What Media Do International does

Media Do International, Inc. is the San Diego-based, wholly owned overseas subsidiary of MEDIA DO Co., Ltd., established in 2016. It supports Japanese content owners with translation, overseas e-bookstore distribution, marketing, and related services for entering international markets.

The wider Media Do group operates proprietary e-book infrastructure centered on the internally developed Contents Agency System and md-dc delivery system. The platform handles content ingestion, metadata management, bookstore delivery, campaign management, sales tracking, and author royalty distribution, linking more than 2,200 publishers with 150+ e-bookstores.

Media Do International sits within a portfolio that also includes publishing ERP, digital-galley marketing, publisher e-commerce, audiobook production, NFT distribution, and accessible digital-library services. The group primarily monetizes domestic e-book distribution through transaction-based commissions billed monthly, while IP/solution and global operations add SaaS subscriptions, service fees, transaction fees, and publishing sales; the core go-to-market is enterprise relationships with publishers and bookstores.

Name

Media Do International

Legal name

MEDIA DO Co., Ltd.

Website

https://mediado.jp

Company type

Public

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Media Do International is MEDIA DO’s San Diego-based overseas subsidiary, supporting translation, e-book distribution, marketing, and related services that help Japanese publishers and content owners reach international markets through the group’s publishing technology and distribution capabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Publishing & E-book Distribution Platform

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130), Book Publishers (51313), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

E-book Retail & Reading Platforms (Stores, Apps, Devices) (MPAJAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Niche Channel Distribution (Religious, Comic Shops, Specialty Retail) (MPAJAKAH), Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB), Digital Magazine & Newspaper Subscription Platforms (Paywalls, Membership) (MPAJAMAD), eBook & Digital Reading Platforms (BPAMAJAK)

Keywords

• E-book distribution
• Digital publishing platform
• Publisher SaaS tools
• Digital library services
• Content licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. E-book Distribution Business: As Japan's largest e-book distribution intermediary (distributor), Media Do handles e-book content from publishers to e-bookstores. The company takes a commission on content distributed through its platform, handles sales accounting, royalty distribution to publishers, and campaign management. With 2,200+ publishing clients and 150+ bookstore clients, the company processes approximately 30% of Japan's e-book distribution. FY2026 (ending Feb 2026) consolidated sales were ¥108.5 billion. E-book distribution revenue grew steadily, with 1Q FY2027 sales at ¥27.07 billion (+4.1% YoY).
2. IP / Solution Business: Includes audiobook business (as intermediary with Audible), Flier book summary service, FanTop NFT marketplace, OverDrive Japan digital library services, Accessible Library for visually impaired users, and publishing operations through Japan Bungeisha. Revenue comes from SaaS/service subscriptions, transaction fees, and publishing sales.
3. Global Business: International operations include translation and overseas distribution of Japanese content through Media Do International (San Diego), SaaS services for international publishers (Firebrand, NetGalley, Supadü), and translation publishing through Seven Seas Entertainment (acquired March 2026). Revenue model includes service fees, SaaS subscriptions, and publishing sales.
4. SC (Sustainability Creation) Business: Regional activation initiatives including sports operations (Tokushima Gamba Rows basketball team), entrepreneurship support (TIB/xIB JAPAN), and regional event hosting. Revenue contribution is currently modest; the sports business achieved profitability in its second year of operation. The SC business is positioned as a long-term strategic investment in regional relationships and brand building.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Media Do is Japan's largest e-book distribution intermediary, aggregating content from 2,200+ publishers and delivering it to 150+ e-bookstore platforms through its proprietary Contents Agency System (CAS) and md-dc distribution infrastructure. Beyond the core distribution platform, Media Do provides a portfolio of IP and content services including audiobook intermediation via Amazon Audible, the FanTop NFT marketplace for fan digital goods, OverDrive Japan for digital library lending, Accessible Library for visually impaired readers, and the Flier book summary service. The company's international SaaS suite (Firebrand publishing ERP, NetGalley digital galley tool, Supadü e-commerce) and its translation-publishing subsidiary Seven Seas Entertainment extend Japanese content reach into global markets.

