Boichi, the creator of Dr. STONE, says that people who read pirated manga are not the industry’s enemies. “Readers of pirated manga are not our adversaries. They are our future audience. They are proof that the demand already exists.” He explains that many fans worldwide still have no legal way to read manga because some countries lack publishers, translation services, and distribution networks. In those places, telling people to “just buy manga” does not solve the problem when legal options do not exist. Boichi believes the industry should see them as proof of demand.