In a significant escalation of its ongoing legal challenges, the popular adult site nHentai, known for its extensive collection of hentai manga, is now facing a copyright infringement lawsuit. Filed by PCR Distributing, a California-based company that manages several hentai brands, the lawsuit alleges that nHentai has consistently ignored takedown notices regarding unauthorized content.
The Background of the Case
With millions of monthly visits, nHentai has become a prominent platform for adult content, thriving on the global popularity of manga and anime, which originate from Japan. While the demand for these formats continues to grow, so does the issue of piracy. The adult genre of hentai, in particular, has seen a surge in both viewership and unauthorized distribution, with sites like nHentai.net recording nearly 80 million visits in June.
Legal Action by Copyright Holders
PCR Distributing, which operates brands such as J18 and JAST USA, claims that nHentai poses a substantial threat to its business due to the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted material. The company recently obtained a DMCA subpoena, compelling Cloudflare to reveal the identities behind the site, which has allegedly failed to comply with takedown requests. This move, however, has met with resistance from nHentai’s legal team, who argue against the disclosure of personal data.
As this dispute unfolds in court, nHentai’s legal strategy has thus far focused on contesting the legitimacy of the subpoena. Even if successful in quashing the subpoena, the site’s legal troubles are far from resolved, as PCR has initiated a comprehensive copyright infringement lawsuit.
Details of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, describes nHentai as a major player in the piracy landscape, operating without permission to distribute content from both digital and physical sources. The complaint specifically highlights that nHentai does not feature user-uploaded content, which typically allows sites to claim safe harbor under the DMCA.
According to PCR’s allegations, “nHentai.net is a widely visited platform for adult manga and doujinshi content,” asserting that the website hosts a vast collection of copyrighted works without authorization.
Attempts at Settlement
Interestingly, the lawsuit does not reveal the identities of nHentai’s operators, although it acknowledges prior interactions. In October 2023, nHentai’s representatives had attempted to settle the dispute confidentially, an offer PCR ultimately declined, opting instead for removal of the infringing content.
Despite repeated DMCA-compliant takedown requests sent to nHentai and its service providers, PCR claims that none of the reported URLs have been taken down.
Seeking Damages and Injunctions
PCR is pursuing damages for the alleged infringement and has requested a broad injunction to prevent future copyright violations. This injunction would not only halt nHentai’s distribution of copyrighted material but also mandate that the domain be transferred to PCR. If the domain transfer is not executed, PCR’s proposal includes blocking access to nHentai in the U.S. through third-party intermediaries like search engines and ISPs.
At present, nHentai has yet to issue a public response to the lawsuit, but given its previous pushback against legal actions, it is anticipated that the site will mount a defense in due course.
A copy of PCR Distributing’s complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, is publicly available for review.
