Editing Fansub

{{Short description|Practice of fans adding translation subtitles to media that has none}}
[[File:Wikipe-tan fansub.png|thumb|Example of [[karaoke]] typical in anime fansubs]]
{{Translation sidebar}}A '''fansub''' (short for '''fan-subtitled''') is a version of a [[foreign film]] or foreign [[television program]], typically [[anime]] or [[dorama]] which has been [[fan translation|translated by fans]] (as opposed to an officially licensed translation done by paid [[professionals]]) and [[subtitled]] into a [[language]] usually other than that of the original.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/lexicon.php?id=63|title=Fansub|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-09-26|archive-date=2018-09-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926132337/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/lexicon.php?id=63|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Process ==
The practice of making fansubs is called fansubbing and is done by a fansubber.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Duits |first1=Linda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCAHDAAAQBAJ&dq=The+practice+of+making+fansubs+is+called+fansubbing+and+is+done+by+a+fansubber&pg=PA199 |title=The Ashgate Research Companion to Fan Cultures |last2=Zwaan |first2=Koos |last3=Reijnders |first3=Stijn |date=2016-04-22 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-04348-5 |pages=199 |language=en}}</ref> Fansubbers typically form groups to divide the work. The first distribution media of fansubbed material was [[VHS]] and [[Betamax]] tapes.<ref name=Leonard />

Early fansubs were produced using analog video editing equipment.{{cn|date=April 2024}} They would copy the anime (often from laserdiscs) onto VHS, translate the dialogue, and painstakingly time and format the subtitles for the video. Popular tools for this included JACOsub ([[Amiga]]) and Substation Alpha ([[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]). The next step was to produce one or more masters, a high-quality copy of the finished fansub from which many distribution copies could be made. The fansubber would playback the raw video through a computer equipped with a [[genlock]] in order to generate the subtitles and then overlay them on the raw signal. The hardware most often used was an Amiga computer, as most professional genlocks were prohibitively expensive. The final output of the arrangement was then recorded. The master was most often recorded onto [[S-VHS]] tape in an attempt to maximize quality, though some fansubbers used the less expensive VHS or Beta. Once it was completed, the master copy was sent to a distributor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Leonard |first=Sean |url=http://web.mit.edu/seantek/www/papers/progress-doublespaced.pdf#page=42 |title=Progress Against the Law: Fan Distribution, Copyright, and the Explosive Growth of Japanese Animation |date=September 12, 2004 |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology |pages=42 |language=en |access-date=October 10, 2019 |archive-date=November 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104022647/http://web.mit.edu/seantek/www/papers/progress-doublespaced.pdf#page=42 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Digisubs===
The internet allows for highly collaborative fansubbing, and each member of a fansub team may only complete one task.<ref name="Citas Sanchez"/> Online fansubbing communities such as DameDesuYo are able to release a fully subtitled episode (including elaborate [[karaoke]]<ref name="Citas Sanchez"/> with translation, [[kana]], and [[kanji]] for songs, as well as additional remarks and translations of signs)<ref name="Hatcher appendix">{{cite web |url=http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol2-4/otaku_appendix.pdf |author=Hatcher, Jordan S. |title=Of Otaku and Fansubs. Appendix&nbsp;– Fansub Samples |publisher=Script-ed. Vol. 2, No. 4, 2005. |access-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114190718/http://www2.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol2-4/otaku_appendix.pdf |archive-date=January 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> within 24 hours of an episode's debut in Japan.<ref name="ANN Interview Fansubber" />

Platforms like Fansnub have emerged to showcase creative works by fansubbers and similar content creators. These platforms provide a space for fansubbers to connect with their audience, share their work, and earn recognition for their efforts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://fansnub.com |title=Fansnub |publisher=Fansnub |access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>

The production of a fansub typically begins with obtaining the unsubtitled source video called a "raw" that typically comes from DVDs, VHS tapes, television broadcasts, [[peer-to-peer]] networks, and directly from Japanese-based contacts. Then, a translator watches the video and produces a time-stamped text file of the screenplay with any relevant notes.<ref name="Hatcher appendix" /> The same series or episode may be subtitled by multiple groups with independent translations of varying quality. Fansub groups sometimes translate other already translated fansubs that are more susceptible to errors.<ref name="Citas Sanchez">{{cite web |author=Cintas, Jorge Díaz |author2=Pablo Muñoz Sánchez |url=http://www.jostrans.org/issue06/art_diaz_munoz.pdf |title=Fansubs: Audiovisual Translation in an Amateur Environment |access-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512075110/http://www.jostrans.org/issue06/art_diaz_munoz.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Translated text is assigned with start and end times in a process known as timing to ensure subtitles appear when dialogue is spoken and disappear with the silence.<ref name="Hatcher appendix" /> An editor and a translation-checker read over the script to ensure that English is natural and coherent while still retaining the original meaning. A [[typeset]]ter then appearance for the dialogue, signs, translator notes, etc.<ref name="Hatcher appendix" /> Then groups perform quality control to catch any final errors.<ref name="Hatcher appendix" />

Encoders then take the script file and create a single subtitled video file, often aiming for a target file size or video quality. "Hard" subtitles, or ''hard subs'', are encoded into the footage, and thus become hard to remove from the video without losing video quality. "Soft" subtitles, or ''soft subs'', are subtitles applied at playback time from a subtitle datafile, either mixed directly into the video file (.mkv, .ogm, etc.), or in a separate file (.ssa, .srt, etc.). Soft subs can also be rendered at higher resolutions, which can make for easier reading if the viewer is [[Video scaler|upscaling]] the file, but also are more difficult to blend into the video (for instance rotated text/moving text). Hard subs have traditionally been more popular than softsubs, due to a lack of player support and worries over plagiarism, but most fansub groups now release a softsub version of their releases.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

The resulting fansub is a digital video file and can be distributed via [[CD Video|CD]], [[DVD]], [[Direct download link|DDL]], [[Peer-to-peer|P2P]] software, and by file-sharing bots on [[IRC]] and also [[FTP]].<ref name="Citas Sanchez"/> The distribution is usually handled by a distribution team, or "distro" team, composed of one or more individuals with a server or very high upload speed.

