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Q: So when you do make JManga content available on various devices, will it be possible to read your purchased manga on these different devices without having to buy it separately? That is, make one purchase and read it on any device?

Masaaki Shimizu (JManga): Yes, that's the idea. One ID will get you access to that content on various devices. But if JManga cannot control the sales channel, like Amazon or (Barnes and Noble) Nook, then we might not be able to do that in those cases.


Q: So are you saying that because of that, you might plausibly have to pay separately to read the same manga online and on, say your Kindle?

Masaaki Shimizu (JManga): Yes, but in cases like that, we're looking at offering the second purchase of the same title for a discount. We're looking into ways to do that too.

THE BIG QUESTION: HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?

Q: Now,on to possibly one of the most important questions - pricing. How much will it cost to read manga on JManga.com?

Robert Newman (JManga): Pricing will vary from publisher to publisher.

Q: So when you say that pricing will vary, what do you mean by that? I get that different publishers may charge different amounts for different things, but what will readers be getting? Will they buy stories on a per-chapter basis? Or by an entire volume/tankobon? Or a subscription model, like paying a flat fee for 'all-you-can-eat' access on a monthly basis? Or would it be possible to buy a subscription to say, manga from Lala, Morning or Weekly Shonen Jump magazine?

Toshitaka Tanaka (Shogakukan): Each publisher has the freedom to choose how they will be selling their titles. So some titles will be available by chapter, some will be available by volume. Also, the pricing will be decided by each publisher.

Sam Yoshiba (Kodansha): Right now, it'll vary from publisher to publisher. But as we go along, we will be able to better determine what works best, what is appropriate for the market and adjust and adapt to that.

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JManga.com is scheduled to debut to users in North America in mid-August. Stay tuned for more updates on JManga, as they make more announcements and add more titles and features.