With the coalition of Japanese and American publishers looming over the heads of scanlation sites, many have started cracking under the pressure and ceased to host scanlated manga any longer. This leaves many overseas manga fans with fewer and fewer options to enjoy their favorite titles. Well, it looks like a group of thirty seven manga publishers is coming together to try and appease overseas consumers!

The publishers are planning to launch a website, tentatively called “J Manga Portal Site,” which will allow manga under the publishers to be digitally distributed to North American readers. The site is set to go into beta sometime next year. There is no word yet on the pricing or membership fees, if any, that will be set into place.

Although I think there are some that will still prefer to enjoy their manga for free, I am confident that this is a step in the right direction. Contrary to popular belief, many manga fans would be willing to pay reasonable prices for their manga if it was available. Let me repeat that: reasonable prices. That is the key in this situation.

There has been no word on which titles will be released at this point.

The publishers participating include: Akita Shoten, Kadokawa Shoten, Kodansha, Shueisha, Shogakukan, Akaneshinsha, ASCII Media Works, East Press, Ichijinsha, Enterbrain, Inc., Oakla Publishing Co., Ltd., Ohzora Publishing Co. , Gakken, Kasakura Shuppansha, Gentosha Comics, Inc., Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha, Ltd., June-Net, Shogakukan-Shueisha Production, Shodensha, Shonen Gahosha Co., Shinshokan Publishing, Shinchosha, Takeshobo, Tatsumi Publishing Co., Ltd. , Tokuma Shoten, Nihonbungeisha, Hakusensha, Fujimi Shobo, Fusosha, Futabasha, France Shoin, Bunkasha Publishing Co., Ltd., Houbunsha, Magazine House, Media Factory, LEED Publishing Co., Ltd. and Libre Publishing Co., Ltd.

Source: AnimeNewsNetwork