Starts Publishing

What Starts Publishing does

Starts Publishing Corporation (スターツ出版株式会社) is a Japanese mid-sized publisher established in March 1983 and headquartered in Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. The company operates as a subsidiary within the diversified Starts Group (スターツグループ) and has been listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market since 2022, with a disclosed capital base of ¥540.87M. Its business is organized into three pillars: OZmall, a women's lifestyle media platform offering curated restaurant, hotel, and beauty salon reservations through its premium booking service; a Brand Solution business providing B2B promotional and marketing services centered on 'women's friend marketing'; and a publishing division producing books, ebooks, comics, and light novels across multiple imprints including BeLuck COMICS/Bunko (youth BL), Starts Publishing Bunko and Tankōbon (general fiction), Grast NOVELS/COMICS, Berry's Fantasy Comics, and OZcomics.

The company combines print and digital content distribution through three proprietary novel posting sites that serve as a content development pipeline, feeding into both paper and electronic book formats distributed via national bookstore chains (Kinokuniya, Junkudo, Maruzen, Tsutaya), specialty anime and BL retailers (Animate, Horrin Love Books), and major ebook platforms. OZmall's media platform has accumulated 5M+ members over its 30-year history, monetizing through reservation commissions and premium listings from restaurant, hotel, and beauty salon suppliers. The publishing business has demonstrated IP adaptation capability, with works such as 'That Star Falling Hill' achieving ¥4.5B box office and 1.8M copies sold, plus active anime and film projects underway in 2026.

Go-to-market is hybrid: B2C publishing through retail and digital channels with content marketing via OZmall and novel posting communities, complemented by B2B advertising and promotional services targeting brands seeking to reach female consumers. Pricing follows unit pricing for individual titles (print comics typically ¥780-840+tax), transaction-fee economics for OZmall reservations, and professional services pricing for Brand Solution engagements. The company maintains media visibility through regular appearances on TBS Television and Nippon TV programs. AI/ML capabilities are not evidenced in the data; technology footprint is characterized as a conventional digital publishing platform with privacy-mark compliance and Standard Market listing credentials.

Name

Starts Publishing

Legal name

Starts Publishing Corporation

Website

https://starts-pub.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Starts Publishing is a Japanese mid-sized publisher within the Starts Group, operating three businesses: OZmall (a women's lifestyle media and reservation platform with 5M+ members), a Brand Solution marketing services arm, and a multi-imprint publishing division producing books, light novels, and comics across BL, fantasy, and general fiction genres with active anime and film adaptation pipeline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Publishing

NAICS

Book Publishers (51313), Book Publishers (513130), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

General Trade Publishing (Adult Fiction & Nonfiction) (MPAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD), Adult/Seinen/Josei Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAJ)

Keywords

• Book publishing
• Comic publishing
• Light novels
• Lifestyle media
• Reservation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chuo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Publishing (Books, Comics, Novels): Print and digital publication of novels, comics, and light novels through multiple imprints including STARS Bunko, Beluck Bunko, Berry Fantasy Comics, and Grasto Comics/NOVELS
2. Brand Solution Business: Media and content-based solution business for advertisers, providing promotion planning and marketing services leveraging publisher credibility and reader relationships
3. OZ Premium Reservation: Web reservation service for selected restaurants, hotels, and beauty salons, monetized through booking commissions and premium listings

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Starts Publishing is a Japanese publisher operating three integrated businesses: (1) OZmall, a women's lifestyle media platform offering restaurant, hotel, and beauty salon reservations with 5 million+ members; (2) a Brand Solution business providing promotional and marketing services to advertisers leveraging the company's media trust and reader relationships; and (3) a publishing business producing books, ebooks, and comics across multiple imprints (BL, light novels, fantasy comics, essay comics) sourced from proprietary novel posting sites, with successful film and anime adaptations.

Product overview

Starts Publishing is a Japanese publishing company operating under the STARTS Group, offering a multi-platform content business. The portfolio consists of: (1) OZmall, a women's lifestyle media platform with premium reservation services for restaurants, hotels, and beauty salons; (2) Brand Solution business providing promotional services leveraging media relationships; and (3) a comprehensive publishing division spanning novel posting platforms, books, ebooks, and comics across multiple imprints including BeLuck COMICS/BeLuck Bunko (youth BL), スターツ出版文庫 (general fiction), ベリーズファンタジーコミックス (fantasy comics), グラストNOVELS/COMICS (light novels/comics), and OZcomics (essay comics). The company also produces adaptations of its works into anime, film, drama, and other media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OZmall: Lifestyle media platform for women offering restaurant reservations, beauty salon bookings, and lifestyle content.
• Novema
• BeLuck COMICS
• BeLuck Bunko (BeLuck文庫)
• OZcomics
• グラスト COMICS (Grast COMICS)
• グラスト NOVELS (Grast NOVELS)
• ベリーズファンタジーコミックス (Berry Fan Comics)
• スターツ出版文庫 (Starts Publishing Bunko)
• スターツ出版単行本 (Starts Publishing Tankōbon)

Products and services

• OZmall Women's lifestyle media platform providing restaurant reservations, hotel bookings, beauty salon reservations, travel content, and lifestyle articles. Features Premium Reservation service and has reached 5 million members over 30 years.
• Brand Solution (ブランドソリューション) Solution business utilizing media power and editorial capabilities to provide brand promotion services for advertisers, themed around 'women's friend marketing' (女友達マーケティング).
• Books, Comics & Novel Posting Sites Publishing business encompassing novel posting platforms, books, ebooks, and comics across multiple imprints and labels, sourced from proprietary reader-submitted content.
• BeLuck COMICS Youth BL (Boys' Love) comic label launched in 2026, featuring adaptations of BeLuck Bunko novels into both electronic and paper comic formats.
• BeLuck Bunko (BeLuck文庫) Youth BL novel imprint featuring contest-winning works and original fiction. Associated with BeLuck COMICS for comic adaptations.
• Starts Publishing Bunko (スターツ出版文庫) Mass-market paperback imprint publishing light novels and fiction, including popular titles like the 'あの花' series.
• Berry's Fantasy Comics (ベリーズファンタジーコミックス) Fantasy comic imprint publishing series such as '双子王子の継母になりまして' in romance and fantasy genres.
• Grast NOVELS (グラストNOVELS) Light novel imprint featuring anime-adapted works including '不運からの最強男' series.
• Grast COMICS (グラストCOMICS) Comic imprint publishing adaptation and original works, including titles with bookstore purchase bonuses.
• OZcomics Comic imprint featuring essay-style comics and award-winning works from collaborations with the note platform.
• OZ Premium Reservation (OZのプレミアム予約) Web reservation service for selected restaurants, hotels, and beauty salons featured on the OZmall platform, monetized through commissions and premium listings.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Horrin Love Books (ホーリンラブブックス)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 June 2026Specialty BL manga retailer distributing exclusive BeLuck COMICS merchandise including mini clear cards and monochrome paper inserts.
• Tsutaya (TSUTAYA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 June 2026National bookstore chain distributing drama scene photocard promotions for BeLuck COMICS titles.
• Gratte (グラッテ)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 June 2026Character-printed 'graphic latte' beverage partner for BeLuck×Anime Fair 2026 promotion at Animate stores nationwide.
• Animate (アニメイト)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 June 2026Specialty anime/book retailer offering exclusive BeLuck COMICS sets with acrylic stands, novel booklets, and other purchase incentives for BL comic releases. BeLuck×Anime Fair 2026 co-promotion running June 20-July 20, 2026.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Starts Publishing