（株）白泉社
Hakusensha (白泉社) is a privately held Japanese manga and lifestyle publisher, founded in 1973 and headquartered in Tokyo. It publishes shōjo, seinen, and parenting magazines, owns globally recognized manga IP including Fruits Basket and Berserk, and distributes digitally through MangaPark and a LINE Manga partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What （株）白泉社 does
Hakusensha (白泉社) is a privately held Japanese publishing company founded in December 1973 and headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. It was established by a group of former Shogakukan employees and is approaching its 50th anniversary in 2026. The company operates a portfolio of long-running manga magazines spanning multiple demographics — shōjo titles such as Hana to Yume (since 1974), LaLa (since 1976), and Melody, and seinen titles such as Young Animal — alongside lifestyle publications including the picture-book magazine MOE and the parenting magazine kodomoe. Its catalog includes globally recognized manga series such as Fruits Basket, Natsume's Book of Friends, Berserk, and 3-gatsu no Lion, which support tankōbon volume sales, anime adaptations, and licensing.
Hakusensha's business model is built on serialized manga publication in print magazines, with associated revenue from tankōbon collected volumes, digital distribution, and media-mix licensing. The company has progressively extended its digital footprint: it launched the proprietary MangaPark reading application in 2017, operates the Hakusensha e-net digital storefront, and entered a digital distribution partnership with LINE Manga in 2018 to reach mobile-first and overseas readers. Two print spinoff titles — Bessatsu Hana to Yume and Young Animal Arashi — were discontinued in 2018, signaling portfolio consolidation around stronger franchises as circulation migrates from print to digital.
The company is led by President Takaki Yasufumi (高木靖文). It has no parent company, no venture funding, and is not publicly listed. There are no disclosed financial figures in the available data; revenue, full headcount, and capital structure are not publicly reported, which constrains financial triangulation. Strategic direction in recent years has emphasized digital channel expansion and rationalization of the print portfolio, rather than M&A, geographic expansion, or AI-driven product development.
（株）白泉社 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- （株）白泉社
- Legal name
- 株式会社白泉社
- Website
- https://hakusensha.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Hakusensha (白泉社) is a privately held Japanese manga and lifestyle publisher, founded in 1973 and headquartered in Tokyo. It publishes shōjo, seinen, and parenting magazines, owns globally recognized manga IP including Fruits Basket and Berserk, and distributes digitally through MangaPark and a LINE Manga partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
（株）白泉社 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Manga Publishing
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Book Publishers (51313), Periodical Publishers (513120), Book Publishers (513130), Periodical Publishers (51312)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global) (MPAJAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Children’s & All-Ages Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAI), Adult/Seinen/Josei Comics Publishing (MPAJAGAJ), Children’s Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Publishing (MPAJAFAH), Digital Comics, Manga & Serialized Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAJ), Picture Book Publishing (MPAJAFAA), Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)
Keywords
Where （株）白泉社 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
（株）白泉社 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Magazine Publishing: Publishing of shōjo manga magazines including 花とゆめ (Hana to Yume), LaLa, Melody, and other titles on regular publishing schedules (biweekly, monthly)
- Comic Book Sales: Sale of compiled manga volumes (コミックス/コミックススペシャル) through retail and digital channels
- Digital Content Sales: Electronic magazine and comic sales through proprietary e-net platform and third-party digital bookstores
- Advertising Revenue: Advertising space sold in magazines and digital media to advertisers through the Content Business Department
- Media Adaptation Licensing: Licensing of manga titles for TV drama, anime, film, stage, radio, drama CD, and game adaptations
- Book Publishing: Publishing of books including picture books, parenting magazines (kodomoe), and novels through the Books Editorial Department
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 花とゆめコミックス regular format |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 花とゆめコミックススペシャル special format |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | Bulk comic inserts and postcard advertisements |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
（株）白泉社 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hakusensha is a Japanese manga publisher that produces and distributes serialized manga magazines, compiled comic volumes (tankōbon), picture books, parenting magazines, and books. Its portfolio spans shōjo titles such as Hana to Yume and LaLa, seinen titles such as Young Animal, specialty magazines such as MOE (picture books) and kodomoe (parenting), and a growing digital line of electronic magazines and the MangaPark mobile reading app. Content is sold both in physical retail and through the company's proprietary e-net digital storefront and partnerships with LINE Manga and other third-party e-book retailers.
