The Four Color Media Monitor

It all began with this statement made by Kadokawa publishing:

To all the Manga creators out there:
Do NOT get greedy. You're doing better than Marvel and DC Comics combined. You don't need Apple or Google.@kadokawa_PR You will lose money guaranteed if you go this route. DO NOT LISTEN TO WESTERN PEOPLE (particularly anyone from NA). #manga https://t.co/rnh6L42LYC

— ZijlJiyuu (@ZijlJiyuu) July 26, 2021

The video game designer Mark Kern followed up:

Epic is right. Google and Apple (and Amazon) should not be the only arbiters of what you are allowed to write or what art you can create. https://t.co/h6dZQZQFpf

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

For Google and Apple to dictate what entire industries are allowed to do (or else to be banned from 90% of the market), is entirely too much power.

They are dictating what Japanese manga creators can and cannot make. This should strike you as very wrong.

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

This is a fact. Don't listen to US publishers and show producers when you are busy kicking their butts with your own Manga. https://t.co/h6dZQZQFpf

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

They shouldn't even work with US publishers, or TV producers, and I'm honestly disappointed in the authors of Cowboy Bebop for selling the adaptation rights to Netflix so they could make a live action series that's just as obsessed with diversity pandering as anything else on the terrible channel, yet at th same time gets rid of Faye Valentine's shorts because they're supposedly inappropriate, and if any jarring violence by contrast is allowed, that'll merely expose their hypocrisy.

Unfortunately, it’s not just a matter of manga producers ignoring bad US advice.

They are being forced to change or being denied access the Western markets.

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

Also, keep in mind that mobile publishing standards are going to be enforced worldwide. So this will change manga/games in Japan, not just over here.

It's already happened with Playstation once the US office set the standards.

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

I have no idea why so many people are so comfortable with just 3 corporations knowing all of your personal secrets, medical info, and dictating what the world gets to create artistically, buy or sell.

Y'all didn't vote for them.

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

Well see, this is why I can't understand for the life of me why anybody would almost automatically want to create an account on Twitter, of all places, instead of a wider variety of choices for social media servers. What's so great about Twitter and Facebook that's not so great about MeWe, to name one example? Those who'll solely turn to the most obvious choices aren't proving they have what it takes to look far and wide to see what's available, and judge by quality of management.

Sure they can. If you don’t have access to mobile, or to amazon, what are you going to do?

You certainly don’t need the government to bar them. Three corporations can do it with 90% effectiveness at least. Not just here, they can delist your manga worldwide. https://t.co/tpjnlo9bTa

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

That’s laudable of you.

But it won’t pay their bills, not enough market access.

Then, of course, the payment processors cut them off. That’s always the next step. https://t.co/mhW1WzXSX7

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

They (the Japanese manga makers) are talking about changing the way the even make manga from now on so they can still be sold through major outlets.

You can pirate it. But you'll still be pirating the *new standard* in global publishing. https://t.co/cOSahatQgO

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 26, 2021

Another take on the manga content controversy.

I’m not sure a I agree. Amazon has already pulled a lot of anime figurines. Steam has knee jerked and banned some visual novels.

I see the trend accelerating.

As I said before, anime art style is going to be under scrutiny. https://t.co/7Pq6VqSpJD

— Grummz (@Grummz) July 27, 2021

That's not good either if search engine results are restricted, and buying choices limited. But then, isn't that why there should be a wider variety of engines, and even online stores? If anybody worried about censorship, in the USA and abroad, wanted to, I'm sure they could've developed a wider variety of alternatives long ago. So if Japanese mangakas and animation producers are really concerned, that's why they'll think of how build alternatives.

What's in discussion above is something that was bound to happen, because too many in the west weren't realist enough to get into the businesses and develop competition in various ways. It reminds of rivalries in the US medium in the past, that ruined a lot of good publishers, and now, we could end up seeing an extension of the damage abroad as well. That's why all concerned should take these problems and possibilities seriously from the start if they want to ensure business will work well.

Update: it looks like Kadokawa's apologized for the uproar they caused. And as far as social media's concerned, one could argue this is a case where a company apologizes for the right reasons. If so, thank goodness.

Labels: censorship issues, Europe and Asia, manga and anime, politics, technology