== History ==

===Pre-fansubs (pre–1970s)===
The first documented Japanese animation to be distributed in the United States was ''[[Panda and the Magic Serpent|The Tale of the White Serpent]]'' airing on March 15, 1961.{{cn|date=April 2024}} Until the late 1970s, Japanese community TV stations' broadcasts were aimed exclusive at very young children.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Feilitzen |first1=Cecilia von |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qRBkYQWTsDgC&q=late+1970s,+Japanese+community+TV+stations'+broadcasts+were+aimed+exclusive+at+very+young+children |title=In the Service of Young People?: Studies and Reflections on Media in the Digital Age |last2=Carlsson |first2=Ulla |date=2006 |publisher=UNESCO International Clearinghouse on Children, Youth and Media, Nordicom, Göteborg University |isbn=978-91-89471-35-1 |pages=405 |language=en}}</ref> Soon after the release video cassette recorders in November 1975,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grabowski |first=John F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tVpmDwAAQBAJ&dq=Soon+after+the+release+video+cassette+recorders+in+November+1975&pg=PA64 |title=Television |date=2011-02-23 |publisher=Greenhaven Publishing LLC |isbn=978-1-4205-0665-5 |pages=64 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042648/https://books.google.com/books?id=tVpmDwAAQBAJ&dq=Soon+after+the+release+video+cassette+recorders+in+November+1975&pg=PA64#v=onepage&q=Soon%20after%20the%20release%20video%20cassette%20recorders%20in%20November%201975&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> post-''[[Astro Boy]]'' anime began to spread throughout the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-24 |title=The Global Influence Of Japanese Manga On Western Cartoons - Toons Mag |url=https://www.toonsmag.com/the-global-influence-of-japanese-manga/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=www.toonsmag.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407085125/https://www.toonsmag.com/the-global-influence-of-japanese-manga/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jozuka |first=Emiko |date=2019-07-29 |title=How anime shaped Japan's global identity |url=https://www.cnn.com/style/article/japan-anime-global-identity-hnk-intl/index.html |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=2024-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412121152/https://www.cnn.com/style/article/japan-anime-global-identity-hnk-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> By March 1976, TV stations in the United States began broadcasting [[super robot]] shows such as ''[[Getter Robo]]'',<ref>{{Citation |title=Gettâ robo |type=Animation, Action, Adventure |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275838/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |others=Akira Kamiya, Ken'ichi Ogata, Rihoko Yoshida |publisher=Asatsu-DK, Dynamic Planning, Toei Animation |archive-date=2023-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217142452/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275838/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and due to the availability of VCRs, fans could record these shows to show to their friends. [[Fred Patten]] describes his first exposure to anime at the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society (LASFS) in 1976 when he met up with another fan who was an early adopter of Sony's [[betamax]] technology. By May 1977 he and a group of fans founded the first anime club in the United States, the Cartoon/Fantasy Organization (C/FO).<ref name=Leonard>Leonard, Sean. [http://ics.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/281 Progress against the law: Anime and fandom, with the key to the globalization of culture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617150643/http://ics.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/8/3/281 |date=2010-06-17 }} International Journal of Cultural Studies, 9 2005; vol. 8: pp. 281–305.</ref>

In November 1977, the C/FO began corresponding with other [[Japanese animation]] fans across the country and because the distribution of shows across the [[United States]] was different based on location, fans began trading tapes of shows they were missing between each other.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Progress Against the Law: Fan Distribution, Copyright, and the Explosive Growth of Japanese Animation |url=https://web.mit.edu/mit-Japan/outreach/working-papers/Sean%20Leonard.PDF |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=groups.csail.mit.edu |archive-date=2024-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407085125/https://web.mit.edu/mit-Japan/outreach/working-papers/Sean%20Leonard.PDF |url-status=live }}</ref> At the time many LASFS members maintained contact with members around the world, and thus C/FO members began exchanging videos with fans located in [[Japan]], typically [[US military]] personnel, who wanted ''[[Star Trek]]'' and ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]''. Fortunately, shows from either the [[United States]] or [[Japan]] could be played in either region as both used the [[NTSC]] format for broadcast. These shows were not translated; however, Japanese animations remained simple enough that the average viewer could discern the plot exclusively from the visuals. By 1979, fans and clubs of Japanese animation had begun to separate from the science fiction movement and began to refer to the media they watched as anime.<ref name=Leonard />

Throughout this period it was considered socially acceptable to screen anime for an audience without the publisher's consent, as few companies had American offices, and the few that did would invariably refuse to grant permission. Japanese companies made it apparent that they knew fans in the [[United States]] engaged in unauthorized distribution and screening, but also knew that fans were not profiting. Japanese companies asked fans to help them publicize; for instance, [[Toei Animation]] asked the C/FO to aid it with some marketing research at [[San Diego Comic-Con]]. Starting in 1978, Japanese companies tried to set up their own American divisions; however, with the exception of the film ''[[The Sea Prince and the Fire Child]]'' which was licensed to RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video, they realized they were not going to succeed in the American market and the last American anime company branch closed in 1982.<ref name=Leonard />

