What Comici does

Comici is a Japanese web manga platform founded in 2018, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo, that supported the production, distribution, and monetization of vertical-scroll (webtoon-format) manga content. The platform served two primary customer segments: independent manga creators who could register, post works, and receive professional editorial feedback through a distinctive "ガチ編集コメント" (Serious Editing Comments) feature, and manga readers who accessed free content via a "待つと無料" (Wait for Free) timed-unlock system. The underlying technology is a smartphone-optimized vertical-scroll reading platform with self-serve account creation, a creator analytics dashboard, and integrations for downstream e-book publishing on Amazon Kindle and BOOK☆WALKER. ABJ Mark certification (Registration No. 6091713) provided legitimacy for licensed content distribution.

Comici operated a freemium revenue model combining advertising revenue sharing with creators based on episode views, paid manga sales, and membership subscriptions offering coin-based premium access. Distribution partnerships with SmartNews (editorial recommendation) and white-label SaaS partnerships ("Comici+") with Shogakukan (Young Animal Web) and Akita Shoten (Young Champion Web) extended the platform's reach into traditional publishing. Marketing channels centered on Twitter/X, YouTube, LINE, and a weekly email newsletter, with manga contests used for creator acquisition and engagement. As of March 30, 2025, the company announced the termination of its consumer-facing manga posting service, indicating a strategic contraction and refocusing of the business. Leadership consists of Chairman Daisaku Manda and Director Sadoshima Youhei, with headcount in the 51–100 range and one early-stage funding round on record from 2020.

Name

Comici

Legal name

comici, Inc.

Website

https://comici.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Comici is a Japanese web manga platform (founded 2018, Tokyo) that enabled independent manga creators to publish vertical-scroll (webtoon) content, receive professional editorial feedback, and monetize through advertising and paid sales, serving both creators and manga readers on a freemium model. The company announced the termination of its consumer manga posting service on March 30, 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Web Manga Platform

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Software Publishers (5132), Software Publishers (513210)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Webtoon & Digital Comics Publishing Platforms (MPAJAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Digital Comics, Manga & Serialized Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAJ), Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global) (MPAJAGAA), Webcomics & Digital-First Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Web manga platform
• Vertical scroll webtoon
• Digital manga publishing
• Manga creator tools
• Manga SaaS infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibuya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Freemium Reading with Advertising Revenue Share: The platform operates a freemium model where many manga works are free to read with advertisements. Creators receive a share of advertising revenue based on episode view counts through the "待つと無料" system and direct viewing of free works.
2. Paid Manga Sales: Creators can sell their manga works or episodes directly. Users pay to access premium content, with revenue going to the platform and creator.
3. Publishing Services: The platform provides tools for creators to publish manga as physical or digital books through Kindle and BOOK☆WALKER, taking a commission on sales.
4. Membership Subscriptions: Users can register for membership accounts that provide additional features like coin rewards (100 coins for new members) and access to paid content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Comici operates a free web manga (webtoon) platform at comici.jp where independent manga creators can self-publish vertical-scroll works and readers can access them for free via the "待つと無料" ad-supported wait system or via paid purchases. The platform also licenses Comici+, a white-label manga SaaS, to traditional publishers such as Shogakukan's Young Animal Web and Akita Shoten's Young Champion Web to power their web manga sites. Creator monetization combines ad-revenue sharing, paid episode sales, membership coins, and direct self-publishing to Kindle and BOOK☆WALKER.

Product overview

コミチ (Comici) is a web manga platform offering free vertical scroll manga (ウェブトゥーン/縦スク漫画) reading and a creator posting service. The platform operates on a freemium model with the '待つと無料' (wait for free) monetization feature. Creator tools include the ガチ編集コメント system for professional editorial feedback, advertising revenue sharing, and self-publishing integrations with Kindle and BOOK☆WALKER. The コミチ+ Manga SaaS version integrates with external publications like ヤングアニマルWeb and ヤングチャンピオンWeb. Additional features include SmartNews distribution, manga awards/contests, creator analytics dashboards, and email newsletters. The platform also publishes 'マンガQ' magazine and offers educational content like '創作のヒント' (Creation Hints) for manga creators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comici (コミチ) Web Manga Platform Consumer-facing free web manga (webtoon) platform where independent manga creators self-publish vertical-scroll works and readers consume them via the "待つと無料" ad-supported wait system, paid episodes, and membership coins. ABJ mark certified.
• Comici+ (コミチ+) Manga SaaS

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 小学館 (Shogakukan) - Young Animal WebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Animal Web, a weekly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, uses the コミチ+ manga SaaS platform to power their web manga platform. This partnership allows Comici to reach readers of traditional manga magazines through their online presence.
• 秋田書店 (Akita Shoten) - Young Champion WebcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung Champion Web, a weekly manga magazine by Akita Shoten, uses the コミチ+ manga SaaS service for their web platform, enabling Comici to expand its B2B SaaS offerings to major publishing partners.
• SmartNewsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSmartNews distribution partnership where Comici's editorial team selects recommended manga works to be featured in the SmartNews app, providing additional exposure for platform creators.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Comico: NHN Japan's Comico is a Japanese vertical scroll webtoon platform with creator self-publishing tools and free/paid content tiers — a close functional peer to Comici in format and target audience.
• GANMA!: Comicsmart's GANMA! is a Japanese web manga app offering free serialized vertical scroll content with freemium monetization — a direct functional peer to Comici in both format and creator-onboarding model.
• Piccoma: Kakao Piccoma is a top Japanese webtoon/e-comic platform with a 'wait for free' ticketing model functionally similar to Comici's 待つと無料 system and an extensive paid/free content library.
• LINE Manga: Operated by LY Corporation, LINE Manga is Japan's leading webtoon and digital manga platform with millions of users, vertical scroll content, and freemium monetization — directly competing with Comici for both readers and creators.

Emerging players

• pixiv: pixiv operates a major Japanese creator community with adjacent digital comics/publishing tools (pixiv Comic), competing for the same creator audience that Comici targets and offering publishing-adjacent services.
• Tapas Media: Tapas is a global digital comics/webtoon platform with creator self-publishing tools and freemium monetization — comparable to Comici in platform mechanics, though operating primarily in English-speaking markets.

Others

• Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon): Amazon KDP is one of Comici's integrated publishing destinations and serves as a global infrastructure provider enabling creators to self-publish e-books — comparable as a publishing channel for the same creator base.
• BOOK☆WALKER: Kadokawa's BOOK☆WALKER is one of Comici's direct publishing integration partners and a major Japanese digital manga/bookstore — adjacent but also a competitor for paid manga consumption.

Broad incumbents

• ebookjapan: Yahoo Japan's ebookjapan is a major e-book platform offering both webtoon-style and traditional manga, providing Comici creators an alternative distribution channel while competing for end-reader spending.
• 少年ジャンプ+ (Shonen Jump+): Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ is a dominant webtoon/vertical scroll manga platform built on legacy IP from Weekly Shonen Jump, combining free serialized manga with paid episodes — competing with Comici for reader attention at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/comici_jp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4moYa6Fvc6kdHWR8rozZRg

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Comici