Kadokawa ShotenJapan is deploying AI to hunt down online pirates who upload illegal copies of manga and anime, stepping up a long-running battle against overseas piracy.
The move was first reported by the South China Morning Post, which revealed that Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs has allocated 100 million yen to build an AI system capable of spotting stolen manga pages and identifying where they are being distributed.
According to SCMP, the system scans online platforms for manga images or text lifted directly from published works, then flags potential uploads for enforcement teams. However, the next step is to expand detection to overseas sites, where Japanese publishers say most large-scale piracy now occurs.
Japan uses AI to hunt down pirated manga & anime
The push comes as the industry continues to deal with widespread piracy. Earlier this year, MangaDex was forced to remove hundreds of manga and manhwa series after a coordinated wave of DMCA takedown notices from Japanese and Korean publishers.
Back in November, the official Jujutsu Kaisen account warned that the illegal recording or uploading of its new film could lead to fines of up to 10 million yen, roughly $65,000, and potential prison time.
Sony Pictures Publishers argue that leaks and illegal uploads can appear within hours of a new chapter or movie release, often translated and redistributed worldwide before official launches. To assist with this crackdown, the AI system has been designed to automate detection at a scale human teams can’t match, helping publishers respond faster to emerging piracy networks.
With the Japanese government pushing a $130 billion plan to spread their anime and games worldwide, it’s hoped this new AI system will protect creators and limit the reach of overseas piracy networks.