Product overview

Media Do International operates four distinct business segments: (1) E-book Distribution Business — the core platform handling domestic e-book distribution infrastructure connecting 2,200+ publishers and 150+ e-bookstores via proprietary systems (md-dc, CAS), managing content registration, metadata, store delivery, campaigns, and royalty distribution; (2) International Business — supporting overseas expansion of Japanese content through NetGalley (US marketing tool), Supadü (UK e-commerce solutions), Seven Seas Entertainment (North American manga/light novel publishing), and Media Do International (overseas translation and distribution); (3) IP Solution Business — content creation and multi-use expansion encompassing 日本文芸社 (publisher), フライヤー/Flier (book summaries), audiobooks via Audible partnership, FanTop (NFT marketplace), OverDrive Japan (digital libraries), and アクセシブルライブラリー (accessible library); (4) SC (Sustainability Creation) Business — regional revitalization through TIB and xIB JAPAN (entrepreneurship support), Tokushima Ganbarouzu professional basketball team, and TG7 fan engagement app. The portfolio is unified by Media Do's mission to maximize content value from creation to global distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FanTop: NFT marketplace service for digital collectibles and fan engagement
• アクセシブルライブラリー
• flier
• OverDrive Japan
• NetGalley
• TG7
• ゴラクうぇぶ！

Products and services

• E-book Distribution System (CAS/md-dc) Proprietary end-to-end e-book distribution infrastructure connecting 2,200+ publishers to 150+ e-bookstore platforms, handling content registration, metadata management, store delivery, campaign management, sales tracking, and royalty distribution.
• Audiobook Business Audiobook intermediation service acting as the primary intermediary between publishers and Amazon's Audible platform, supporting audiobook content acquisition, licensing, co-production of audio data, and multilingual audiobook production through MDTS.
• FanTop NFT Marketplace NFT marketplace for content-focused digital goods including full-text narration NFTs and bundled NFT editions of physical publications, with built-in copyright-holder revenue distribution for legitimate digital goods circulation.
• OverDrive Japan Digital Library 24/7 digital lending service for e-books and audiobooks delivered to Japanese public libraries, universities, and corporate clients based on OverDrive's platform technology.
• Accessible Library Specialized e-library service for visually impaired users featuring a UI with smooth automatic text-to-speech functionality; deployed in partnership with municipal governments across 100+ jurisdictions.
• Flier Book Summary Service Subscription book-summary service delivering curated 10-minute business book summaries to individual subscribers and corporate learning clients, plus Flier Business and Flier Growth Organization Navi for enterprise HR development.
• NetGalley Digital galley and marketing platform enabling publishers and bookstores to share pre-publication book galleys digitally and collect reviews; positioned as a leading book-marketing tool in the US market.
• Supadü Publisher E-commerce Solutions Website-building and e-commerce platform solution purpose-built for publishers, enabling international digital commerce capabilities including checkout, catalog, and storefront operations.
• Seven Seas Entertainment Translation publishing label for Japanese manga and light novels in North America; publishes 1,000+ titles annually with physical distribution through Penguin Random House's bookstore network and digital distribution through major e-book platforms.
• Media Do International Global Distribution Overseas distribution and translation support for Japanese publishers entering international markets, anchored by Media Do International's San Diego office and complemented by Firebrand ERP, NetGalley, Supadü SaaS, and Seven Seas publishing operations.
• TG7 Basketball Fan App Official smartphone application for Tokushima Gamba Rows basketball fans, providing game prediction mechanics and a points loyalty program redeemable for prizes.
• Firebrand Publishing ERP End-to-end publishing workflow ERP covering editing, production, marketing, PR, and sales management, with the FLYWHEEL AI-driven book promotion engine recommending titles likely to sell.

