Shueisha
Shueisha is one of Japan's "Big Three" manga publishers, founded 1926 in Tokyo, publishing Weekly Shonen Jump and a global IP catalog (One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Bleach). It monetizes via print sales, Manga Plus/Shonen Jump+ digital subscriptions, and anime/live-action licensing to Netflix, Crunchyroll, and global partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1926
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Shueisha does
Shueisha Inc. is one of Japan's "Big Three" manga publishers alongside Kodansha and Shogakukan, headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo and operating as a privately held subsidiary of the Hitotsubashi Group conglomerate. Founded in 1926, the company employs approximately 749 people (as of August 2025) and built its position around Weekly Shonen Jump, the world's best-selling manga magazine launched in 1968. The portfolio extends across multiple magazine titles, literary imprints (Shueisha Shinsho, Cobalt Bunko), light novels, educational manga, and audiobooks. The company monetizes through five primary revenue streams: print publication sales via Japanese bookstores and convenience stores; digital content subscriptions on proprietary platforms Manga Plus (launched 2019) and Shonen Jump+; licensing and royalty income from anime, live-action, and merchandise rights; book and literary publication sales; and audiobook sales. Manga tankobon volumes are typically priced between 480-770 yen, and Manga Plus operates on a freemium model offering free recent chapters with a paid premium tier for full archive access.
The company's competitive position rests on an exceptionally deep manga IP catalog, including One Piece (over 500 million copies sold), Jujutsu Kaisen (150+ million), My Hero Academia (100+ million), and Bleach (130 million). Shueisha operates a manga-to-anime-to-live-action-to-merchandise flywheel that drives international growth: it licenses streaming rights to Crunchyroll and Netflix, produces anime adaptations through partners such as CyberAgent's Cypic studio, WIT Studio, Toei Animation, and Shochiku, and recently renewed Netflix's live-action One Piece for additional seasons. International distribution is executed through Manga Plus and Shonen Jump+ (global digital platforms), licensed overseas publishers (Viz Media, Kodansha Comics), and the company's 2025 investment in REMOW for global video distribution. The firm is also active in IP protection, securing a November 2025 Tokyo District Court damages award against Cloudflare for manga piracy hosting, and is participating in a Japan METI-backed generative AI translation subsidy program to accelerate international content delivery.
Shueisha firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shueisha
- Legal name
- 株式会社集英社
- Website
- https://shueisha.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1926
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Shueisha is one of Japan's "Big Three" manga publishers, founded 1926 in Tokyo, publishing Weekly Shonen Jump and a global IP catalog (One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, Bleach). It monetizes via print sales, Manga Plus/Shonen Jump+ digital subscriptions, and anime/live-action licensing to Netflix, Crunchyroll, and global partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Shueisha industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Manga Publishing
- NAICS
- Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Publishers (51313), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- 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), Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)
Keywords
Where Shueisha is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shueisha business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Print Publication Sales: Revenue from selling physical magazines (Weekly Shonen Jump, Weekly Young Jump, etc.) and comic volumes (tankobon) through bookstores and convenience stores in Japan
- Digital Content Subscriptions: Revenue from digital manga platform Manga Plus and Shonen Jump+ subscription services offering online access to serialized manga
- Licensing and Royalties: Revenue from licensing manga and anime adaptation rights to domestic and international production companies, as well as merchandise rights
- Book and Literary Publications: Revenue from publishing novels, essays, non-fiction, and literary works through various imprints including Shueisha Shinsho, Kobunsha Bunko, and general literature divisions
- Audiobook Sales: Revenue from audiobooks based on published literary works
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Weekly Shonen Jump print magazine subscription |
| Freemium | Monthly | Manga Plus digital platform |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Manga tankobon volumes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Shueisha product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shueisha publishes and distributes manga magazines (including Weekly Shonen Jump, Weekly Young Jump), comic volumes (tankobon), novels, literary works, and educational manga. The company also operates proprietary digital manga reading platforms (Manga Plus and Shonen Jump+) and licenses its manga IP for anime adaptations, live-action productions, and merchandise worldwide.
Product overview
Shueisha operates as a comprehensive manga and publishing company with a multi-platform portfolio. At its core is Weekly Shonen Jump, the flagship weekly manga magazine featuring serialized shonen titles. The company distributes content digitally through Manga Plus (global platform) and Shonen Jump+ app, while maintaining traditional print publishing through comics/traditionally bound volumes, novels, and educational manga. Key product lines include the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine publishing flagship series, the Manga Plus digital reading platform offering global simultaneous releases, the Shonen Jump+ app for digital manga access, collected volume (tankōbon) releases, audiobooks, and specialized imprints like Cobalt Bunko (light novels) and Shueisha Shinsho (nonfiction essays). The company also produces learning manga educational content and literary works. Shueisha's manga series are adapted across multiple media including anime (both TV and film), live-action productions, and games, with major franchises like One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen, and newer titles like Kagurabachi driving significant IP value.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Manga Plus: Digital manga reading platform launched in 2019 for global distribution of Shueisha titles including Weekly Shonen Jump series.