===Growth of anime fanclubs (1980s)===
After anime companies pulled out of the United States in 1982,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Daliot-Bul |first1=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j_gFEAAAQBAJ&dq=anime+companies+pulled+out+of+the+United+States+in+1982&pg=PA24 |title=The Anime Boom in the United States: Lessons for Global Creative Industries |last2=Otmazgin |first2=Nissim |date=2020-10-26 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-1-68417-581-9 |pages=24 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042653/https://books.google.com/books?id=j_gFEAAAQBAJ&dq=anime+companies+pulled+out+of+the+United+States+in+1982&pg=PA24#v=onepage&q=anime%20companies%20pulled%20out%20of%20the%20United%20States%20in%201982&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> there were no longer any legal or moral forces to discourage fans from copying and distributing tapes among themselves. From the late 1970s until the late 1980s, clubs began expanding to have chapters in other cities and grew to become of national and international scales. As the fandom grew, fans begun to experience ideological conflicts such as whether to keep the fandom niche or not. The visual quality of tapes began to degrade as fans made copies of copies; by the early 1980s some C/FO members reported tapes in their 15th to 20th generation that were extremely poor quality. In the mid to late 1980s, fans began to make booklets containing the translated dialogue for entire films (typically $2–3 to cover costs) and anime-focused magazines.<ref name=Leonard />

Despite numerous attempts, any efforts to convince US companies to license Japanese animation failed, with the exception of a handful of companies that were intent on "carving up" series to rewrite them into children's cartoons. Sean Leonard states that entertainment executives at the time mistakenly believed that anime were, like Western cartoons, predominantly aimed at young children; furthermore, Japanese animated dramas and such were much too violent and complex in plot for children. Leonard states that the most notorious example was the translation of [[Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (film)|''Warriors of the Wind'']], released in the US in 1985, which left its creators [[Hayao Miyazaki]] and [[Isao Takahata]] appalled; Takahata exclaimed that licensing Nausicaä was a huge error and that no further [[Studio Ghibli]] produced films would be licensed internationally. These edits however were no worse than most other non-Disney animation films that were available in the US. Fans who obtained the Japanese originals of ''Nausicaä'' were inspired to organize an anime tour to Tokyo in 1986 to see Miyazaki's ''[[Laputa: Castle in the Sky]]'' and landmarks in anime.<ref name=Leonard />

[[Carl Macek]] played a key role in expanding the North American anime fandom. Macek ran a comic book and movie memorabilia specialty shop. After assisting in marketing and promotion of ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' and the recent establishment of a nearby C/FO chapter, he began researching Japanese animation and imported Japanese cels, becoming known as a Japanese animation specialist. [[Harmony Gold USA|Harmony Gold]], who had acquired international licenses for several series and planned to distribute them in Latin America, Europe, and the US, reached out to Macek and enlisted his help for the US market. After noticing Harmony Gold's selection of ''[[Macross]]'' and similar science fiction series, Macek obtained Harmony Gold's approval to edit three anime series together into a single unified series named ''[[Robotech]]''. Macek went to science fiction conventions to promote the series and discovered a growing cult following among adolescents and young adults, in contrast to his initial assumption that the series could be exclusively targeted toward children. Macek edited ''[[Macross]]'', ''[[Southern Cross]]'', and ''[[Genesis Climber MOSPEADA]]'' together into ''Robotech'', which became a major commercial success and earned him significant recognition within the fanbase. Leonard describes ''Robotech'' as being more faithful to the original series than any other commercially successful North American anime release in its era, noting that ''Robotech'' included key elements such as the first love triangle on both Japanese and American animated television.<ref name=Leonard />

The C/FO was at its height between 1985 and 1989, with over three dozen chapters throughout the US. [[John Renault]] helped lead the C/FO chapter in Japan and played a key role throughout fansub history due to his Japanese fluency, anime industry contacts, and military background. Renault helped exchange raws from Japan, wrote informative articles about production, translated booklets, introduced military techniques to anime distribution, and provided plot synopses that proved invaluable for watching Japan-exclusive anime. Fan distribution through C/FO's efforts, particularly C/FO Rising Sun, sought to keep anime free (but controlled within the C/FO organization) in order to promote Japanese animation. Bootlegging at the time was economically infeasible; accordingly, access to anime in North America was heavily dependent on one's contacts within anime fan communities, leading to a growing divide in fandom between the "haves" and "have-nots". In 1989 members began to accuse Patten of disloyalty for writing articles for general magazines rather than the perpetually behind-schedule C/FO fanzine. However, Patten felt that, by writing for popular magazines, he was furthering their cause to proselytize and promote anime. After Patten stepped down{{When|date=April 2024}} with no clear successor, the C/FO began to break apart, and eventually ceased to exist as a conglomerate in July 1989.<ref name=Leonard />

===Early fansubs (1980s)===
The first known fansub documented at the Rising Sun chapter of the C/FO was in 1986 of a ''[[Lupin III]]'' episode produced on the [[Amiga]], marking the introduction of the formula for the process of fansubbing.{{Cn|date=April 2024}} However, fansubbing was extremely expensive at this time (on the order of $4000 in 1986 and over one hundred hours). There were a few ventures into subtitling in the late 1980s; Leonard labels the fansub of the first two episodes of ''[[Ranma ½]]'' in May 1989 as the earliest widely distributed fansub.<ref name=Leonard />