Product overview
Hakusensha is a Japanese publishing company specializing in manga and related media. The company operates a portfolio of print and digital magazine publications including shoujo manga magazines (花とゆめ, LaLa, LaLa DX, メロディ), seinen manga magazines (ヤングアニマル, ハレム, 楽園), and specialty publications (MOE picture book magazine, kodomoe parenting magazine). The company has expanded into digital publishing through electronic magazines (Love Silky, Love Jossie, ホラーシルキー, 黒蜜, 花丸漫画, 花ゆめAi) and mobile applications (マンガPark app), while maintaining traditional comic book (コミックス) publishing. Hakusensha also operates e-commerce platforms (白泉社e-net!) and fan engagement sites (HBStation, マンガラボ!). Notable manga series include Fruits Basket, 3月的狮子, Beruserk, Natsume's Book of Friends, and パタリロ！. The company maintains a multimedia strategy with adaptations into TV anime, films, stage plays, games, and drama CDs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 花とゆめ (Hana to Yume): Shōjo manga magazine published semi-monthly
- LaLa
- Melody
- Young Animal
- MOE
- kodomoe
- 楽園 (Rakuen)
- Love Silky
- Love Jossie
- 花ゆめAi
- マンガPark (Manga Park)
- マンガラボ！ (Manga Lab!)
Products and services
- 花とゆめ (Hana to Yume) Semi-monthly shōjo manga magazine, Hakusensha's flagship publication featuring romance and adventure stories for middle and high school readers.
- 花とゆめ+ (Hana to Yume Plus) Web-based shōjo manga magazine extending the Hana to Yume brand to digital platforms.
- LaLa Monthly shōjo manga magazine publishing innovative and trending works in the shōjo manga scene.
- LaLa DX Sister magazine to LaLa featuring longer dramatic stories, new series from LaLa authors, and fresh works.
- メロディ (Melody) Shōjo manga magazine focused on dramatic storytelling with emotional depth and romantic narratives.
- ヤングアニマル (Young Animal) Bi-monthly seinen manga magazine targeting young salarymen, featuring dramatic and action-oriented manga series.
- ヤングアニマルZERO (Young Animal ZERO) Odd-month released seinen manga magazine featuring fighting and action-oriented content.
- ハレム (Harem) Digital manga magazine delivered electronically, part of Hakusensha's web-based publishing expansion for young adult male readers.
- MOE Picture book magazine for adults interested in children's literature, promoting high-quality illustrated content and enriching lifestyle themes; celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2018.
- kodomoe Childcare and parenting information magazine covering the period from before birth through elementary school, presented in a picture-book style format.
- 楽園 (Rakuen) Manga magazine featuring adult-oriented dramatic content including boys' love titles.
- 花ゆめAi (HanaYume Ai) Web magazine platform for digital manga delivery under the Hana to Yume brand.
- 花丸漫画 (Hanamaru Manga) Digital manga magazine delivering manga content through web platform.
- Love Silky Electronic magazine featuring romance and drama manga, Hakusensha's first digital magazine marking the company's entry into digital publishing.
- Love Jossie Electronic manga magazine delivering manga content digitally.
- ホラー シルキー (Horror Silky) Digital horror manga magazine delivering horror genre content electronically.
- 黒蜜 (Kuromitsu) Digital manga magazine offering content in the dark/drama genre.
- マンガPark (MangaPark) Mobile application for reading manga on smartphones and tablets, part of Hakusensha's digital transformation strategy.
- 白泉社e-net! (Hakusensha e-net!) Hakusensha's proprietary e-commerce platform for purchasing digital manga and e-books, offering both free trial reading and paid purchases.
- WEB白泉社ノベルズ (WEB Hakusensha Novels) Web-based novel platform for light novels and novel publications under the Hakusensha brand.
- 花とゆめコミックス (Hana to Yume Comics) Comic book (tankōbon) series publishing manga serialized in Hana to Yume magazine, including both regular format (approximately 650-700 yen) and special format (approximately 990 yen) editions.
- HBStation Official Hakusensha web portal for manga content and fan engagement.
- 水果篮子 (Fruits Basket) manga series Popular shōjo manga series by Takaya Natsuki featuring zodiac-themed romantic comedy drama, including special editions, anime illustration books, and the 'another' spin-off series.
- マンガラボ! (Manga Lab!) Manga submission website accepting reader submissions, providing a platform for aspiring manga artists to submit their work.
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple ongoing manga series adapted to anime, TV drama, and film
Companies that use （株）白泉社
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
（株）白泉社 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
（株）白泉社 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LINEマンガ (LINE Manga)coreOfficial partnership for digital manga distribution through LINE Manga platform. Hakusensha titles made available for purchase and reading through LINE Manga service.
- マンガPark (MangaPark)coreProprietary manga reading app launched in August 2017. Provides mobile platform for reading manga content distributed by Hakusensha through dedicated smartphone application.
- Various Digital E-book RetailersminorPartnerships with numerous e-book retailers including Amazon Kindle, Rakuten Kobo, BookLive, Comic C-mo, and dozens of other digital manga distribution platforms.
