Kodansha

What Kodansha does

Kodansha Ltd. is a privately held Japanese general publishing company founded in 1909 and headquartered in Tokyo, operating one of Japan's largest manga and book publishing portfolios. The company publishes weekly, monthly, and web-based manga magazines including Weekly Shonen Magazine, Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, Morning, and Young Magazine, alongside general books, children's literature, and light novels, supported by owned digital reading platforms (K MANGA, Comic DAYS, Yanmaga Web, Palcy) and broad ebook distribution through Kindle, Piccoma, LINE Manga, Rakuten Kobo, and other services.

Its core business model combines traditional and digital manga publishing with multi-channel IP monetization. Revenue streams include subscription and unit sales of print and digital manga (manga publishing), licensing of IPs for anime production committee participation and streaming rights (e.g., Crunchyroll Manga library, 400+ titles), licensing for merchandise manufacturing (JAKKS Pacific for toys and collectibles), and direct international publishing through the 81%-owned India joint venture launching in New Delhi in autumn 2026. Kodansha also operates an internal creator development pipeline through the Kodansha Manga Awards (50th edition in 2026), the Cinema Creators Lab filmmaker grant program, and branded transmedia film initiatives like LIGHT HOLE.

The company serves a global customer base that includes Japanese and international manga readers, anime and entertainment streaming platforms (Crunchyroll, Prime Video), merchandise manufacturers and retailers (JAKKS Pacific, Roblox UGC ecosystem, Disney+ short-form distribution), and emerging overseas readerships in markets such as India. Strategic positioning centers on leveraging an extensive IP catalog of 100+ properties including Attack on Titan (140M+ copies in circulation worldwide), Ghost in the Shell, AKIRA, and Gachiakuta across print, digital, anime, streaming, merchandise, UGC gaming, and theatrical formats, supported by active copyright enforcement and government-backed AI translation initiatives.

Name

Kodansha

Legal name

KODANSHA LTD.

Website

https://kodansha.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Kodansha is a privately held Japanese publishing company founded in 1909 that publishes manga, books, and magazines through owned digital platforms and a catalog of 100+ IPs including Attack on Titan and Ghost in the Shell, monetized via print, streaming licensing, merchandise, and international joint ventures.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manga Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global) (MPAJAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Comics, Manga & Serialized Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAJ), Children’s & All-Ages Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAI), Adult/Seinen/Josei Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Manga publishing
• Digital comics
• Book publishing
• IP licensing
• Content distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Manga Publishing: Traditional print and digital manga publishing through owned magazines and comic imprints
2. IP Licensing and Streaming Rights: Licensing manga IPs to streaming platforms like Crunchyroll for anime and manga distribution
3. Merchandise Licensing: Licensing IP for toys and collectibles to manufacturers like JAKKS Pacific
4. International Publishing Joint Venture: Direct publishing operations in India through joint venture with 81% Kodansha ownership

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kodansha publishes manga magazines (Weekly Shonen Magazine, Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Morning, Young Magazine), literary books, children's publications, and digital comics through its proprietary K MANGA, Comic DAYS, Yanmaga Web, and Palcy platforms. The company licenses its intellectual property for anime adaptations, merchandise, and gaming, while running creator support programs including the Kodansha Manga Award and Cinema Creators Lab.

Product overview

Kodansha operates as a comprehensive publishing ecosystem comprising multiple digital manga reading platforms (K MANGA, Comic DAYS, Yanmaga Web, Palcy) alongside print publishing. The company offers a weekly manga magazine lineup including Weekly Shonen Magazine, Monthly Shonen Magazine, Young Magazine, Morning, Afternoon, and others, alongside general books, magazines, and children's publications. Consumer-facing digital services include K MANGA for manga distribution, Comic DAYS for serialized web manga, and the Cocreco parenting platform. The company supports creators through the Kodansha Manga Award and Kodansha Cinema Creators Lab grant program. Distribution spans physical retail, e-book platforms (e-BookJapan, Kindle, comic tme, d-book, Piccoma, Manga Kingdom, Mecha Comic, LINE Manga, Rakuten Kobo), and streaming partnerships with Crunchyroll. International expansion includes subsidiaries in North America and India.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kodansha Comics: English language manga publishing division
• K MANGA
• コクリコ (Cocreco)
• Bilbio Sirius
• Weekly Shonen Magazine
• Morning
• Nakayoshi
• Young Magazine

Products and services

• K MANGA Digital manga reading platform offering Kodansha's comic catalog for online access, supporting multiple formats including standard chapters and micro-content versions. Targeted at manga readers globally.
• Comic DAYS (コミックDAYS) Web-based manga reading service offering serialized manga chapters, accessible through web browsers without dedicated app installation. Targeted at manga readers who prefer browser-based consumption.
• Yanmaga Web (ヤンマガWeb) Manga serialization platform featuring works from Young Magazine and related labels, available on web browsers. Targeted at seinen manga readers.
• Palcy (パルシィ) Digital manga reading app for smartphones and tablets, offering Kodansha's catalog for mobile reading. Targeted at mobile-first manga readers.
• Kodansha Cocreco (講談社コクリコ) Children's and parenting information platform featuring articles on pregnancy, childcare, health, education, and entertainment content for families. Targeted at parents and families in Japan.
• Kodansha Manga Award (講談社漫画賞) Award ceremony recognizing excellence in manga across multiple categories including shonen, shjo, general, and children's divisions. Targeted at manga creators and industry professionals.
• Kodansha Cinema Creators Lab Film grant program providing 10 million yen to independent filmmakers, helping productions secure selections at over 60 international film festivals. Targeted at independent filmmakers globally.
• Weekly Shonen Magazine (週刊少年マガジン) Weekly shonen manga magazine serializing popular manga titles including Attack on Titan and Gachiakuta. Targeted at shonen manga readers.
• Nakayoshi (なかよし) Shojo manga magazine serializing manga titles targeted at young female readers. Targeted at shojo manga readers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Attack on Titan has over 140 million copies in circulation worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and strategic.