===Distribution and playback (1990s, early 2000s)===

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, fansubs were primarily distributed through physical means like VHS or Beta tapes and mailed CD-Rs.{{cn|date=April 2024}} Many fans did not have high-speed Internet and were unable to download large files. Many of the early digital fansubs were made from regular tape subs.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kearns |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ewPDjORphEC&dq=Many+of+the+early+digital+fansubs+were+made+from+regular+tape+subs&pg=PA161 |title=Translator and Interpreter Training: Issues, Methods and Debates |date=2008-05-12 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-1-4411-4057-9 |pages=161 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042633/https://books.google.com/books?id=7ewPDjORphEC&dq=Many+of+the+early+digital+fansubs+were+made+from+regular+tape+subs&pg=PA161#v=onepage&q=Many%20of%20the%20early%20digital%20fansubs%20were%20made%20from%20regular%20tape%20subs&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> In the mid-2000s, most fansubs were distributed through IRC channels,<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ito |first1=Mizuko |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FpOzAwAAQBAJ&dq=fansubs+were+distributed+through+IRC+channel&pg=PA184 |title=Fandom Unbound: Otaku Culture in a Connected World |last2=Okabe |first2=Daisuke |last3=Tsuji |first3=Izumi |date=2012-02-28 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0-300-15864-9 |pages=184 |language=en |access-date=2024-04-11 |archive-date=2024-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042639/https://books.google.com/books?id=FpOzAwAAQBAJ&dq=fansubs+were+distributed+through+IRC+channel&pg=PA184#v=onepage&q=fansubs%20were%20distributed%20through%20IRC%20channel&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> [[file hosting service]]s and [[BitTorrent]]. In recent years, most fansub groups have moved from IRC to [[BitTorrent]] distribution. Dedicated anime trackers make finding the latest releases easy, while groups often have their own websites for release updates. File size standards are less strict due to the lack of [[CD-R]] and [[DVD-R]] reliance.

==Legal and ethical issues==
Hye-Kyung Lee, a lecturer at [[King's College London]], states that anime fansubbers embody the general characteristics of fans described by John Fiske: fansubbers are motivated by a strong affection for anime, devotion to sharing it with other fans, a sense of community interaction with their viewers, a desire to work collaboratively in a group, and a strong desire to support the local animation industry by promoting anime culture and widening anime's accessibility. Lee describes fansubbers as involved in productive activities that enhance their knowledge of anime, improve their skills, and develop a final product.<ref name=Lee>{{cite journal |url=https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/participatory-media-fandom-a-case-study-of-anime-fansubbing%28cbe6bb0d-e49b-4457-ba3f-68e701547f41%29.html |last=Lee |first=Hye-Kyung |title=Participatory media fandom: a case study of anime fansubbing |journal=Media, Culture & Society |date=November 2011 |volume=33 |issue=8 |pages=1131–1147 |access-date=2014-08-04 |doi=10.1177/0163443711418271 |s2cid=143091243 |archive-date=2014-08-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808053624/https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/participatory-media-fandom-a-case-study-of-anime-fansubbing%28cbe6bb0d-e49b-4457-ba3f-68e701547f41%29.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The goal of the first anime club, Cartoon Fantasy Organization, and its subsequent chapters was to proselytize and promote anime. Sean Leonard and Lee agree that without fan distribution that began in the 1970s and 1980s, the anime industry would not take off as it did in the 1990s.<ref name=Leonard /><ref name=Lee /> Some companies such as [[Protoculture Addicts]] with its titular magazine and [[Viz Media]] with ''[[Animerica]]'' drew their origins from anime club fanzines in the early history of fansubs.<ref name=Leonard />

Lee describes an unspoken rule in the early fan community: "once the anime was licensed the fansubbed version should no longer be circulated".<ref name=Lee /> As a result, many fansubbers do not view themselves as pirates.<ref name="Solomon">{{cite news | last=Solomon | first=Charles | title=File Share and Share Alike | work=New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/arts/21solo.html?ex=1282276800&en=91a6bf6f3813c78f&ei=5090&partner=geartest&emc=rss | date=August 21, 2005 | access-date=September 24, 2009 | archive-date=April 27, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427042638/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/21/arts/file-share-and-share-alike.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Sean Leonard distinguishes fansubs from bootlegs in this period, arguing that fansubs followed that unspoken rule, whereas bootlegs aimed to make a profit. Many fansubs began to include a "This is a free fansub: not for sale, rent, or auction" disclaimer as a response to bootleggers, and would encourage viewers to buy official copies.<ref name=Leonard /> As fansubbing was so expensive in the 1980s, and official Western releases of anime were rare and often poor-quality, bootlegging tended to be financially infeasible during this period.

Early fansubs would often have markedly worse visual quality than official releases, as the VHS tapes of fansubs would deteriorate from repeated copying; this reduced the level of competition between fansubs and official releases.<ref name=Leonard /><ref name=Lee /> During the 1980s, US publishers typically found fansubbing useful for testing demand and broadening their fanbase, whereas Japanese publishers treat fansubbing as something remote and insignificant. Lee states that some Japanese producers even praised fansubbers' efforts at promoting their work overseas.<ref name=Lee /> However, ongoing technological advancement complicated that relationship. As subtitling became more affordable in the 1990s, both fansubbing and official Western releases of anime enjoyed an upswing. Further advances in the twenty-first century made each step of the fansubbing process easier and cheaper, and the visual standards of fansubs improved dramatically.

These technological developments were also coupled with shifts in how fansubs were produced and distributed. Fansubs began to be shared mostly online, first on [[IRC]] and then over [[BitTorrent (protocol)|BitTorrent]].<ref name="ANN Interview Fansubber">{{cite news |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2008-03-11 |title=Interview With The Fansubber |work=Anime News Network |date=March 11, 2008 |access-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331023918/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2008-03-11 |url-status=live }}</ref> The move to the Internet also enabled the globalization of the fansubbing community; although English remained the dominant language among fansubbers, the consumption of fansubs expanded worldwide.<ref name=Lee /> This globalization was one factor in fansubbers moving away from their earlier aim of not competing against the official releases: because anime might only be licensed to certain international markets, some fansubbers argue that they would be abandoning the rest of the world if they stopped circulating fansubs of series that received official US releases.<ref name=Lee /> Fansubbers have also continued to subtitle and release shows owned by companies that significantly edit the shows they own, such as [[4Kids]].{{efn|4Kids attempted an uncut re-release of their shows ''[[Shaman King]]'' and ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh]]'' in the 2000s, but 4Kids CEO Alfred Kahn stated that their sales fell short of the company's expectations, and so their production was discontinued.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2005-04-24/alfred-r-kahn |title=Alfred R. Kahn |work=Anime News Network |date=April 24, 2005 |access-date=September 24, 2009 |archive-date=July 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170717062849/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2005-04-24/alfred-r-kahn |url-status=live }}</ref>}}{{cn|date=April 2024}} The change in fansubbers' attitudes may also derive from shifts in the attitudes of their consumers: fans began to demand greater immediacy in the digital era, and the lower barrier of entry facilitated the emergence of casual fans who were less willing to purchase and collect DVDs.<ref name=Lee />

