ASCII Jp

Name

ASCII Jp

Legal name

株式会社角川アスキー総合研究所

Website

https://ascii.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Media Publishing

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

akta.pro primary industry

Creator Monetization Tools (Subscriptions, Tips, Merch) (BPAMALAH)

Keywords

• Tech news publishing
• Digital magazine subscription
• Product review journalism
• Online media platform
• Affiliate tech content

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. ASCII Club Membership Subscription: Monthly paid subscription service offering unlimited access to Weekly ASCII magazine digital edition, 360+ back issues spanning 6+ years (50,000+ pages), exclusive original articles, video content, and daily editor newsletters. Includes 3-day free trial for new members.
2. Display Advertising: Sponsored articles, banner advertisements, and branded content partnerships with technology companies, consumer electronics brands, and e-commerce platforms featured throughout the website.
3. Affiliate Commerce: E-commerce affiliate links to products reviewed and featured on the site, including Amazon product links with affiliate commissions for PC components, gadgets, and consumer electronics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ASCII.jp is a Japanese-language technology media platform that publishes daily tech news, product reviews, and digital lifestyle content across categories such as AI, IoT, gaming, custom PCs, smartphones, and Akihabara culture. Its flagship monetized offering is the ASCII Club paid membership, which provides access to the Weekly ASCII digital magazine, more than 50,000 pages of back issues, exclusive original reviews and video content, and daily editor newsletters. Revenue is supplemented by display advertising and affiliate commerce links to reviewed products.

Product overview

ASCII Jp is a digital media publishing platform operated by KADOKAWA ASCII Research Laboratories, consisting of the main ASCII.jp news website, the paid subscription ASCII Club service, and the Weekly ASCII digital magazine. The primary ASCII.jp website serves as a comprehensive technology news portal covering AI, IoT, business technology, digital devices, gaming, and more. The ASCII Club subscription service provides exclusive access to the Weekly ASCII digital magazine, video content, daily email newsletters, and original articles and gadget reviews, while the Weekly ASCII magazine delivers weekly digital issues with deep coverage of PC components, smartphones, and Akihabara trends.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASCII Club (ASCII倶楽部) A paid membership service at 1,080 yen/month (with 3-day free trial) that provides access to the Weekly ASCII digital magazine, more than 50,000 pages of back issues across 360+ issues, exclusive original reviews, video content, and daily editor newsletters. Payment accepted via VISA, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, or Amazon Pay. Targeted at Japanese tech consumers, PC hobbyists, and IT professionals.
• Weekly ASCII (週刊アスキー) Japan's only weekly digital technology magazine, delivered every Tuesday via dedicated smartphone and tablet apps, covering PC components, smartphones, Akihabara information, and digital gadget reviews. Back catalog includes more than 50,000 pages across 360+ issues spanning over six years. Targeted at Japanese tech enthusiasts and PC builders.
• ASCII.jp Website The primary free-access technology news and information website covering AI, IoT, business technology, TECH, digital devices, iPhone/Mac, automotive, hobbies, custom PCs, AV, Akihabara, smartphones, startups, gaming, and more. Generates revenue through display advertising, sponsored content, and affiliate commerce links. Targeted at Japanese tech consumers, PC hobbyists, and IT professionals.
• アスキーチャンネル YouTube Channel Original video content platform including the ジサトラ (自作PCトーク) series, デジデジ90 program, and live streaming events such as スマホ総研定例会, ASCIIグルメNEWS, and ASCII.jp注目ニュース Weekly. Accessible without subscription. Targeted at Japanese tech and PC-building audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ pages of content available to subscribers
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• MITテクノロジーレビュー (MIT Technology Review)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 June 2026MIT Technology Review Japan edition content is featured on ASCII.jp, with sponsored article placements bringing global technology insights to Japanese readers. The partnership provides MIT Technology Review with a distribution channel for Japanese-language technology content.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ITmedia: ITmedia is Japan's largest dedicated tech-media network, covering enterprise IT, consumer electronics, startups, and security. It directly competes with ASCII.jp in Japanese-language tech news, product reviews, and newsletter-driven engagement for a similar Japanese tech-savvy audience.
• TechCrunch Japan: TechCrunch Japan is the Japanese edition of TechCrunch covering startups, venture capital, and emerging technology. It overlaps ASCII.jp in ASCII.jp's startup category and competes for Japanese tech-savvy readers interested in new products and emerging categories.
• Impress Watch: Impress Watch is a Japanese multi-vertical tech-media network (PC Watch, AV Watch, Digital Camera Watch, etc.) owned by Impress Group. It overlaps ASCII.jp almost identically across PC components, consumer electronics, gadgets, and digital life content, making it the closest direct competitor in-house format.
• CNET Japan: CNET Japan is the Japanese edition of CNET (Red Ventures), covering consumer electronics, software, and tech reviews. It competes with ASCII.jp for product-review-driven traffic, affiliate commerce on electronics, and ad revenue from Japanese tech advertisers.
• WIRED Japan: WIRED Japan is the Japanese edition of WIRED (Condé Nast) covering technology, science, and culture for premium Japanese readers. It directly competes with ASCII.jp's Weekly ASCII magazine for the same paying, tech-engaged Japanese audience, with overlapping newsletters and subscription model.
• Engadget Japan: Engadget Japan is the Japanese edition of Yahoo/Engadget covering consumer electronics, gadgets, and tech news. It competes with ASCII.jp for the same Japanese tech enthusiast reader on consumer-electronics reviews, smartphone launches, and Akihabara-relevant tech coverage.
• Gizmodo Japan: Gizmodo Japan is the Japanese edition of Gizmodo covering technology, science, and digital culture. It overlaps ASCII.jp on consumer-tech news and reviews with a similar SEO-driven content strategy and tech-savvy Japanese audience.
• Mynavi Tech+: Mynavi Tech+ is the technology-focused arm of Mynavi News covering programming, IT, and consumer tech for Japanese professionals. It overlaps ASCII.jp on IT-industry news and enterprise technology coverage for Japanese tech professionals and developers.

Broad incumbents

• Forbes Japan: Forbes Japan is the Japanese edition of Forbes covering business, technology, and entrepreneurship. It overlaps ASCII.jp on business-technology coverage and competes for Japanese IT professional and decision-maker readers, while also serving a broader business audience.
• NIKKEI Cross Tech: NIKKEI Cross Tech is the tech-focused arm of Nikkei, Japan's largest business news brand. It overlaps ASCII.jp on enterprise and consumer technology coverage but sits within a much broader business-news conglomerate with substantially larger reach and brand authority.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/asciijpeditors
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/wamweb
• Facebookfacebook.com/asciijp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 ASCII Jp