It’s notable that the illustrator of one of the most popular manga in recent years has come out to say that pirate readers aren’t necessarily the villains. Boichi, known for his illustrations in Dr. Stone, shared extensive public statements on manga piracy, taking a constructive approach rather than moralizing.

Boichi’s starting point is acknowledging that the legality of unauthorized manga reading varies by country and current international agreements. While not denying that unauthorized distribution is ethically problematic, he notes the issue is more complex than discussions often suggest. What began as fan scanlation groups has in some cases become large-scale operations generating revenue through ads and other monetization, and that’s the real problem: not individual readers, but organizations profiting from unauthorized distribution.

His central proposal is to shift focus: instead of pursuing readers, build systems that convert them into legal consumers. The reasoning is clear. When a country has a strong local publishing industry, accessible official digital services, and convenient distribution systems, jobs are created, taxes are paid, and governments have real incentive to protect these markets. Demand already exists—readers of pirated manga show they want manga. The task is to provide a better option.

Boichi cites South Korea’s webtoon industry as an example of what can happen when legal infrastructure is convenient: many readers previously using unauthorized sources migrated voluntarily to official platforms, strengthening the entire ecosystem. The key, he says, is accessibility and price. If legal services are expensive, slow, or unavailable in a region, readers will seek alternatives—not because they want to harm creators, but because it’s their only practical option.

Throughout his statements, Boichi maintains a non-confrontational tone. He doesn’t see unauthorized readers as industry adversaries, but as potential customers waiting for a good reason to switch. His view places responsibility on the industry, not the readers.

Boichi is a South Korean mangaka known internationally for illustrating Dr. Stone, the science and adventure manga written by Riichiro Inagaki, published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 2017 to 2022 and adapted into a three-season anime. Before Dr. Stone, Boichi worked on projects like Sun-Ken Rock and the manga adaptation of Origin. His perspective on piracy, informed by experiencing the Korean webtoon industry boom and working within Japan’s manga system, gives him a unique view of these issues from both sides.

Do you think the solution to manga piracy lies in improving legal platforms, or are there factors making that change more difficult than it seems?