Japanese artist, “姉太郎” or “@ANETAROU”, opened a debate on X (Twitter) stating that independent doujinshi can earn better profits compared to professional manga artists who create their works through publishers and magazines.
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Author comments on having a 'better life' than professional manga artists
Through a series of tweets, the artist shared his personal experiences and perspectives on the manga in Japan. In his statements, he emphasized his long career dedicated to writing and illustrating, attributing his financial stability in recent years to his work in the hentai doujinshi field . He explains in the post:
I've dedicated myself to writing and drawing almost my entire life," the artist wrote. "The reason I can still live like this in recent years is, frankly, because I've continued drawing hentai doujinshi and haven't become a professional manga artist.
The essence of his argument centers on the economic differences between the profits from the commercialization of doujinshi and those earned by professional manga artists. According to his statements, doujinshi artists can earn profits ranging from 50% to 80% of sales value, while professional authors rarely earn $5 to $10 in royalties.
“In the doujinshi market you make between 50 and 80 percent of the sales value, while as a professional author you only make between 5 and 10 percent,” the artist declared.
This financial disparity raises questions about the economic viability of professional authors who rely on publishers and magazines to publish their works. However, it indicates that many artists can find more solid financial stability and greater creative freedom within doujinshi.
Additionally, the artist shared his personal experience, revealing that his decision to continue working with doujinshi was partly motivated by the financial difficulties faced by his family.
“My parents were in debt, but I didn’t want to give up my passion,” he revealed.
So despite the economic discrepancies, he says he's hopeful the industry will progress toward greater accessibility and opportunities for artists. "As a creator, I want to see the manga market expand even further. I long for an era where you can freely express your ideas and make them available directly to your audience," he declared.
Ultimately, his words sparked an intense debate on social media about the structures and practices of the manga industry in Japan.
Source: Kudasai
