I disagree with this entirely. If I'm reading a series, I'd like to finish it. It's like reading a novel, and the final chapter is stripped away from it, leaving the reader curious. I'd be upset if after reading Kimi wa Pet (Tramps like us) after all this time, and then not seeing how the main character turns out.

So you are basically making my point for me. You would have gone through legal means if there weren't illegal means for you to get these titles. Legal means = artist and publisher get paid. Illegal means = artist and publisher to not.

What you're saying is that if a series isn't licensed and available you should still be entitled to it. What I'm saying is that if I've spent a hell of a lot of money on half a series I should be able to find out how it ends. Maybe we're both wrong, but I'm the one out of pocket at the end of the day.

Thankfully, I think this excuse will become less and less viable, and more publishers commit to series in order to reassure fans that buying the books is safe.

I'm just saying, this is pretty much my only reason to read a scanlation since I prefer to purchase and own them. If it's not available to be bought, how else would I read it? If I'm reading a scanlation of a series, and it does become available to buy, I'm first in line to start collecting it. I mentioned earlier that for years, I've wanted to collect the LoZ manga series, but I'd only come across scanlations. I read them years ago. Recently, these were finally released in the US and the UK. It took them way too long, imo, especially since some of these date back to the 90s. I'm planning on collecting them. At least one good thing, these series are all finished.

As for your situation, I've never started up a series that's ever been cancelled, but I bet I probably would resort to scanlations if that did happen to a series I was reading on and collecting.

I still don't see it as a problem. For my case anyway, I still end up supporting the industry because I do eventually buy the stuff whenever it becomes available.

true true. i bought the entire love hina manga series because i didnt like squinting at my computer trying to read it.i still have it on my comp for when i travel on train or car, because i travel quite frequently, but its better to read it from the book and get comfortable. i also like the actual DVD's because they dont have those annoying pop ups trying to explain what the character is talking about, like " Uma means horse". also the quality is much better that a AVI download.

But either way, when it does become available, I support by going out and buying it. That's why I don't see it as a problem. I may be in the minority, but I can honestly say that every single scanlated series I've read that's put out a US release, I've actually bought it. If the titles aren't available, I can't buy it, so I read scanlations of it. When they become available, I buy it. I'm still supporting the industry.

And that is what you should do, but did you buy Bleach, Naruto and Inuyasha?

No, because I didn't like it enough to purchase it. I grew bored of each series. Why would I buy something for something I grew bored of? It would be a waste of money. This is the same as 'sampling' to me. If I like something, I buy it, if I don't, I won't. Getting right down to it, I grew bored of Bleach prior to its getting licensed here. I grew bored of Inuyasha round about the same time it got licensed here. I grew bored of Naruto a little while after that was licensed here too. By the time I got sick of these series, DVDs weren't even thought of yet.

Edit: Oh, the manga of these series I don't read. No interest and I can read that here anyway. No need for scanlations.

And this is why this practice is illegal, and like I said, if you didn't see these shows illegally, you would have seen them legally.

I wouldn't consider watching more than one episode "sampling". It sounds like you were watching entire seasons at a time, decided you got bored, and didn't ever pay for the parts that didn't bore you to the artists and publishers that made it.

The end result is the same. You get entertained and the artist gets squat. That's why it is illegal and wrong.