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Diamond Comics Files for 'Liquidation' Bankruptcy
Company changes previously filed chapter 11 to chapter 7 bankruptcy
― Media news website ICv2 reported on Sunday that Diamond Comic Distributors filed a new motion on Friday to change from the previously filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy to Chapter 7. This change requires the company to liquidate assets to repay debtors, as opposed to reorganizing its debts, which may allow businesses to return to operatio...
BookWalker Global Service Announces Update With Rebuilt Website, App, Reader
Users' previous purchases transfer to new library
― Kadokawa's BookWalker Global store announced on Tuesday that it is getting a big update with a new rebuilt website, app, and reader. Users' previous purchases will transfer to the new library, but they may need to set set up a new login. Additional performance improvements and features will roll out in the future. BookWalker CEO Samuel Pinansky will...
Anime Studio Gainax Formally Dissolved After Bankruptcy Concludes
Co-Founder Hideaki Anno: Rights to studio's works have been transferred to "rightful owners"
― Anime director Hideaki Anno announced on the website of his studio Khara on Thursday that the anime studio Gainax's bankruptcy proceedings have concluded, and that Gainax has officially and legally been dissolved as of Thursday, December 10. Anno noted that all of the rights to Gainax's works, deliverables,...
Crunchyroll Halts Ad-Supported Streaming on December 31
Certain anime streaming for free included Cowboy Bebop, Spy×Family, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia
― Crunchyroll revealed in an advertisement during its own free streams that it is halting free ad-supported streaming on its service on December 31. The company's subscription tiers and other ad-supported streaming channels are unaffected. Only certain titles were available for ad-supported streaming wi...
Ablaze Publishing Enters Worldwide Distribution Agreement With Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster to handle sales, global distribution of Ablaze's books, effective February 1
― Ablaze Publishing announced on Tuesday that it has entered into a worldwide distribution agreement with publishing business Simon & Schuster, effective February 1, 2026. Simon & Schuster will handle sales, fulfillment, logistics and global distribution of Ablaze's physical books. Ablaze was founded in 2019...
UAE Investment Firm UCI Invests in Developer KLab
Company plans to leverage capital mostly on acquiring Bitcoin, other crypto assets
― Japanese game developer KLab Inc. announced last Friday that the company has entered into a capital and business alliance with Ultimate Classic Investment (UCI), a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based investment firm whose investors include members of the UAE royal family. UCI has acquired shares of KLab through third pa...
Paramount Makes Hostile Takeover Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Netflix had entered agreement to acquire Warner Bros. on Friday
― CNN reported on Monday that Paramount has made a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, three days after Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery entered into a definitive agreement for Netflix to acquire Warner Bros., its film studios, its television studios, HBO, and HBO Max. Paramount is offering US$30 per Warner Bros. Discovery...
Netflix Enters Agreement to Acquire Warner Bros., HBO, HBO Max
Deal to close in around 12-18 months following Warner Bros. Discovery's split
― Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery announced on Friday that they have entered into a definitive agreement for Netflix to acquire Warner Bros., its film studios, its television studios, HBO, and HBO Max. The deal will close after Warner Bros. Discovery's previously announced split into two separate publicly traded companie...
Amazon Streamed AI English Dubs on Banana Fish, 'No Game, No Life Zero,' Pet Anime (Updated)
Voice actors speak out against AI dubs, Kadokawa & HIDIVE respond
― Amazon Prime Video's streams of the Banana Fish anime and No Game, No Life Zero anime previously listed "AI beta" dubs for its English and Latin American Spanish dubs. The company's streams of the Pet anime and Journal of the Mysterious Creatures anime were also listing the English and Latin American Spanish dubs as "AI beta" dubs. T...
Crunchyroll Launches on Whale Smart TVs
Streamer available through Whale TV app store
― Crunchyroll announced on Tuesday that its streaming service is now available on Whale TV-enabled smart televisions. Whale TV owners can add Crunchyroll to the OS through the TV's app store.Crunchyroll launched its app on Samsung smart televisions in 2024.
The company launched a 24/7 free ad-supported Crunchyroll Channel on the Samsung TV Plus service in...
WEBTOON Ent. Reports Revenue Increase But Net Loss in 3rd Quarter
Monthly active users rise in Japan but decline in Korea, rest of world
― WEBTOON Entertainment posted higher revenue but swung to a loss in the third quarter of 2025, as slowing user numbers in Korea and other global markets weighed on the company despite strong performance in Japan and continued growth in its IP adaptation business. According to the company's most recent filing and shareholder lett...
