‘One Piece’ animator Sota Shigetsugu spoke out against piracy and manga leaks in a viral post on social media.
“I know the majority of fans are good people, but I often see some fans overseas… eagerly awaiting leaks or expressing thanks to those who leak content. It really frustrates me when I see pirated anime footage being circulated right after they’re released in theaters,” he wrote in his message.
Shigetsugu continued, “How many reading and viewing experiences were ruined because of leaks? While those who leak content are obviously terrible, what annoys me even more are the so-called fans who appreciate it. Don’t act like it’s something to be enjoyed.”
Sota has a big problem with anime piracy, and he’s not the only one. Many creators in Japan are against it. Earlier this year, Netflix had a big leak of anime titles like ‘Dandadan.’ Science Saru staff also spoke out against the piracy and leaks. Even though anime piracy is still a problem, studios and licensors are working to stop it.
In the last five years, manga publishers and anime distributors have fought against piracy. Many legal cases have been filed to stop the leaks. In the U.S., companies like Aniplex helped shut down big anime piracy sites, including some with NSFW content.
‘One Piece’ has been successful for decades but Shigetsugu criticized the show’s production on social media earlier this year. “The sound in ‘One Piece’ is devastatingly bad, so I hope something is done about it as soon as possible… This episode was really sad because of the difference between the overwhelming animation and the terrible sound,” the animator wrote in his post.
This complaint is not new for ‘One Piece.’ Over the past ten years, many fans have said the anime’s sound is bad. This issue is more obvious now because the animation quality has improved.
