I know that. I own up to volume 18 (just recently caught myself up to it from where I left off after losing my job; I haven't gotten 19 yet [that's the most recent release to my knowledge]). What I meant was that until whatever the next volume is gets a release in the US, I might read ahead, which I've been doing a long time now for this particular series and have been trying to do with +Anima (rare to find online scanlations past Volume 8 for), even though Volume 8 comes out next week, and it's in reserve for me to get. The story for +Anima is so interesting to me, I'm just dying to know what's going to happen next. I've reread my copies of volumes 1-7 a lot of times now and I just got into the series two months ago. I'm really really really looking forward to reading Volume 8 in the comforts of my room before bedtime. lol

Anywho, I originally started reading Negima scanlations after I'd read Volume 10, since that was as far as the US was at that time for the same reason I wanted to with +Anima, something to hold me over until the next official release. I read ahead until Volume 11 came out and then bought that, etc. Last year, after I lost my job, I stopped at Volume 12 since I couldn't waste the extra money on manga. I always intended on continuing collecting it, just put it on hold for a while.

Thinking about it, I think Negima is the only licensed series that I actually read online and buy. Most everything else is unlicensed stuff, and if they had licenses, I'd definitely buy them (especially Gokusen).

If you're a true fan of a series, you'll definitely buy it. It might be later than you want, or right on the day of the release, but you'll definitely find a way to get it to be supportive.

IMO, I don't see too much wrong with it for sampling reasons. It's like when you go into a music store, and you listen to a cd set up and if you like it, you buy it. I see anime and manga the same way, to a certain extent. I could download something, watch some of it. If I like it a lot, I'll consider buying it and add it to my list of things to buy. If not, I delete.

I also don't see anything wrong with download scanlations, if you're still purchasing the manga as your country releases it.

The main problem is that there are just too many who chooses not to.

I know after I saw fansubs of Deathnote (it wasn't released in the US yet), I did say that if it got an official dub/sub release, I'd definitely buy its boxset since I liked the series so much.

I agree to a certain degree, but I think the ability to allow you to "sample" needs to be in the hands of the licensor, not just random people.

I have seen people say they would never buy a manga because the translation was so bad. I was like "What are you talking about?" until I realized they were reading scanlations, not the actual prefessional releases...so those kinds of situations can hurt, not help, as well.

Yay! I converted three people today!

I made three people stop reading and watching online. They've agreed to start using that one site that Asakura put up, and buying when conventions come around.

I feel proud of myself, a little.

Next: THE WORLD!

All right! Did I redeem myself MMM?

Hey that's great! See, it is possible. I think the threat of losing manga and anime is a good inspiration to get it legit.

GOOD JOB~

Grr... I'm a little angry now.

I tried posting what MMM said on another forum that I go to quite often...

Well, to say the least I'm not going there anymore.

I got THIS reply from one of the MODERATORS of the site:

I replied, of course, and basically told him that that's not the point.

Not to mention, he moved it from the place that I put it to one of the sections of the forum that very few people ever go to. Didn't even leave the link behind for where he'd moved it, I had to find it myself.

People like that tick me off... They see the most pointless little details, not the whole picture, for what it's worth...

Here here! 3 cheers for MMM brave, true, and honored speech! HIP HIP!

what forum did you post at?
sucks that they acted that way.

Subpar or not, TokyoPop is (or was) the biggest manga producer in the US, and they just had to cut 40% of their staff and dozens of titles for publication.

One issue might be that much of what TokyoPop markets is for a teen audience, and who is most likely to DL for free, and may not even realize that what they are doing is wrong?

I am not saying teenagers are at fault, but teenagers certainly have less fluid cash for entertainment than adults and they may not realize that the sites are breaking the law. (How many times have people posted links to illegal sites on this forum saying "Check this out! The manga/anime is all free!"? It happends weekly.)

I would be curious as to what forum that was, too. I would like to see how they treat the industry they pretend to love.

And thanks koikurasu...I see fewer people trying to defend their free DL practices, which I hope means they are starting to get it.