The anime industry's views on fansubbing hardened as fansubs became more widespread. The 1993 [[Anime Expo]] was the first time when US industry representatives publicly discussed the ways in which pre-existing copies were eating into profits.<ref name=Leonard /> In the 2000s, US companies have gone farther, and directly blamed fansubbers for the decline in DVD sales.<ref name=Lee /> Representatives of companies such as [[Geneon]] and ADV Films have publicly criticized fansubs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://animeondvd.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/19708/tp/12/|title=Why do R1 companies suddenly hate us?|publisher=AnimeonDVD.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200506/http://animeondvd.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid%2F19708%2Ftp%2F12%2F|archive-date=2007-09-27|url-status=dead|access-date=July 19, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2007/anime-central/advfilms|title=Anime Central 2007&nbsp;– ADV Films|last=Koulikov|first=Mikhail|date=May 12, 2007|work=Anime News Network|access-date=July 19, 2007|archive-date=July 15, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715010638/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2007/anime-central/advfilms|url-status=live}}</ref> Japanese copyright holders have also begun to take action against fansubs. The Japanese copyright society [[JASRAC]] began requesting takedowns against YouTube-based fansubs during the 2000s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jasrac.or.jp/release/06/12_2.html|title=Press release|publisher=Jasrac.or.jp|access-date=July 19, 2007|archive-date=June 23, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623013009/http://www.jasrac.or.jp/release/06/12_2.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and groups such as [[Media Factory]] and [[Nippon TV]] have requested that their works be removed from download sites.{{cn|date=April 2024}}

Some figures from the anime industry still maintain a positive view of fansubs. For instance, Steve Kleckner of [[Tokyopop]] described fansubs as "flattering [rather than] threatening", and stated that fansubs provided publishers with a means to identify what media their customer base might want to see.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/script-ed/vol2-4/hatcher.asp#sdendnote175anc|title=Of Otakus and Fansubs|author=Hatcher, Jordan|publisher=[[University of Edinburgh]]|access-date=September 24, 2009|archive-date=February 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217024839/http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/ahrc/SCRIPT-ed/vol2-4/hatcher.asp%23Quality#sdendnote175anc|url-status=live}}</ref>

Intellectual property lawyer Jordan Hatcher situates fansubs on the boundary between the desirable [[doujinshi]] fan culture and the "massive online file trading so vilified by the recording and motion picture industries". Legal scholar [[Lawrence Lessig]] states that the re-working of culture—remix—is necessary for cultural growth, and points to doujinshi in Japan as an example of how permitting remixes can contribute to a vibrant cultural industry. However, Hatcher states that fansubs are not analogous to this type of remix because their aim is to remain faithful to the original. Furthermore, Hatcher states that fansubs compete with the original cultural product since they have the potential to replace the market need for official translations, thus creating a similar situation to the debate over [[peer-to-peer]] file trading.<ref name="Hatcher appendix" /> Conversely, [[Henry Jenkins]] has argued that fansubbing has a positive impact on the anime industry through its function as publicity.<ref>{{cite web | author=Jenkins, Henry | title=When Piracy becomes Promotion | work=Reason Magazine | url=http://www.reason.com/news/show/116788.html | date=December 2006 | access-date=September 24, 2009 | archive-date=September 3, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903113644/http://reason.com/news/show/116788.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Hatcher states that copyright law does not condone fansubs. The [[Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works|Berne Convention]], an international copyright treaty, states that its signatories—including Japan—grant authors exclusive right to translation. Hatcher states that fansubs could "potentially" be legal within Japan given the nature of Japan's domestic copyright laws, although the target audience of fansubs is the non-Japanese market. However, Hatcher notes that copyright law in the United States—the frame of reference for most online discussions of fansub legality—construes translations as derivative,<ref name="Hatcher appendix" /> and holds that fansubs infringe on the author's right to prepare derivative works{{citation needed |date=August 2014}} and to reproduction by copying original source material.<ref name="Hatcher appendix" />

==Legal action==
In 1999, Ryuta Shiiki, a former representative of [[SPE Visual Works Inc.]] sent a letter to a fansub distribution group to take down the illegal copies of the anime ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'', because a company that was interested in the rights of said series notified the Japanese company about the illegal distribution of it. The group complied and the series was pulled from distribution. This is the first legal action via a [[cease-and-desist letter]] against a fansub in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/1999-01-20/digital-anime-distribution-threatened-by-letter-from-sony|title=Digital Anime Distribution threatened by letter from Sony|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207064514/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/1999-01-20/digital-anime-distribution-threatened-by-letter-from-sony|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2002, Hideaki Hatta, president of [[Kyoto Animation]], sent a letter to a fansub group requesting the stop of illegal distribution of the anime OAV ''[[Munto]]''. The fansub group complied and the distribution stopped. This was the first legal action via a cease-and-desist letter against the fansubbing of an anime title not available outside Japan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-11-28/japanese-request-fansub-removal|title=Japanese request Fansub Removal|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207133938/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-11-28/japanese-request-fansub-removal|url-status=live}}</ref> However, it was later confirmed that [[Central Park Media]] licensed the title in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-11-30/munto-licensed|title=Munto Licensed?|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207122211/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2003-11-30/munto-licensed|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, a fansubbing group known as Anime Junkies was involved in a conflict with [[Urban Vision]], the licensor and co-producer of the [[Ninja Scroll: The Series|''Ninja Scroll'']] TV series. Urban Vision sent a letter asking for Anime Junkies to stop hosting the licensed material, but Anime Junkies did not comply with the request and responded negatively to Urban Vision. Christopher Macdonald, an editor at [[Anime News Network]], highlighted the ethics code of the fansubbing community and asked that fans not support Anime Junkies as a result of their actions.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2003-06-08/2 | title=Unethical Fansubbers | work=Anime News Network | access-date=9 August 2013 | author=Macdonald, Christopher | archive-date=2022-05-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220530120810/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/editorial/2003-06-08/2 | url-status=live }}</ref>

