The Japanese artist, “姉太郎” or “@ANETAROU”, opened a debate on X (Twitter) stating that independent doujinshi can obtain better profits compared to professional manga artists who create their work through publishers and magazines.
- Sousou no Frieren: Fern wins Figure and drives fans crazy
- Jujutsu Kaisen: Manga reveals Yuta's domain expansion
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 the long period dedicated to writing and illustration, attributing his financial stability in recent years to his work in the area of doujinshi hentai. He explains in the post:
I dedicated myself to writing and drawing almost my entire life,” wrote the artist. « The reason why I can still live like this in recent years is, frankly, because 'I kept drawing hentai doujinshi' and 'I didn't become a professional mangaka.
The essence of his argument focuses on the economic differences between the earnings from the commercialization of doujinshi and those earned by professional mangakas. According to their statements, doujinshi artists can achieve profits ranging between 50% and 80% of the sales value, while professional authors can hardly make 5 to 10$ in royalties.
“In the doujinshi market you profit between 50 and 80 percent of the sales value, while as a professional author you only profit between 5 and 10 percent,” declared the artist.
This financial disparity raises questions about the economic viability of professional authors who depend on publishers and magazines to publish their works. However, he indicates that many artists can find more solid financial stability and greater creative freedom within doujinshi.
Furthermore, 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.
Therefore, despite economic discrepancies, he says he is hopeful that the industry will progress towards greater accessibility and opportunities for artists. “As a creator, I want to see the manga market expand even further. I long for an era in which you can freely express your ideas and make them directly available to your audience,” he declared.
Finally, his words sparked an intense debate on social media about the structures and practices of the manga industry in Japan.
Source: Kudasai