KOCCA Expands Support for Webtoon-Based Games
Google Play supports overseas marketing, platform promotion; Naver Webtoon provides IP
― The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) outlined the achievements of the second phase of the Global Webtoon Games program and discussed plans for a third phase during G-STAR 2025 at BEXCO in Busan on November 14. The initiative, run in partnership with Google Pla...
Korean Appeals Court Sentences Operator Behind NunuTV, OKToon Piracy Sites to 4.5 Years in Prison
Appeals court serves harsher sentence than initial 3-year term issued by lower court
― The Daejeon High Court's Criminal Appeals Division on November 13 sentenced the operator behind the illegal streaming site NunuTV and the webtoon piracy site OKToon to four years and six months in prison for copyright infringement. The sentence was harsher than the initial three-year term issued by a lower court i...
Shueisha, Kodansha, Shogakukan, Kadokawa Win Copyright Suit Against Cloudflare
Cloudflare ordered to pay about 500 million yen/US$3 million in damages
― The Tokyo District Court has ruled on Wednesday that American internet infrastructure company Cloudflare is liable for damages in a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Japanese publishers Shueisha, Kodansha, Shogakukan, and Kadokawa in 2022.The ruling recognized about 3.6 billion yen (about US$24 million) in damages to the ...
Pursuing a Unified Vision at FLAT STUDIO: Director loundraw and Producer Ryu Ishii
Founding a new studio is never easy - loundraw , an illustrator and the founder of FLAT STUDIO , and FLAT STUDIO producer Ryū Ishii sat down with ANN to share how they managed during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
― Founding a new studio is never easy—even without all of the logistics involved, there's pressure to prove that a new venture is worthwhile, that it can produce quality work, and that...
Young King Ours GH Magazine Ends, With Manga Moving to New Site
New website COMIC Y-OURs launches in January 2026
― The January 2026 issue of Shonengahosha's Young King Ours GH magazine announced on Monday that the magazine will cease publication, with the January 2026 issue being the magazine's last issue. The manga in the magazine will gradually move to a planned new website titled COMIC Y-OURs that will launch on January 13. The first manga to move to the site...
CyberAgent to Appoint Takahiro Yamauchi as New President After Founder Susumu Fujita Steps Down
CyberAgent also records extraordinary loss of 727 million yen from Konami settlement over Uma Musume
― Advertising and media company CyberAgent announced last Friday that its current representative director, president, and co-founder Susumu Fujita will step down as president, and that it will appoint senior managing executive officer Takahiro Yamauchi as president. The appointment is set to be formal...
Korean Government to Conduct Industry-Wide Survey on Webtoons
Survey covers 7 areas, 61 indicators including company revenues, workforce data, overseas expansion, more
― According to the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and industry sources on November 9, the Webtoon Industry Status Survey recently received approval from the Ministry of Data and Statistics, marking the first time that data on the webtoon industry will be managed as part of the government'...
AlphaPolis to Release English Manga in Print Beginning in June 2026
1st 3 volumes of May I Ask for One Final Thing?, Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time, A Gatherer's Adventure in Isekai get print releases
― Japanese publisher AlphaPolis confirmed with ANN that it will begin publishing some English-language manga titles from its Alpha Manga service in print, beginning June next year with three volumes from three manga titles. AlphaPolis told ANN it hopes the...
Digital Manga Publisher Azuki Changes Name to Omoi
Company states no changes in service's catalog, payment model, price
― Digital manga publisher Azuki announced on Thursday that it will change its name to Omoi. The company explains that the word omoi means "thought" or "feeling" in Japanese. Omoi represents the thoughtfulness and care that the company has put into its manga releases and app experience over the past four years. The company stated tha...
PlayStation 5 Gets Japan-Language-Only Digital Edition
New model will release on November 21, will be cheaper than multi-language Digital Edition at 55,000 yen
― Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced on Wednesday that it will release a new model for the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition in Japan that will only have Japanese language support. The new model will launch in Japan on November 21, and will be cheaper than the multi-language Digital Editio...
Teikoku Databank: 8 Anime Studios Closed From January to September
2 companies closed due to bankruptcy, 6 companies either suspended operations, had been dissolved
― The financial research firm Teikoku Databank published a report on November 5 noting that eight anime production companies have exited the market due to either bankruptcy or closure between January and September this year. Two anime production companies had gone bankrupt with debts of over 10 million y...