On December 7, 2004, a [[Tokyo]] law firm representing Media Factory sent letters and e-mails to the anime [[BitTorrent (protocol)|BitTorrent]] directory [[AnimeSuki]] and fansub groups Lunar Anime and Wannabe Fansubs requesting that they halt the fansubbing and hosting of all current and future fansubbing productions.<ref name="Solomon"/> AnimeSuki and Lunar Anime complied, and shortly after, other fansub groups such as Solar and Shining Fansubs followed suit. Despite the request, Wannabe Fansubs and a handful of other fansubbing groups continued to produce fansubs of MFI anime series.<ref>{{cite web | title=Removal of Media Factory Inc. Works | publisher=AnimeSuki | url=http://www.animesuki.com/doc.php/legal/mediafactory.html | access-date=April 24, 2006 | archive-date=February 18, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130218022742/http://animesuki.com/doc.php/legal/mediafactory.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

On July 27, 2006, the legal department representing the Spanish anime company [[SelectaVision|Selecta Visión]] sent a cease-and-desist letter to the anime BitTorrent and fansubbing site Frozen-Layer requesting the halt of the fansubbing and publishing all of current and prior anime licensed by the company. The owner complied and, until 2013, established that all licensed anime in Spain was banned from the site, regardless of the status of the license.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.frozen-layer.com/foro/topic/87810-cambios-nuevos-en-el-tracker/|title=Cambios Nuevos En El Tracker - Frozen-Layer Web/Foro|work=Foro - Frozen-Layer|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213080239/https://www.frozen-layer.com/foro/topic/87810-cambios-nuevos-en-el-tracker/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In Singapore, anime distributor [[Odex]] has been actively [[Odex's actions against file sharing|tracking down and sending legal threats]] against internet users in Singapore since 2007. These users have allegedly downloaded fansubbed anime via the [[BitTorrent (protocol)|BitTorrent]] protocol. Court orders on [[ISP]]s to reveal subscribers' personal information have been ruled in Odex's favour, leading to several downloaders receiving letters of legal threat from Odex and subsequently pursuing out-of-court settlements for at least [[Singapore dollar|S$]]3,000 (US$2,000) per person, the youngest person being only nine years old.<ref name="aug2np">{{cite web| url=http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,137645,00.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224936/http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,137645,00.html| archive-date=2007-09-30 |title=Parents get shock letter |first=Liew |last=Hanqing |publisher=[[The New Paper]] |date=August 2, 2007}}</ref><ref name="cnet">{{cite web |url=http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/rehashplus/post.htm?id=63000177 |title=Kicking kids for profit? |first=Michael |last=Tan |publisher=[[CNet]] Asia |date=August 16, 2007 |access-date=2009-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205113447/http://asia.cnet.com/blogs/rehashplus/post.htm?id=63000177 |archive-date=December 5, 2010 }}</ref> These actions were considered controversial by the local anime community and have attracted criticisms towards the company, as they are seen by fans as heavy-handed.<ref name="aug16sta">{{cite news |url=http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=76054 |title=Anime firm boss gets online death threats |first=Chua Hian |last=Hou |newspaper=[[The Straits Times]] |date=August 16, 2007 |page=4 |access-date=2009-09-24 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223020817/http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=76054 |archive-date=December 23, 2008 }}</ref>

