Forum - View topicNEWS: Digital Manga Launches Kickstarter to Restock Ayano Yamane's Boys-Love Works
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Marsona
Posts: 2 |
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I'm surprised they're still doing kickstarters. I've done a lot of titles for them through Digital Manga Guild.
A few members I have worked with have failed to even get their royalty reports and pay for Jan-July of last year. What's worse is that when anyone inquires about payment it goes completely ignored. DMG is more than willing to reply if you're working on a title for them! |
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Blanchimont
 Posts: 3568 Location: Finland |
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This is not the type of material I'd read, however I have to comment, sorry...
So this is a still ongoing manga, up to 8th volume, I'd surmise quite popular at least in japan considering the spin-offs( a novel and a spin-off story). It's reviews at home are quite good as well. So DM has the license for it, and has published 7 volumes up to now and no indication they might drop it, so I'd assume it's at least somewhat popular on this side of the ocean as well. So DM wants to use kickstarter to... restock volumes 1 to 6? Of a manga they already have a license for. Already have had print runs on? That is still ongoing? I might have misunderstood something, so please chime in to correct me... Is their intention to use KS as an ad platform to generate interest for a specific title while eliminating even the smallest risk they might have(They have already printed once. They have the license. They should already know how popular it is. What risk?)? Yes, please do chime in and tell me where I'm misinterpreting, because that sounds to be as far from the mission of innovation Kickstarter was created for as one can throw... 
Edit; Got a description of a particular rape scene in the manga(mangaupdates); (NSFW) spoiler[Not in order: hand-job, bondage, urethral penetration, dildo, aphrodisiac, bite gag, orgasm control (via string/rope), punishment, wrist and ankle restraints, dominance, anal item (film roll) insertion, and anal intercourse] ...Will this even survive Kickstarter, considering their rules and the recent Grisaia controversy with body pillows? |
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katscradle
Posts: 469 |
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Umm, I would hope to have all their bases covered that Digital Manga contacted KS to check since the definition of pornography varies. From what I gather from other projects successfully funded involving erotica apparently KS only defines what they don't allow as live-action video or photography. Content in the Finder series certainly can offend however. Though Juné appears to be perfectly willing to defend it: https://twitter.com/junemanga/status/495363811453333504 I get the impression it is one of their biggest titles if not the most popular that gives their main BL line recognition. So the series may be in a strange position of having certain demand yet, also a large portion of its niche audience already having purchased it. So reprints are still costly/risky if small in size or stock moves too slowly. (Does that make sense?) Still I'm interested in seeing how this all works out despite no personal interest in Finder. Because there is a ridiculous list of books Digital Manga has published that need reprinted. |
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Blanchimont
Posts: 3568 Location: Finland |
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Well, the recent removal of tiers which included risque images of anime characters on pody pillows from the Grisaia campaign looks to prove otherwise...
All volumes of ViewFinder released in English (1-7) are available digitally on emanga though. (To add to the above paragraph, emanga rates it Mature (18+)) If they wanted to do a special limited luxury edition of something, wouldn't the more sensible way to do it be gauging the interest by the digital sales and ways of customer feedback? Much like mangagamer sometimes does physical DRM-free releases of some of their titles, like Da Capo and Ef? Using Kickstarter for it just seems sledgehammer-like approach to it... Edit; @Marsona Uh, just took in what you wrote in the first post. That seems interesting. Would you like to expand on it, especially as it seems you created an account just to write that? |
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illusory
Posts: 10 |
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Yeah, I can't help but feel like DMG is abusing Kickstarter... reprinting their most popular yaoi series isn't really in the spirit of KS. And $45,000 is kind of a ridiculous goal considering they're funding reprints of titles that are already translated/designed/licensed/etc...
I'm a new yaoi fan, and while I have no interest in explicit series like Finder, there are a lot of DMG/June manga I'd like to own that are out of print. Since "yaoi kickstarters" are apparently going to be a thing now, I'm scared they'll handle yaoi like their Tezuka titles (selling exclusively through KS), especially because shipping (to Canada) is pretty brutal... /finally made an account just to chip in this awkward post... 
