Orange
Orange Inc. uses proprietary generative AI to localize Japanese manga at scale, distributing officially translated content through its emaqi consumer platform in North America and providing B2B localization services via its Studio team to manga publishers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersAkasaka, Japan
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Orange does
Orange Inc. is a Tokyo-headquartered startup founded in April 2021 by Shoko Ugaki (formerly the youngest division head at COLOPL) that applies proprietary generative AI to the localization and global distribution of Japanese manga. The company operates a dual-product model: emaqi, a direct-to-consumer digital manga platform launched in North America in summer 2024, and Studio, an in-house specialist team that delivers end-to-end manga localization services covering translation, lettering, retouching, and quality control. Its core technology comprises deep learning models trained specifically on manga content, with the explicit goal of scaling monthly translation capacity from roughly 100 volumes to 500+ and ultimately over 1,000 manga per month, a roughly 10x expansion versus current industry baseline output of officially localized manga.
Orange monetizes through a hybrid B2C/B2B model. Revenue streams include consumer-facing digital manga sales via emaqi, B2B professional localization services delivered by Studio, and potential platform licensing of its AI localization capabilities to third-party publishers. Its primary customer segment is English-speaking manga readers in North America seeking legitimate access to officially translated content, while the secondary segment comprises Japanese manga publishers seeking to accelerate global distribution of their catalogs. The company is venture-backed, having raised approximately USD 37 million in disclosed funding across multiple rounds through 2025, led by Globis Capital Partners with participation from publisher Shogakukan, SBI Investment, ANRI, JIC Venture Growth Investments, and major Japanese financial institutions. Orange established its US subsidiary Orange USA Inc. in San Francisco in March 2024, had grown to 42 employees by March 2025, and has secured exclusive distribution partnerships such as with Akita Shoten for titles including The Gene of AI.
Orange firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Orange
- Legal name
- Orange Inc.
- Website
- https://orange.inc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Orange Inc. uses proprietary generative AI to localize Japanese manga at scale, distributing officially translated content through its emaqi consumer platform in North America and providing B2B localization services via its Studio team to manga publishers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Orange industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Manga Localization and Distribution
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210)
- SIC
- Services-Allied To Motion Picture Distribution (7829)
- akta.pro primary industry
- End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management) (HDAEANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services (BPAEAHAF)
Keywords
Where Orange is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Akasaka
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Orange business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Digital Manga Sales: Revenue generated from selling manga content through the emaqi digital platform to consumers in North America and other markets
- Manga Localization Services: In-house Studio team provides end-to-end manga localization services including translation, lettering, retouching, and quality control
- Platform Licensing: Potential licensing of emaqi platform technology and AI localization capabilities to publishers
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Digital manga store pricing model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Orange product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Orange Inc. develops proprietary generative AI for large-scale, multilingual translation and localization of manga, and operates the emaqi digital manga platform that distributes officially translated manga to readers. Its in-house Studio team provides end-to-end localization services (translation, lettering, retouching, quality control) combining human expertise with AI technology.
Product overview
Orange Inc. operates a dual-product model consisting of emaqi, a digital manga platform for distribution, and Studio, an in-house localization service. The company leverages proprietary generative AI to produce large-scale, multilingual translations of manga, combining human expertise with AI technology. emaqi serves as the consumer-facing storefront where users access officially translated manga, while Studio provides the specialized manga localization team that manages translation, lettering, retouching, and quality control.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- emaqi: Digital manga platform offering new discoveries and immersive experiences for manga lovers, currently available in North America
- Studio
Products and services
- emaqi emaqi is Orange's consumer-facing digital manga platform designed to offer new discoveries and immersive experiences for manga lovers, providing official multilingual manga translations available in North America via a mobile app, with exclusive titles such as 'The Gene of AI'.
- Studio Studio is Orange's in-house specialist team dedicated to manga-focused localization, providing end-to-end services including translation, lettering, retouching, and quality control that combine human expertise with Orange's proprietary AI technology, targeted at manga publishers requiring multilingual releases.
Quantifiable outcome
- Aiming to translate 500 manga volumes monthly (2024 target)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Orange
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Orange technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Orange partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Akita ShotencoreAkita Shoten is a major manga publisher whose title 'The Gene of AI' is exclusively distributed on emaqi in English. The series received simultaneous anime broadcast in Japan and US from July 2023. Orange's platform serves as the exclusive official English-language distributor.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Orange competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- VIZ Media: Largest English-language manga distributor and a subsidiary of Shueisha. Direct competitor for licensed manga content in North America with a deeply established catalog, retail network, and Shonen Jump digital ecosystem that competes head-on with emaqi.
- Kodansha USA: US publishing arm of Kodansha, one of the largest Japanese manga publishers. Competes for English-language manga reader share via its own digital distribution and licensed catalog, and could invest in competing AI localization.
- Yen Press: Joint venture between Kadokawa and Hachette Book Group publishing English-language manga and light novels. Competitor for licensed content and shelf space that Orange's publisher partners could allocate to instead.
Direct peers
- MANGA Plus by Crunchyroll: Shueisha-operated simultaneous-release digital manga platform across multiple languages. Direct peer in AI-free, publisher-controlled digital manga distribution targeting the same English-speaking manga reader that emaqi serves.
- BookWalker: Kadokawa's official global digital manga storefront. Direct peer offering licensed multilingual manga with a similar D2C model and catalog breadth to emaqi.
- Tappytoon: Digital comics platform with a sizable English-language catalog of Korean manhwa and Japanese manga, similar mobile app distribution model and free/coin monetization that overlaps with emaqi's D2C approach.
- Pocket Comics: DeNA-operated digital manga app publishing original vertical-scroll and traditionally localized manga in English and other languages. Competes in the same smartphone-first English manga distribution market.
- Manga Worldwide: Digital manga and manhwa distribution platform with English-language catalog, providing consumer-facing storefronts for licensed titles. Closely overlaps emaqi's D2C digital manga retail model.
Emerging players
- Webtoon Entertainment: LY Corporation-backed (Naver-affiliated) global digital comics platform with significant mobile manga/manhwa distribution. Adjacent peer competing for the same multilingual digital-comics reader attention.
Regional players
- Lezhin Entertainment: Korea-based digital comics platform with Korean-language focus but expanding into English and Japanese catalog. Demonstrates the cross-border digital manga subscription model and competing for the same reader mindshare.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Orange social profiles
Digital presenceOrange financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Orange leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles22 records
Orange subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Orange funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors14 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Orange M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Orange
What does Orange do?
Orange Inc. develops proprietary generative AI for large-scale, multilingual translation and localization of manga, and operates the emaqi digital manga platform that distributes officially translated manga to readers. Its in-house Studio team provides end-to-end localization services (translation, lettering, retouching, quality control) combining human expertise with AI technology.
Is Orange a public or private company?
Orange is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Orange founded?
Orange was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Orange based?
Orange is headquartered in Akasaka, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Orange make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Digital Manga Sales are the primary driver. The others are manga Localization Services and platform Licensing.
Who are Orange's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are VIZ Media, Kodansha USA and Yen Press. Direct peers are MANGA Plus by Crunchyroll, BookWalker, Tappytoon, Pocket Comics and Manga Worldwide. Webtoon Entertainment is listed as an emerging player. Lezhin Entertainment is listed as a regional player.
Does Orange have an API?
No public API is recorded for Orange.
What industry is Orange in?
Orange's product category is Digital Manga Localization and Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAEANAA, End-to-End Enterprise AI Platforms (MLOps & Model Lifecycle Management), with a secondary code of BPAEAHAF, AI/ML Engineering & Model Development Services. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7829.