On May 18, 2007, [[Anime News Network]] reported that the police in [[Poland]] and [[Germany]] seized the fansubbing site Napisy.org arrested at least 9 people related to it. These raids were orchestrated by the [[Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry]] (ZPAV), a collective rights organisation, and German authorities shut the site which was hosted on servers in that jurisdiction. In May 2013, that case was closed, as prosecutors decided to drop the charges due to the charged individuals' ignorance of the unlawfulness of their actions. The site Napisy.org is currently closed and it shows sites to watch legal content.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-05-18/9-poles-held-by-police-over-fansubs|title=Nine Poles Held by Police over "Fansubs"|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213080443/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-05-18/9-poles-held-by-police-over-fansubs|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Anime News Network">{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-10/swedish-fansub-site-closed-by-copyright-enforcement-agency|title=Swedish Fansub Site Closed By Copyright Enforcement Agency|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213154930/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-10/swedish-fansub-site-closed-by-copyright-enforcement-agency|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://knowfuture.wordpress.com/2007/05/19/polish-fansubs-site-napisyorg-shut-by-police-participants-arrested/|title=Polish Fansubs site Napisy.org Shut by Police, Participants Arrested|date=2007-05-19|work=kNOw Future Inc.|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-07-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729204637/https://knowfuture.wordpress.com/2007/05/19/polish-fansubs-site-napisyorg-shut-by-police-participants-arrested/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 19, 2007, the Spanish organization Federación Anti Piratería (FAP) sent a cease-and-desist against the website Wikisubtitles.net and their website provider [[Bluehost]], requesting the closure of the site since the owners were profiting with the content of others, violating copyright laws. The webmaster complied and the site was closed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.genbeta.com/web/imagen-de-la-semana-wikisubtitles-cerrado-por-la-fap|title=Imagen de la semana: Wikisubtitles cerrado por la FAP|last=Pimentel|first=Víctor|date=2008-05-19|access-date=2018-02-13|language=es|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213195249/https://www.genbeta.com/web/imagen-de-la-semana-wikisubtitles-cerrado-por-la-fap|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://smalleye.net/2008/05/19/wikisubtitles-cerrada-por-la-fap/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705022554/http://smalleye.net/2008/05/19/wikisubtitles-cerrada-por-la-fap/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-07-05|title=Cosas que nunca te dije - » Wikisubtitles cerrada por la FAP|date=2008-07-05|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://bloguitar.net/noticias/otros-noticias/la-fap-cierra-wikisubtitles/|title=La F.A.P. cierra Wikisubtitles|date=2008-05-19|work=Bloguitar|access-date=2018-02-13|language=es-ES|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213135247/https://bloguitar.net/noticias/otros-noticias/la-fap-cierra-wikisubtitles/|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, the webmaster published the source-code of the website. Since then, websites like Addic7ed, Subtitulos.es and Wikisubs appeared using the Wikisubtitles source code.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://smalleye.net/2008/02/24/se-publica-el-codigo-fuente-de-wikisubtitles-con-licencia-gplv3/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827193945/http://smalleye.net/2008/02/24/se-publica-el-codigo-fuente-de-wikisubtitles-con-licencia-gplv3/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2008-08-27|title=Cosas que nunca te dije - » Código fuente de wikisubtitles con licencia GPLv3|date=2008-08-27|access-date=2018-02-13}}</ref>

On July 9, 2013, the Swedish copyright enforcement agency Intrångsundersökning seized the servers for Swedish and English website Undertexter.se, a website that contained fansub scripts of several movies and series.<ref name="Anime News Network"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://torrentfreak.com/fan-created-subtitle-site-raided-by-swedish-police-130710/|title=Fan-Created Subtitle Site Raided By Swedish Police - TorrentFreak|date=2013-07-10|work=TorrentFreak|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213135112/https://torrentfreak.com/fan-created-subtitle-site-raided-by-swedish-police-130710/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 2016, the owner of the website, Eugen Archy was prosecuted of violating the Swedish Copyright Act and was found guilty of copyright violation and the Attunda District Court sentenced him to probation. In addition, he has to pay 217,000 Swedish kronor ($27,000), which will be taken from the advertising and donation revenues he collected through the site.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://torrentfreak.com/fan-created-movie-subtitle-site-operator-facing-prison-160525/|title=Fan-Created Movie Subtitle Site Operator Facing Prison - TorrentFreak|date=2016-05-25|work=TorrentFreak|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213080537/https://torrentfreak.com/fan-created-movie-subtitle-site-operator-facing-prison-160525/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://torrentfreak.com/founder-of-subtitle-site-convicted-for-copyright-infringement-170914/|title=Founder of Fan-Made Subtitle Site Convicted for Copyright Infringement - TorrentFreak|date=2017-09-14|work=TorrentFreak|access-date=2018-02-13|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213135124/https://torrentfreak.com/founder-of-subtitle-site-convicted-for-copyright-infringement-170914/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On September 21, 2016, the [[Kyoto Prefectural Police SC|Kyoto Prefectural Police]] in Japan arrested two Chinese company workers, Liang Wang and Wangyi Yang, on Wednesday on suspicion of violating the Japanese Copyright Act by uploading the anime series ''[[The Heroic Legend of Arslan (manga by Hiromu Arakawa)|The Heroic Legend of Arslan: Dust Storm Dance]]'' and ''[[Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya|Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Drei!!]]'' with Chinese subtitles. Both suspects admitted to the charge, and Yang claimed to be a member of a Chinese fansubbing group. This became the first known legal action against fansubbing in Japan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-09-28/kyoto-police-arrest-2-chinese-suspects-for-uploading-anime/.107007|title=Kyoto Police Arrest 2 Chinese Suspects for Uploading Anime|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207063002/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-09-28/kyoto-police-arrest-2-chinese-suspects-for-uploading-anime/.107007|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 27, 2016, the Kyoto Prefectural Police arrested two Chinese individuals on charges of violating the Japanese Copyright Act. The two suspects were both located in Tokyo. The first suspect is a 29-year-old male living in Edogawa ward. The second suspect is a 23-year-old male college student. According to police, the first suspect is accused of fansubbing episodes of the anime ''[[Saki (manga)|Saki: The Nationals]]'' in Chinese and uploading the subtitled episodes on a file sharing service. The second suspect allegedly subtitled a different anime in Chinese, and similarly used a file sharing service, but the report did not mention the anime.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-10-28/2-chinese-men-arrested-in-japan-for-illegally-subtitling-uploading-anime/.108205|title=2 Chinese Men Arrested in Japan for Illegally Subtitling, Uploading Anime|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207005537/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-10-28/2-chinese-men-arrested-in-japan-for-illegally-subtitling-uploading-anime/.108205|url-status=live}}</ref>

On February 16, 2017, the Kyoto Prefectural Police arrested a 26-year-old Chinese man on the charge of illegally subtitle the anime ''[[Ange Vierge]]'' in Chinese and distribute it through a file sharing software. Police allege that the man is a member of the group ''Jimaku Gumi'' ([[sic]]).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-02-17/man-arrested-in-japan-for-releasing-ange-vierge-anime-with-chinese-subtitles/.112367|title=Man Arrested in Japan for Releasing Ange Vierge Anime With Chinese Subtitles|work=Anime News Network|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en|archive-date=2020-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112005002/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-02-17/man-arrested-in-japan-for-releasing-ange-vierge-anime-with-chinese-subtitles/.112367|url-status=live}}</ref>