- アニメイト (Animate)coreMajor manga retailer partnership for promotional campaigns. Animeイトオンライン限定特典 (Animate Online Limited Benefits) campaigns offering exclusive bonuses with magazine and comic purchases.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights4 records
（株）白泉社 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kodansha (講談社): Kodansha publishes major shōjo titles (Nakayoshi, Dessert, ARIA) alongside a vast shōnen, seinen, and literary catalog. It is one of Hakusensha's most direct competitors for shōjo reader mindshare and global IP licensing.
- Ichijinsha (一迅社): Ichijinsha publishes shōjo, BL, and seinen manga magazines (Comic Zero Sum, Comic百合姫, Monthly Comic Rex) and is a comparable mid-sized Japanese manga publisher with overlapping audience segments.
- Shueisha (集英社): Shueisha is Japan's largest manga publisher, operating flagship weekly and monthly shōnen and shōjo magazines (Shonen Jump, Ribon, Margaret) and competing directly with Hakusensha for top creators, retail shelf space, and global anime licensing opportunities.
- Shogakukan (小学館): Shogakukan publishes competing shōjo magazines (Ciao, Sho-Comi, Betsucomi) and shares the Shogakukan-Shueisha production network. It directly overlaps with Hakusensha in editorial format, audience, and adaptation licensing.
- Akita Shoten (秋田書店): Akita Shoten publishes shōnen and shōjo manga magazines (Champion, Princess, Mystery Bonita) and operates as a similarly scaled mid-tier Japanese manga publisher with overlapping editorial and licensing dynamics.
- Futabasha (双葉社): Futabasha publishes seinen and seinen-adjacent manga magazines (Weekly Manga Goraku, Manga Action) and is a comparable Japanese manga publisher in terms of size, editorial focus, and target demographics.
- Tokuma Shoten (徳間書店): Tokuma Shoten publishes seinen manga (Monthly Comic Zenon) and other manga/literary titles, overlapping with Hakusensha in serialized magazine publishing and comic book compilations.
Emerging players
- Square Enix (スクウェア・エニックス): Square Enix publishes manga through Gangan Comics magazines and platforms (Manga UP!). While primarily a games company, its manga division competes with Hakusensha for digital readers and creator talent.
Broad incumbents
- Kadokawa (KADOKAWA): Kadokawa is a diversified media conglomerate with significant manga publishing (ComicWalker, multiple imprints), light novels, anime, and games. It overlaps with Hakusensha in manga and adjacent digital/light novel categories.
Others
- LINE Manga (LINE Digital Frontier): LINE Manga is a major Japanese digital manga distribution platform and an existing Hakusensha distribution partner. It is comparable as a competing distribution channel for serialized digital manga and a strategic partner/competitor on the digital side.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
（株）白泉社 social profiles
Digital presence（株）白泉社 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
（株）白泉社 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
（株）白泉社 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
（株）白泉社 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
（株）白泉社 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about （株）白泉社
What does （株）白泉社 do?
Hakusensha is a Japanese manga publisher that produces and distributes serialized manga magazines, compiled comic volumes (tankōbon), picture books, parenting magazines, and books. Its portfolio spans shōjo titles such as Hana to Yume and LaLa, seinen titles such as Young Animal, specialty magazines such as MOE (picture books) and kodomoe (parenting), and a growing digital line of electronic magazines and the MangaPark mobile reading app. Content is sold both in physical retail and through the company's proprietary e-net digital storefront and partnerships with LINE Manga and other third-party e-book retailers.
Is （株）白泉社 a public or private company?
（株）白泉社 is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was （株）白泉社 founded?
（株）白泉社 was founded in 1973. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is （株）白泉社 based?
（株）白泉社 is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does （株）白泉社 make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Magazine Publishing is the primary driver. The others are comic Book Sales, digital Content Sales, advertising Revenue, media Adaptation Licensing and book Publishing.
Who are （株）白泉社's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kodansha (講談社), Ichijinsha (一迅社), Shueisha (集英社), Shogakukan (小学館), Akita Shoten (秋田書店), Futabasha (双葉社) and Tokuma Shoten (徳間書店). Square Enix (スクウェア・エニックス) is listed as an emerging player. Kadokawa (KADOKAWA) is listed as a broad incumbent. LINE Manga (LINE Digital Frontier) is listed as an others.
Does （株）白泉社 have an API?
No public API is recorded for （株）白泉社.
What industry is （株）白泉社 in?
（株）白泉社's product category is Manga Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAGAA, Manga Publishing (Japanese & Global), with a secondary code of MPAJAGAI, Children’s & All-Ages Comics Publishing. Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2731.