Cloudflare, the well-known U.S.-based content delivery network (CDN), has been ordered by a Tokyo District Court to pay 500 million yen (roughly USD 3.2-3.3 million) to the four Japanese manga publishers: Shueisha, Kodansha, Shogakukan, and Kadokawa. The court found Cloudflare responsible for helping two large manga piracy websites, even after receiving several copyright infringement notices.
According to Comic Natalie, these publishers argued that the piracy websites hosted more than 4,000 unauthorized manga titles and attracted over 300 million monthly visits. It was revealed that Cloudflare had been warned multiple times but still continued offering services to the piracy sites. They also claimed Cloudflare did not take action even after a U.S. court requested certain information related to copyright violations.
Cloudflare vs Manga Publishers: How CDN Aided Manga Piracy Sites?
According to Kodansha’s official statement, on November 19, 2025, the Tokyo District Court handed down a judgment in the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Kodansha Ltd., together with KADOKAWA, Shueisha, and Shogakukan, against Cloudflare. The publication explained how CDN helped the manga piracy sites in a major way. They stated that Cloudflare made it easier for the piracy site operators to hide their identities.
Many piracy websites use CDN services to mask their server locations, making it hard for authorities to track them. The court stated that Cloudflare should have verified customer identities more carefully or suspended service when obvious copyright violations were reported.
Even after receiving multiple notices from the publishers, Cloudflare continued to provide these services, and thus, the court ruled that this failure to respond properly counted as “assisting in copyright infringement.”
In simpler terms, by not taking action after being warned, Cloudflare allowed the piracy sites to continue operating, which contributed to the spread of illegal manga content. The ruling is being described as a major step in the fight against digital piracy, especially involving CDN services, which have been more or less helping the piracy websites for a long time.
Manga Piracy Could Be on the Verge of Its Largest Downfall
The ruling is important not just for this case but for the future of online piracy worldwide. This is the first time a CDN company has been held liable in Japan for helping piracy sites, and it establishes the precedent that companies offering internet infrastructure cannot ignore copyright complaints. If they do, they may face legal consequences just like Cloudflare.
According to the statement from the publishers, CDNs are extremely useful tools for legal content distribution. They help platforms deliver movies, books, and websites quickly to users everywhere. However, if misused, these same tools can help piracy sites grow rapidly, and thus, they need to establish stronger checks, such as verifying customer identities or responding faster to copyright notices.
Because of this, the manga piracy world might witness its largest downfall as website operators may find it harder to stay anonymous, and CDNs may refuse to support suspicious platforms. This would make it more expensive and risky for piracy sites to operate, thus bringing revolution into the world of manga.
Do you think this victory of the manga publishers will affect the world of manga piracy? Let us know below!
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