Tokyo, July 12 (Jiji Press)–Kodansha Ltd., the publisher of popular Japanese manga titles including “Attack on Titan” and “Blue Lock,” plans to enter the Indian market, which has a population of 1.4 billion. While Japanese content has become increasingly popular in India since the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapidly growing South Asian economy currently imports English versions of manga products, including the Attack on Titan series, from the United States, according to Yae Sahashi of Kodansha’s global business management department. However, these imported manga books are relatively expensive, costing around 1,800 yen per volume, and are also not widely available, leading to the spread of pirated versions. “We will release official products at lower prices,” Sahashi said. “If we deliver proper products, they will contribute to further spreading (manga) and eliminating pirated versions,” Sahashi stressed. Kodansha will launch a local joint venture with partners including Dai Nippon Printing Co. as early as this month and begin operations around this autumn. It plans to annually publish about 200 manga titles in English and Hindi, aiming for billions of yen in annual sales. At a time when Japan’s publishing market is shrinking in line with the country’s declining population, there are high hopes for the Indian market, where the manga fan base can grow, including among “Generation Z” youths and an increasing number of wealthy individuals. Kodansha has already received local inquiries about the project, as well as widespread reactions on social media, according to Sahashi. Reflecting the growing popularity of manga and anime in India, meanwhile, more and more young people there are aspiring to become manga artists and illustrators, according to the New Delhi office of the Japan External Trade Organization, or JETRO. Kodansha’s expansion into India “will not just mean exports of Japanese content, but will also help develop future creative personnel,” a JETRO official said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
Japanese Manga Publisher to Enter Indian Market
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