The author Manno, well-known in the adult Doujin manga scene for his representative work "Doing Whatever I Want to the Gal Who Always Comes to My House," recently shared a video titled "[URGENT] A Message from an Adult Manga Artist" on his Youtube channel.
He revealed that some self-proclaimed "fans" were bragging online about reading pirated versions for free, which made him feel compelled, as an adult Doujin creator, to speak out. He lamented that despite sacrificing his health and even his sex drive during the creative process, this was the kind of "feedback" he received. He pleaded with his fans to stop reading his works on pirated websites.
The incident began when he stumbled upon comments online from self-proclaimed "fans." They brazenly boasted about reading his manga completely for free, even claiming that all adult Doujin manga, not just Manno's work, was available for free.
Manno stated that his successful series has accumulated sales of over one million copies, which allowed him to leave his previous job and dedicate himself entirely to creation. However, illegal downloads are devastating for illustrators who must handle the entire production process alone.
He also hoped to convey that adult Doujin manga artists like himself are not living a more relaxed life than those serialized by publishers; in fact, they often work harder and invest more effort into their creations.
Manno also confessed that his dedication to creation has become so intense that he can no longer privately enjoy adult content. Even during his free time, his brain involuntarily analyzes every scene, searching for elements he can use as references for his manga's paneling. The line between work and life has blurred significantly, as he constantly needs to think of new ideas.
Even when consuming everyday adult content, whether it's AV or adult anime, his mind is now constantly thinking, "This composition is great!", "The plot is good; I can use this as a reference", or "I never thought this fetish could be explored!" It's entirely from a work perspective, preventing him from immersing himself in the liberation of sexual desire.
Manno also revealed a harsh reality of his industry: completing a single chapter can take hundreds of hours. For instance, before setting up a booth at Comiket to release new work, he often has to endure 14-hour workdays, pushing himself to the point of back pain. Yet, readers can consume all that hard work in just 10 minutes and then discard it.
When he hears people proudly bragging about reading pirated content, the internal struggle is truly indescribable.
He urged, perhaps as a small representative of the adult manga industry, that if people enjoy the work, they should try to purchase and support it. He doesn't want illegal upload sites to foster the idea that "adult manga is all free" or "buying adult manga is a waste of money."
Both he and other hardworking creators pour their hearts and souls into their works. If everyone truly believes this, the number of creators will only dwindle, as no one will be willing to support creation if people only want to consume it for free.
Of course, the issue of illegal piracy has been a long-standing and difficult problem to eradicate. However, he hopes that if people support a manga artist, whether Doujin or published, they will do so within their means. This is essential for the industry's health and for creators to continue their work.
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