• Dai Nippon Printing Co. (DNP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Joint venture for India market entry with Kodansha holding 81%, DNP 14%, and IJK 5% stakes. Operations begin autumn 2026 in New Delhi to publish and distribute manga titles including Attack on Titan and Blue Lock for the Indian market with INR 95 million capital.
• IJ Kakehashi Services (IJK)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Joint venture partner for India market entry alongside DNP, holding 5% stake. Joint venture established to publish and distribute Kodansha manga in India targeting growing market.
• Seven Seas EntertainmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 June 2026Seven Seas Entertainment handles English license for 'The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King' manga series serialized in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shonen Magazine.
• The Walt Disney Company JapanstrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2026Streaming partnership to bring 20 curated short films from SSFF & ASIA 2026 to Disney+ starting July 31, 2026. Kodansha President Yoshinobu Noma highlighted Kodansha Cinema Creators Lab success.
• CrunchyrollcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 May 2026Partnership to bring 23 Kodansha manga series to Crunchyroll Manga, including flagship titles Attack on Titan, Fire Force, BAKEMONOGATARI, and Tokyo Revengers. Expands Crunchyroll Manga library to over 400 titles as part of Ani-May celebration.
• N Lite Anime StudiostrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2026Partnership to co-develop Mfinda manga prequel serialized in Kodansha's Biblio Sirius Magazine in 2026. Deal notable as one of first instances of major Japanese publisher co-developing manga from original IP conceived by global studio.
• Science SarucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026Science Saru is producing the new Ghost in the Shell anime adaptation in collaboration with Bandai Namco Filmworks and Kodansha. Series directed by Mokochan, streaming globally on Prime Video from July 2026.
• Bandai Namco FilmworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2026Co-production partner for Ghost in the Shell anime adaptation alongside Science Saru and Kodansha. Series scheduled to premiere July 2026 on Prime Video.
• JAKKS PacificcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 4 March 2026Licensing partnership to design, manufacture, market, and sell toys and collectibles inspired by Kodansha anime properties, starting with Attack on Titan and Gachiakuta. Distribution planned across specialty, online, DTC, collector-focused platforms, and major retailers.
• RobloxcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 July 2025Kodansha joined Roblox's IP licensing platform enabling creators to build experiences featuring Kodansha franchises on the platform. Part of Roblox's goal to capture 10% of global gaming content revenue.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Shueisha: Japan's largest manga publisher (Weekly Shonen Jump, One Piece, Dragon Ball). Direct competitor across both Japanese-domestic publishing and global English-language distribution through its VIZ Media subsidiary.
• Kadokawa: Major Japanese publisher of manga, light novels, and anime-adjacent media. Directly competes in serialized manga magazines (e.g., Monthly Shonen Ace) and anime adaptation production committees.
• Shogakukan: Japanese manga and book publisher; co-owner of VIZ Media with Shueisha. Competes head-to-head with Kodansha in shonen, shojo, and seinen manga segments and is a co-plaintiff in the manga piracy litigation.
• Square Enix: Publisher of manga through Gangan Comics labels and Monthly Shonen Gangan magazine. Directly comparable as a Japanese publisher operating both a gaming franchise business and a serialized manga catalog.
• Yen Press: US-based manga and light novel publisher, joint venture between Kadokawa and Hachette. Direct competitor to Kodansha Comics for English-language licensing of Japanese manga titles.
• Seven Seas Entertainment: Independent English-language manga publisher; an existing Kodansha licensing partner (English license for The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King). Operates in the same niche-market English manga segment targeted by Kodansha Comics.

Broad incumbents

• VIZ Media: Largest English-language manga publisher and distributor in North America, owned by Shueisha and Shogakukan. Competes directly with Kodansha USA/Kodansha Comics for shelf space and digital reader mindshare in Western markets.
• Dark Horse Comics: Long-established US graphic novel publisher with translation editions of Japanese manga. Competes for high-end graphic novel reader dollars and awards in the same category where Kodansha titles have won Eisner and Harvey Awards.
• Marvel Entertainment: Global comics and transmedia entertainment incumbent; cited alongside Kodansha, Shueisha, and Kadokawa as a peer in the global comic book market. Comparable as a comics-IP-to-entertainment franchise operator.

Others

• Crunchyroll (Sony): Anime/manga streaming platform and a Kodansha channel partner for 23 manga series on Crunchyroll Manga. Important distribution relationship as well as ecosystem participant shaping global anime-linked manga consumption.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kodansha_novels
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cocrecoOfficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/kodanshaohanashitai
• Facebookfacebook.com/kodanshablue

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments14 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kodansha