Nhentai Requests Court to Dismiss Piracy Lawsui
Manga and anime have seen explosive growth in global popularity, captivating millions of fans outside Japan. This enthusiasm also extends to “hentai,” the adult counterpart, which boasts an equally large fanbase.
However, as with other forms of media, not everyone pays for hentai content. Many opt for free platforms like Nhentai.net, which has averaged nearly 80 million visits in recent months.
Nhentai Requests Court to Dismiss Piracy Lawsui
Nhentai.net, a website operating for over a decade, is now facing legal action from California-based PCR Distributing. Operating under brands like J18 and JAST USA, PCR accuses Nhentai of piracy, claiming it distributes copyrighted material without authorization.
Initially, PCR sought a DMCA subpoena through Cloudflare to uncover the website’s operators, but Nhentai challenged the request. In response, PCR escalated the matter to a federal court in California, alleging copyright violations.
Nhentai’s Defense
Nhentai denies the allegations and has filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing several arguments:
- Authorship and Copyright Ownership: The defense questions whether PCR is the actual copyright owner, highlighting discrepancies in registrations that attribute ownership to JAST USA, a separate company.
- Protected Material: Nhentai argues that much of the registered material pertains to “literary works,” which do not include images – the primary content shared on the site.
- Statute of Limitations: The defense claims some allegations are time-barred and points out issues with copyrights registered after the works were published on the site.
- Prior Permission: Evidence was presented showing that PCR had previously granted written permission to use its content and even explored advertising opportunities with the site.
Next Steps
If the court denies the dismissal, Nhentai requests the removal of claims related to Nhentai.to, asserting that the site operates independently from Nhentai.net.
PCR has yet to respond to the defense’s claims. The court will ultimately determine how the case proceeds.
via TorrentFreak