On Manga UP! starting a subscription option...
I think it's great to have subscription option to those who want it. As much as I despise subscription, it's ultimately better than the system of "buying in-app currencies to unlock each chapter" (which is also still done by other comic platforms) as it usually leads to higher cost in the long run. Though of course, subscription also costs a lot over time, and that's another can of worms. What made a lot of people despise in-app currencies is how it seems like the total price of renting (you don't even own it!) a comic is more expensive than buying the physical/digital volumes.
On the other side, subscription is still not helping the problem of accessibility and preservation of media. That said, the other option doesn't help with that, either. I think it's a complicated situation. I still think subscription is a win for consumers, especially when the publisher still offers traditional publishing (as Manga UP! owned by Square Enix does - there are even some old manga in Manga UP! that were originally released as volumes years ago), but it is a saddening fact how fleeting media is in today's world.
I think it's great to have subscription option to those who want it. As much as I despise subscription, it's ultimately better than the system of "buying in-app currencies to unlock each chapter" (which is also still done by other comic platforms) as it usually leads to higher cost in the long run. Though of course, subscription also costs a lot over time, and that's another can of worms. What made a lot of people despise in-app currencies is how it seems like the total price of renting (you don't even own it!) a comic is more expensive than buying the physical/digital volumes.
On the other side, subscription is still not helping the problem of accessibility and preservation of media. That said, the other option doesn't help with that, either. I think it's a complicated situation. I still think subscription is a win for consumers, especially when the publisher still offers traditional publishing (as Manga UP! owned by Square Enix does - there are even some old manga in Manga UP! that were originally released as volumes years ago), but it is a saddening fact how fleeting media is in today's world.
#media_preservation #manga #media_accessibility