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j Talbain
 Posts: 279 Location: Toronto, Ontario |
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Trust me I backed Tezuka's Creator kickstarter back in 2013. We have not got an update on the title in over 6 months. Many backers have sent him tweets, facebook messages and PM's with no response.We assume the dude took the $52,000.00 and ran out of money to produce the book. I'm very skeptical of any Manga kickstarter after the Creator mess. |
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Themaster20000
 Posts: 872 |
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The Crater kickstarter was doomed from the start. It was so obvious they had no clue whatsoever from having a goal of $3,500. |
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katscradle
Posts: 469 |
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Yes, that may be a reason for concern. Given that there hasn't been public reasons AFAIK given for the Grisaia deletions to go off of makes it more difficult. What does seem clear is that the project attracted some sort of attention. And that Sekai Project tried to be painfully aware of some of the issues with KS and Paypal regarding content.
Finder is print only. eManga only has previews of the books (which views of might be helpful contributing to data). An 18+ rating also does not automatically equal pornography. (Sorry if you know that, I just hear that opinion all the time.) And in adult books there are still categories so to say that make something shelf worthy or purchasable with a company (or companies) and not. Which seems to be the discussion here, if KS would be comfortable with its role. Unfortunately what is permitted and prohibited seem to rarely be consistent in application. Time will tell I suppose. Digital Manga had to change a tier in the last KS since KS doesn't allow coupons. So again I hope they've been proactive. |
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Blanchimont
Posts: 3568 Location: Finland |
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My bad, didn't notice that. Thanks for correcting. You'd think a company named 'Digital' would have digital versions of their titles. (Though I understand it's probably some kind of license limitation...) |
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gt123
Posts: 17 |
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Yeah, while the response Sekai Project got for Grisaia was posted, it doesn't help in anyway to figure out what is allowed or not with Kickstarter rules. https://twitter.com/dobacco/status/547151988358537217 |
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sunflower
 Posts: 1080 |
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Yamane fans will buy reprints, they know that. It feels like what they're doing is holding the volumes hostage so they can get money from her fans. But the fans have been wanting reprints for so long that I can't blame them if they want to invest. At least they won't have to pay a couple hundred for a used copy.
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lebrel
Posts: 374 |
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It would be nice if DMP offered a little more explanation of what's going on. My impression from the Kickstarter description was that they had hit the print limit or contract expiration or something for their current licenses and had to pay licensing fees to print more? Or maybe they just don't have enough cash on hand to reprint six books at once; they seem to operate on a pretty hand-to-mouth basis...
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Marsona
Posts: 2 |
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I've done a total of 9 titles for DMG since 2013-2014. Out of the 9 titles two have not been released yet even though I inquire Crayon as to why. She never replied. One title that I've done that actually sold some copies has either lost licensed or something. I never received an explanation when I e-mail asking. Nor has three to four other people when they ask about their royalty reports that were supposed to be sent to them back in June/July. I had to e-mail them 5 times or more in the span of 3 months for them to finally send me my report. Others were not so lucky. One person is due a check because they reached the $100 sales quota for the Jan-July term. They have not received their check or any reply from DMG. They are still active with only their harlequins it seems. Otherwise the DMG site has not been updated since earlier last year with any new projects to work on. DMG seems to have deleted a lot of comments on their FB page of people asking for reports and such. Royalty reports for July-December are also due here in 30 days. It makes me wonder if they are having money problems and hope that the freelancers will disappear or give up. |
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F-Man
 Posts: 111 |
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The description actually stated that they couldn't back down from publishing the book because of all the costs already made into it. That's why the goal was so low, because it was "coming out no matter what." Their actual goal was to sell as closely to the 2000 copies that were going to printed as possible, otherwise this would be their first and last book ever published. Too bad it didn't even become a thing that exists. |
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MaxSouth
Posts: 1365 |
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The dark haired guy's character design is outdated. Looks like it came from the nineteens or something.
What an absurd limitation. If it is legal pornography, it absolutely should be allowed and opened for funding. |
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