- Weekly Shonen Jump (週刊少年ジャンプ)
Products and services
- Weekly Shonen Jump
- Manga Plus
- Shonen Jump+
- Comics / Tankobon Volumes
- Audiobooks
- Learning Manga (教育まんが)
- Novels and Literary Works
- Cobalt Bunko
- Shueisha Shinsho
Companies that use Shueisha
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Shueisha technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Shueisha partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CrunchyrollcoreCrunchyroll holds streaming rights for the Kagurabachi anime outside select Asian territories. The anime will stream globally on Crunchyroll following its premiere screenings at anime conventions starting July 2026.
- Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)minorMETI is offering a $70 million (11.5 billion yen) subsidy to approximately 15 companies including Shueisha to encourage use of generative AI for translations, as part of efforts to accelerate content delivery to foreign markets.
- CyberAgent (Cypic studio)coreCyberAgent's animation studio Cypic (formerly CygamesPictures) is producing the TV anime adaptation of Kagurabachi, scheduled for April 2027 broadcast. CyberAgent serves as co-chief production partner alongside Shochiku for the anime project.
- ShochikucoreShochiku is co-chief production partner for Kagurabachi anime alongside CyberAgent. The film distribution company handles production committee leadership for anime projects.
- REMOWminorShueisha invested in REMOW, a company that handles worldwide distribution of Japanese video content, supporting international expansion of Shueisha's media properties.
- NetflixcoreNetflix produces live-action adaptations of One Piece in partnership with Shueisha and Tomorrow Studios. Season 2 premiered March 2026, Season 3 titled 'The Battle of Alabasta' scheduled for 2027.
- Tomorrow StudioscoreTomorrow Studios produces Netflix's One Piece live-action series in partnership with Shueisha. The studio is responsible for production alongside Netflix.
- WIT StudiominorWIT Studio is collaborating with Toei Animation and Fuji Television on a new One Piece anime series adaptation separate from the Netflix live-action.
- Toei AnimationminorToei Animation is collaborating on a new One Piece anime series adaptation alongside WIT Studio and Fuji Television Network.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Shueisha competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Viz Media: Joint venture of Shueisha and Shogakukan; the largest English-language manga publisher. Directly comparable as Shueisha's primary global manga licensing arm in North America.
- Shogakukan: Fellow 'Big Three' Japanese manga publisher and Hitotsubashi Group sibling company. Publishes Weekly Shōnen Sunday and other leading magazines, and co-owns Viz Media with Shueisha — directly comparable in scale, IP library, and global licensing.
- Kodansha: One of Japan's 'Big Three' manga publishers alongside Shueisha and Shogakukan; publishes Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Attack on Titan, and Sailor Moon, and operates Kodansha Comics for English releases. Directly comparable in serialized manga publishing and global licensing.
- Kadokawa: Major Japanese publisher of manga, light novels, and anime IP (Sword Art Online, Re:Zero, Oshi no Ko). Comparable in publishing-driven anime IP incubation and multi-media franchises.
- Hakusensha: Hitotsubashi Group affiliate focused on shōjo and seinen manga (Hana to Yume, Berserk). Same parent conglomerate as Shueisha and directly comparable in serialized manga publishing.
- Square Enix: Publishes manga via Monthly Gangan Joker and others (Fullmetal Alchemist, Final Fantasy XV comics). Comparable in manga publishing with strong anime/games adjacency.
Broad incumbents
- Netflix: Global streaming incumbent and major Shueisha partner (One Piece live-action). Comparable as both a global monetization channel for Japanese manga/anime IP and an adjacent media competitor for audience attention.
- Crunchyroll: Largest global anime streaming platform and key distribution partner for Shueisha's adaptations. Comparable as a destination for Shueisha-originated IP and as a broader anime streaming incumbent.
Emerging players
- WEBTOON Entertainment: Operator of the global Webtoon digital comics platform and parent of Wattpad. Competes for digital reading time and ad/subscription revenue against Manga Plus/Shonen Jump+, especially with younger Western readers.
Others
- Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (ShoPro): Hitotsubashi Group affiliate handling licensing, media production, and rights management for Shueisha and Shogakukan IP. Comparable as an enabling ecosystem participant for Shueisha's media adaptations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shueisha social profiles
Digital presenceShueisha compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Shueisha financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shueisha leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Shueisha subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Shueisha funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shueisha M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments5 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Shueisha
What does Shueisha do?
Shueisha publishes and distributes manga magazines (including Weekly Shonen Jump, Weekly Young Jump), comic volumes (tankobon), novels, literary works, and educational manga. The company also operates proprietary digital manga reading platforms (Manga Plus and Shonen Jump+) and licenses its manga IP for anime adaptations, live-action productions, and merchandise worldwide.
Is Shueisha a public or private company?
Shueisha is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Shueisha founded?
Shueisha was founded in 1926. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Shueisha based?
Shueisha is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Shueisha make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Print Publication Sales are the primary driver. The others are digital Content Subscriptions, licensing and Royalties, book and Literary Publications and audiobook Sales.
Who are Shueisha's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Viz Media, Shogakukan, Kodansha, Kadokawa, Hakusensha and Square Enix. Broad incumbents are Netflix and Crunchyroll. WEBTOON Entertainment is listed as an emerging player. Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (ShoPro) is listed as an others.
Does Shueisha have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shueisha.
What industry is Shueisha in?
Shueisha's product category is Manga Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAGAA, Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global), with a secondary code of BPAMAJAJ, Digital Comics, Manga & Serialized Reading Platforms. Its NAICS code is 513120 and its SIC code is 2721.