Japan so Oda gets paid but VIZ doesn't. Here, have an idiot's guide to buying off of Amazon Japan. It's really easy and manga's cheap, even if the shipping is not. 
 
And if you aren't willing to import it, and you're not willing to buy VIZ's releases of it, then suck it up and don't read the manga. Because again, it's not your RIGHT to. That VIZ doesn't do Conan the way you, or even the way ANYbody, might want them to does not logically justify pirating a completely different series. Actually, it doesn't really justify pirating Case Closed, either.

Now, kids, play nicely >_>;;