On April 22, 2017, a judge in [[Amsterdam]], Netherlands, declared fansubtitling illegal. The Dutch court declared that these translations correspond to the producers and no one else. In case they do not exist, they can not be created by fans. After this ruling, the creation of subtitles without the consent of the author of an audiovisual production is now considered a crime in the Netherlands. This is the first ruling in the world that values subtitles as intellectual property and that punishes with fines and imprisonment those who violate copyright laws.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnnchile.com/noticia/2017/04/22/juez-declara-ilegales-los-subtitulos-de-peliculas-en-internet|title=Juez declara ilegales los subtítulos de películas en Internet|date=2017-04-22|work=CNN Chile|access-date=2018-02-06|language=es|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207010807/http://www.cnnchile.com/noticia/2017/04/22/juez-declara-ilegales-los-subtitulos-de-peliculas-en-internet|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.alfabetajuega.com/noticia/holanda-declara-ilegales-los-subtitulos-creados-por-fans-y-los-castigara-con-multas-y-carcel-n-83001|title=Holanda declara ilegales los subtítulos creados por fans y los castigará con multas y cárcel|work=Alfa Beta Juega|access-date=2018-02-06|language=es|archive-date=2017-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727085908/http://www.alfabetajuega.com/noticia/holanda-declara-ilegales-los-subtitulos-creados-por-fans-y-los-castigara-con-multas-y-carcel-n-83001|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://torrentfreak.com/unauthorized-subtitles-for-movies-tv-shows-are-illegal-court-rules-170421/|title=Unauthorized Subtitles For Movies & TV Shows Are Illegal, Court Rules - TorrentFreak|date=2017-04-21|work=TorrentFreak|access-date=2018-02-06|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207062832/https://torrentfreak.com/unauthorized-subtitles-for-movies-tv-shows-are-illegal-court-rules-170421/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On January 31, 2018, [[Sankei West]] and ''[[Asahi Shimbun]]'' reported that police departments from Kyoto, Yamaguchi, Shizuoka, Mie, and Shimane Prefectures in Japan, along with the [[Association of Copyright for Computer Software]] arrested four Chinese nationals for illegally fansubbing anime, manga and videogames. The suspects, who range in age from 23 to 28, are allegedly part of a translating group that distributed Chinese-translated manga, anime, and other materials online. The titles included ''[[Yuki Ochimura ni Ojō-sama!]]'', [[Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V (manga)|''Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V'']] and ''[[Kimi ni Todoke]]''. The Association of Copyright for Computer Software reported that one of the suspects, a 23-year-old female company worker from Niiza City in Saitama Prefecture, translated the 123rd and final chapter of the manga ''Kimi ni Todoke''. Police from Kanagawa, Ishikawa, Gifu, and Shiga Prefectures also worked on the case. This is the first known arrest regarding illegal manga translation in Japan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASL105RDJL10PLZB011.html|title=日本の漫画など違法に翻訳 中国人の容疑者５人逮捕：朝日新聞デジタル|work=朝日新聞デジタル|access-date=2018-02-12|language=ja-JP|archive-date=2018-02-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211225608/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASL105RDJL10PLZB011.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sankei.com/west/news/180131/wst1801310098-n1.html|title=日本の漫画やゲーム、無断で翻訳…中国人の女２人逮捕 不正ネット公開組織「漢化組」メンバー|last=INC.|first=SANKEI DIGITAL|date=2018-01-31|work=産経WEST|access-date=2018-02-12|language=ja-JP|archive-date=2018-02-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203123514/http://www.sankei.com/west/news/180131/wst1801310098-n1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://en.rocketnews24.com/2018/02/03/five-chinese-nationals-arrested-in-japan-for-translating-manga-games-for-distribution/|title=Five Chinese nationals arrested in Japan for translating manga, games for distribution|date=2018-02-03|work=SoraNews24|access-date=2018-02-12|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213022105/https://en.rocketnews24.com/2018/02/03/five-chinese-nationals-arrested-in-japan-for-translating-manga-games-for-distribution/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://slator.com/industry-news/arrested-for-translation-japan-detains-five-chinese-nationals-for-pirate-translation/|title=Arrested for Translation: Japan Detains Five Chinese Nationals for Pirate Translation {{!}} Slator|date=2018-02-06|work=Slator|access-date=2018-02-12|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180213022022/https://slator.com/industry-news/arrested-for-translation-japan-detains-five-chinese-nationals-for-pirate-translation/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Film}}
* [[Fan labor]]
* [[Fandub]]
* [[Fan translation]]
* [[Scanlation]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite journal |last1=Condry |first1=Ian |year=2010 |title=Dark Energy: What Fansubs Reveal About the Copyright Wars |url=http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/mechademia/summary/v005/5.condry.html |journal=Mechademia |volume=5 |pages=193–208 |doi=10.1353/mec.2010.0002 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Leonard |first=Sean |date=Spring 2005 |title=Celebrating Two Decades of Unlawful Progress: Fan Distribution, Proselytization Commons, and the Explosive Growth of Japanese Animation |url=https://ssrn.com/abstract=696402 |journal=UCLA Entertainment Law Review |volume=12 |issue=2 |doi=10.5070/LR8122027074 |issn=1073-2896}} [https://escholarship.org/uc/item/24f4n0ps Volume 12 Issue 2] at eScholarship; {{doi|10.5070/LR8122027066}}.

== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary inline}}
* {{Commons category inline}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Anime and manga terminology]]
[[Category:Fan labor]]
[[Category:Fan translation]]
[[Category:Subtitling]]