Answerman - Conventions and Nostalgia
How much of a role does nostalgia play in conventions? Answerman sorts it out.
― A Reader asks: Q: "I have been a long-time fan of attending anime conventions in the USA and enjoy going to panels, both professional as well as fan-driven. As I have gotten older, I have noticed an unusual trend with fan panels, which make up a good portion of the content, especially at small and mid-sized events. That...
Comic Valkyrie Digital Magazine Ends Publication
Magazine's publication ends in December; manga titles to move to KimiComi website
― The 149th issue of Kill Time Communication's Comic Valkyrie digital manga magazine announced on Monday that the magazine will end its regular publication with its 150th issue, which Kill Time Communication will release in December. Ongoing manga series in the magazine will move and continue on Kill Time Communication'...
Square Enix Confirms Layoffs, Restructuring in N. American, European Publishing Operations
Reports state more than 100 workers in U.S., UK could be impacted
― In a presentation on Thursday on its earnings for the six-month period ending on September 30, 2025, Square Enix disclosed to investors that the company will be laying off employees in its North American and European publishing operations as part of restructuring of its overseas organizations. The restructuring will involve closing o...
Does the Light Novel Translation Process Need AI?
As machine translation tools under the banner of AI become increasingly accessible and easy to use, the light novel landscape is at a crossroads. Do light novel publishers compromise their product for more speed, and if so, by how much?
― Tristan “Arkada” Gallant was hooked on Ascendance of a Bookworm, an isekai light novel series that is currently being translated by J-Novel Club. But when Part 5 Vo...
Cygames, Konami Settle Lawsuit Over Uma Musume Pretty Derby Game
Terms of settlement not disclosed due to confidentiality agreement
― Cygames announced on Friday that it has settled a lawsuit with Konami Digital Entertainment regarding Cygames' Uma Musume Pretty Derby game. Cygames stated it will not disclose the terms of the settlement due to a confidentiality agreement. Konami filed a lawsuit in the Tokyo District Court against Cygames in March 2023. According t...
Otaku USA Magazine Goes on Hiatus Before Switching to 2 Issues a Year
Magazine had not updated website, social media for about 2 months
― ANN reached out to Otaku USA Magazine to check on its status since its website has not had any new articles since September 2, and it has suddenly been absent on social media for about two months. The company's customer service gave the following reply, revealing that Otaku USA Magazine is on a temporary hiatus as it is changing its ...
Webtoon Platform KTOON to End Service on December 31
Platform's 12-year run ends as competition in Korean webtoon industry continues to intensify
― KTOON, a Korean webtoon platform that launched in 2013 under the name Olleh Market Webtoon, will officially end its service on December 31, 2025. The company announced that the decision was made due to changes in the business environment. Starting November 1, new user registration and Berry (in-app currenc...
Capcom Publishes Guidelines for Derivative Works
Capcom clarifies stance toward which types of works are allowed
― Capcom announced new guidelines for fan-created derivative works based on the company's intellectual properties on Tuesday. The new policy clarifies the company's stance towards specific types of derivative works. Creators of derivative works do not need to ask Capcom for permission, so long as the derivative works follows the guidelin...
Kodansha Establishes Studio in Hollywood With Award-Winning Director Chloe Zhao
Kodansha Studios to produce live-action film, TV adaptations of Japanese manga, novels for global audience
― Publishing company Kodansha announced on Tuesday that it has established Kodansha Studios in Hollywood with award-winning Chinese director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) and film producer Nicolas Gonda. Zhao is serving as the new company's chief creative officer, and Gonda as president and chief opera...
Hackers Claim Breach of Senior Employee Account at Viz Media
Alleged hack claims to have stolen 250GB of data including e-mails, NDAs, employee credentials & personal info
― The CyberNews cybersecurity news website reported on October 30 that hackers claimed to have stolen more than 250GB of corporate data from a vice-president at U.S. manga publisher Viz Media. CyberNews stated the hackers announced the alleged hack on an "underground data leak forum that's o...
Russia Bans Access to MyAnimeList Website
Ban related to LGBTQ+ content deemed "unlawful" for Russia
― The Russia-based news website The Moscow Times reported last Tuesday that Russia has banned anime database website MyAnimeList due to "extremist" LGBTQ+ content. Roskomnadzor, the Russian federal agency that oversees mass media in Russia, put MyAnimeList on the national blacklist of sites citing "systematic placement of materials containing...
