The world’s largest adult manga piracy platform is officially pushing back. After months of escalating legal drama Nhentai, which is a website operated by X Separator LLC has filed a countersuit against U.S. distributor PCR Distributing. They are accusing the company of fraud and intentional misrepresentation. The move comes in response to PCR’s copyright infringement lawsuit, which alleges the site illegally hosted and distributed licensed adult manga content.
Nhentai, which receives over 80 million monthly visitors, has long claimed it had permission from Western publishers to post their works. Recently, in a Nov. 26 legal filing, the site is going on the offensive. They are saying PCR not only allowed the uploads but actively sought a business relationship premised on keeping the manga online.
The counteroffensive marks a major turning point in one of the most high profile manga piracy cases in U.S. history.
Nhentai’s countersuit centers on email correspondence between the site and David Goldberg, a manager at JAST USA the parent company of PCR Distributing and J18 Publishing. According to the filing, Goldberg repeatedly assured Nhentai that his messages were "not a takedown request or a DMCA" and instead pitched a partnership involving banner ads on the piracy site.
Nhentai argues that these discussions amounted to tacit permission to keep the content hosted on its platform:
- The defense claims PCR sought advertising deals designed to drive physical book sales through Nhentai’s massive traffic.
- These interactions created what X Separator describes as "unsolicited, unrestricted permission" for hosting the manga.
- PCR’s later sworn declaration claiming Nhentai posted the works “without authorization”—is framed as a direct contradiction and a deliberate act of fraud.
- Based on this alleged misrepresentation, Nhentai is seeking over $500,000 in damages, plus punitive damages for what it calls "willful and malicious conduct."
Nhentai also argues that PCR’s lawsuit was improper from the start. According to the countersuit, PCR:
- Had not yet registered the relevant copyrights when it was supposedly seeking ad partnerships with the piracy site.
- Only began copyright filings in March 2023, months after the alleged permission exchanges.
- Provided a sworn statement that directly conflicts with earlier emails acknowledging the site’s existence and discussing collaborative opportunities.
- Nhentai paints this contradiction as a “fraudulent reversal” designed to weaponize the court system against a platform PCR once viewed as a promotional tool.
Nhentai’s aggressive legal pivot follows several early losses in court:
Judge rejected Nhentai’s attempt to dismiss the case
The site previously argued that PCR could not sue because JAST USA owned only the English translations, not the underlying Japanese works. The court dismissed this as irrelevant, ruling that PCR’s registrations were sufficient to move forward.
Judge denied Nhentai’s request for anonymity
Nhentai operators claimed they needed to remain anonymous due to the risk of “personal retribution.” The court rejected this request, forcing the defendants to face litigation without protective identity measures.
X Separator denies connection to similar domains
In its latest filing, the company also formally distanced itself from “Nhentai.to,” attempting to limit liability to its own specific domain, though the operational relationship between associated sites remains murky.
Manga Piracy Remains a Massive Industry Despite Legal Pressure
PCR Distributing manages U.S. releases for major adult manga and visual novel publishers under JAST USA and J18 Publishing. Their lawsuit reflects the industry’s ongoing struggle to curb piracy at a time when sites like Nhentai remain exceedingly popular.
Despite mounting legal trouble, Nhentai’s traffic remains enormous. SimilarWeb reports over 84 million visits to the platform in October 2025 alone, underscoring why publishers are so intent on bringing the site under control and why Nhentai is fighting back.
What Happens Next?
The countersuit sets up a high-stakes legal showdown that could influence how U.S. courts treat:
- Piracy sites that claim "informal permission"
- Publisher negotiations with infringing platforms
- The role of advertising deals in establishing implied authorization
If Nhentai’s interpretation of the email exchanges is accepted, it could dramatically reshape the boundaries of liability for piracy platforms especially those operating in legal gray zones.
For now, PCR’s original copyright case continues forward, and Nhentai’s countersuit adds even more complexity to an already explosive legal battle. As the manga and anime industry becomes increasingly global, this case may become one of the definitive fights over how publishers and piracy platforms interact behind the scenes. What are your thoughts on the lawsuit? Do you think they will win? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!