News

Publisher Libre Confirms Notices to Manga Scan Groups

Libre Publishing Co., Ltd., a Japanese publisher specializing in boys-love (BL) materials, has confirmed with ANN on Friday that it sent cease-and-desist notices to several fan groups devoted to scanning and translating BL manga into English. The website Comic Book Resources reported last week that some of the scanlation groups complied with the notices and removed links to Libre's copyrighted materials.

Libre told ANN that, as a publisher, it was entrusted with the rights to these works by their authors, so it is important for the company protect those rights. Libre wants readers — not just in Japan, but worldwide — to understand that "protecting the authors' rights goes hand-in-hand with producing their works." Libre pointed towards a page on its website which details its stance on copyrights.

Libre began publishing several of its manga titles on the Kindle in English this past March.

Libre was established in 2006 after the bankruptcy and closure of BL publisher Biblos, and it acquired most of the older company's titles. Central Park Media continued to publish former Biblos titles, insisting that the licenses were still legal, despite Libre's declaration that they were not. Central Park Media filed for bankruptcy in 2009, and all of its assets (including anime and manga licenses) were liquidated.

Libre is also a member of the Japanese Digital Comics Association, which formed part of a multi-national coalition against manga piracy this past June.