Both KissManga and KissAnime are The Latest Victims to 2020’s Onslaught, but Many Will Follow
This is not a drill, KissManga and KissAnime are gone forever, and I am saddened.
The twin Kiss websites were the largest source of pirated Manga and Anime in the web. Thousands of people around the Globe access the website everyday. Kissmanga alone, had over 35 million visitors as of July 2020. Both KissManga and KissAnime part of a greater umbrella group of “Kiss” websites that provide other forms of Pirated free media as well.
I remember mid 2012s, when I was with my University buddies, we were constantly talking about how Byakuya was just torn to pieces by some Jesus-looking Nazi dude with a kinky-looking facemask, while Kenpachi was being choked by Ichigo’s very own Bankai. The old man Yamamoto even came in being badass as ever. Incase you have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s Bleach chapters 500 something. Bleach was the go-to because Naruto was on a four-month hiatus at the time.I think I was also reading Gantz back then. Ah, the memories.
I remember these moments very fondly because we would all have our own theories and discussions of what could happen next. These Mangas were only accessible via pirated websites such as KissManga, Mangastream, and OneManga — all three of which are now gone. They served as a brief escape from the harsh life of college requirements. These websites, in one way, or another, kept me sane — they saved my life.
But as of now, it’s all gone. Gone forever.
When you try to access the Kissmanga website, it only gives you a blank page that says :
“All files are taken down by copyright owners. The site will be closed forever. Thank you for your supports.”
This is part of Japan’s aggressive enforcement of its copyright laws that not just include manga and anime. Yes, that means those “adult stuff” too; So, it’s very far from over.
Honestly, I’m still shook. KissManga has been part of my weekly routine. I’d go there almost everyday checking for new chapters of One Punch Man or Attack on Titan, or Demon slayer. It’s easy to lose track of time while reading its near endless amount of titles.
I could spend hours on end just immersing myself in those black and white drawings. I’d laugh at the silly antics of the characters and get pulled in by all the action. My commute to work or school were made a lot more bearable because of Kissmanga. Manga is such beautiful piece of Art form that I wish it had become a lot more mainstream.
In a way, KissManga is how Asians hide their inner weebness. If we spent hundreds of dollars buying those thick books, we’d be broke in no time, and it would be very obvious if we had a ton of those Mangas in our room. It’s just not a good conversation piece. With Kissmanga, we could just use our phones.
How am I gonna know the end to Attack on Titan now? How am I gonna know who Blast is? Are they even gonna have a Dark Continent arc in HxH? There’s so many uncertainties.
There are other manga and anime websites that are still up as well, but the Kiss websites were the Juggernauts. If they didn’t stand a chance, what more can the rest of them? It’s just a matter of time.
But, I guess we had it all coming. KissManga and KissAnime were too good for us grievers. We aren’t even helping the Authors, the Artists, nor the Animators. Most Mangakas and Animators are stressed, underpaid, and are expected to meet strict deadlines for projects. One prominent Anime studio, Kyoto Animation was a victim of an Arson attack killing 36 of its staff members. Our selfishness and insatiable hunger for manga had to come to an end. It all had to reach a breaking point somehow.
Thanks, KissManga and KissAnime.