Quantifiable outcome

• Handles approximately 30% of Japan's e-book distribution volume
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• xIB JAPAN Partner Companies (Tokushima Version Tobitate Study Abroad)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 202617 companies/organizations supporting the 'Tokushima Version Tobitate! Study Abroad JAPAN' scholarship program. Includes major Tokushima companies like Tokai Unso, Awa Bank, Tokushima Taisho Bank, Nichia Chemical, and Media Do. The program supports 50 high school students from Tokushima for international study abroad starting July 2026.
• Fukuoka Stock Exchange (福岡証券取引所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Strategic partnership agreement between xIB JAPAN (Media Do-led entrepreneur support network) and Fukuoka Stock Exchange, signed June 2026. The partnership aims to support regional entrepreneurs, promote entrepreneurship in local communities, and facilitate connections between regional companies and the capital markets through the Fukuoka Stock Exchange.
• Seven Seas Entertainment, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026North America's top independent Japanese manga/light novel translation publisher acquired by Media Do International for approximately $80 million in March 2026. Seven Seas publishes 1,000+ titles annually in North America and has a physical book distribution partnership with Penguin Random House. This is Media Do's largest M&A to date, creating the infrastructure to deliver all Japanese publishers' content globally in both digital and print formats.
• SHIFT CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025Business and capital partnership (業務資本提携) established in July 2025, focused initially on expanding Japanese content distribution to the Middle East market. SHIFT operates various industry partnership and promotion services. The partnership leverages SHIFT's regional network to support Media Do's international content expansion strategy.
• CONIST (Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2023Strategic partnership established in August 2023 with Korean company CONIST. Partnership aimed at cross-border content collaboration and market development between Japan and Korea in the digital publishing space.
• Tokushima Gamba Rows (株式会社がんばろう徳島)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Tokushima Gamba Rows is a professional basketball club (B3 League, transitioning to B.LEAGUE ONE from 2026-27) operated by Media Do Group company Ganbaro Tokushima. The club is co-funded by 23 Tokushima companies and is the centerpiece of Media Do's SC (Sustainability Creation) regional activation strategy, achieving profitability in its second year of operation — a record for new B.League clubs.
• Toho (株式会社トーハン)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Capital and business partnership with Toho, one of Japan's largest book distributors. Media Do became the largest shareholder of Toho in 2021. The partnership focuses on joint technology development for the print publishing industry, including NFT digital bonus bundled publications, and expanding Media Do's services into the physical book distribution ecosystem.
• Firebrand GroupcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Firebrand Group (headquartered in Massachusetts, USA) provides comprehensive ERP tools for the publishing industry, covering editing, production, marketing, PR, and sales management. Acquired by Media Do International in 2021 as a subsidiary, enabling Media Do to offer international publishers a complete digital workflow management solution.
• Tokushima Innovation Base (TIB) / xIB JAPANcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Entrepreneur support organization co-founded in 2020 with Tokushima Shimbun,四国放送 (Shikoku Broadcasting), 阿波銀行 (Awa Bank), and 徳島大正銀行 (Tokushima Taisho Bank). TIB has 398 members as of Feb 2026. Evolved into xIB JAPAN network supporting IB organizations across 15+ prefectures with 1,500+ total members.
• Tokushima Shimbun (徳島新聞社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-founder of Tokushima Innovation Base (TIB). As Tokushima's leading local media organization, Tokushima Shimbun collaborates on regional entrepreneur support, regional events, and community revitalization initiatives.
• Shikoku Broadcasting (四国放送)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-founder of Tokushima Innovation Base (TIB). As Tokushima's major broadcaster, JRT contributes media coverage, event promotion, and community engagement for regional entrepreneurship and revitalization initiatives.
• Awa Bank (株式会社阿波銀行)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-founder of Tokushima Innovation Base (TIB) and key financial partner in SC business initiatives. Provides regional financing and investment connections for the entrepreneur support network and regional projects.
• Tokushima Taisho Bank (株式会社徳島大正銀行)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-founder of Tokushima Innovation Base (TIB) and key financial partner in SC business initiatives. Contributes regional banking relationships and financial support for entrepreneurship ecosystem development.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rakuten Kobo: Major global e-book platform and device maker with strong presence in Japan. Competes with Media Do's distribution infrastructure at the bookstore/e-reader level and is one of the 150+ e-bookstore clients Media Do distributes to.
• BOOK☆WALKER (Kadokawa): KADOKAWA's direct-to-consumer e-book platform. Represents the kind of publisher-owned distribution alternative Media Do competes with and serves — a key customer and potential competitive threat simultaneously.
• NTT Solmare (eBookJapan): Japanese e-bookstore platform with strong manga catalog, originally part of eBookJapan. One of Media Do's 150+ e-bookstore distribution partners and a comparable e-book retail/distribution platform in Japan.
• OverDrive: US-based global leader in digital library services and a strategic partner of Media Do through OverDrive Japan. Operates the same digital library model Media Do deploys in Japan, creating both partnership overlap and competitive positioning globally.
• Yen Press: US-based manga and light novel translation publisher (joint venture between Kadokawa USA and Hachette Book Group). Directly competes with Seven Seas Entertainment in North American Japanese manga publishing.
• VIZ Media: Major US publisher of Japanese manga and anime content (Shueisha, Shogakukan, Shueisha group). Competes with Seven Seas in translated manga publishing and represents an alternative channel for the same Japanese publishers Media Do aggregates.

Broad incumbents

• Amazon Kindle / Audible: Dominant global e-book and audiobook platform. Audible partnership is a revenue stream for Media Do's audiobook business, but Kindle's worldwide scale represents the structural ceiling Media Do competes against for Japanese content distribution.
• Scribd: Subscription-based digital reading platform with global footprint. Comparable to Media Do's digital distribution model but broader in scope (documents, audiobooks, ebooks) and positioned internationally rather than Japan-focused.
• Pubmatic / Ingram Content Group: Ingram Content Group provides global book distribution and publishing services, including physical print fulfillment. Comparable to Media Do's role as intermediary infrastructure — and represents a global competitor in the publisher-services space.

Emerging players

• BookWalker Global: KADOKAWA's international manga-focused e-book platform. Directly comparable to Seven Seas Entertainment's distribution model and a downstream platform for Media Do's global Japanese-content expansion ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MediaDo3678
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/media-do-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries9 records

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 Media Do International