18 Anime, Manga Companies Publish Joint Statement Criticizing Use of Generative AI With Sora2 Program (Updated)
Kodansha, Kadokawa, Shogakukan, Square Enix, more assert case for copyright infringement
― Eighteen Japanese companies published a joint statement on Friday criticizing the use of OpenAI's Sora2 AI video-audio generation system. Along with the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) and its member companies including Studio Ghibli, they have determined that Sora2 is producing content resembl...
Crunchyroll Launches Free Ad-Supported 24/7 Anime Channel on Samsung TV Plus
Anime airs dubbed/subbed 24/7 on 2017-2025 Samsung smart TVs
― Crunchyroll announced on Wednesday that it has launched a 24/7 Crunchyroll Channel on the Samsung TV Plus service. The free ad-supported channel is available on 2017–2025 Samsung smart televisions The channel airs anime all day from the company's catalog; such as Yu Yu Hakusho, Assassination Classroom, Black Clover, To Your Eternity, The ...
WEBTOON to Shut Down its Fan Translation Service in November
Company cites growing difficulty of maintaining, evolving service for shutdown
― WEBTOON Entertainment announced on September 25 that it will officially discontinue its Fan Translation Service on November 26 PDT, ending support for the community-based platform that allowed fans to translate webtoons into multiple languages. According to WEBTOON, the decision was made after “careful consideration,” c...
Crunchyroll Launches In-Flight Entertainment Anime on Delta in Early November
Delta SkyMiles Members can access 24-hour free trial to Crunchyroll
― Crunchyroll announced on Thursday that it will begin offering "specially curated" anime on Delta flights as in-flight entertainment on seatback screens in early November. The company stated that more than 50,000 episodes will be available from over 2,000 titles, including Black Clover, My Roommate is a Cat, Horimiya, Fruits Basket,...
P.A. Works Marks 25th Anniversary with Animated Music Video
"Run Run Lantern" short commemorates past projects
― P.A. Works released a special animated video celebrating the studio's past projects on Wednesday to commemorate the studio's 25th anniversary.The short features the song "Run Run Lantern" by Eiko Shimamiya. The staff for the music video includes:Planning: Kenji HorikawaCharacter concept design: Tomomi TakadaStory composition, storyboard direction, ...
Warner Bros. Discovery Evaluates Possible Sale of Company
Company also evaluates separate sales of Warner Bros., Discovery Global businesses
― Entertainment conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed on Tuesday that it is evaluating the possible acquisition of the whole company, or separate acquisitions for its Warner Bros. and Discovery Global businesses, as part of "a review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value" initiated by the comp...
Adores Sunshine Game Center in Ikebukuro Closes After 4 Decades
Game center closes on January 18, 2026
― The official website of Wide Leisure's Adores Sunshine game center in Ikebukuro announced on October 14 that it will close "due to various circumstances" after 40 years. The center's last business day will be on January 18, 2026. The nearby Adores Wako store and Adores Shibuya game center will continue to operate.The game center is a three-minute walk from the...
HBO Max Increases Monthly Subscriber Price Again
Ad-free plan rises from US$16.99 to US$18.49 on Tuesday
― The HBO Max streaming service revealed on Tuesday that it has increased the monthly price for the basic plan with ads from US$9.99 to US$10.99 per month, the ad-free plan from US$16.99 to US$18.49, and the premium plan from US$20.99 to US$22.99, effective immediately. The yearly plans have risen from US$109.99, US$184.99, and US$229.99, respec...
Bushiroad Acquires More of Sanzigen Studio
Bushiroad now owns 14.4% of studio
― Bushiroad announced last Friday that it has acquired more shares of SANZIGEN Animation Studio through a third-party allocation, with Bushiroad now owning 14.4% of the studio's shares. The companies did not disclose the shares' underwritten value. The company's ownership is split between studio president Hiroaki Matsuura, the Ultra Super Pictures holding company, a...
Nintendo: 'No Personal, Development, Business Info' Retrieved in Reported Data Hack
Hacking group Crimson Collective claimed it had breached Nintendo, stole assets last week
― Nintendo, in a reply to the Sankei Shimbun newspaper regarding an alleged data breach performed by a hacking group last week, confirmed the hack. However, the company noted that it has not confirmed that the hack retrieved any personal information, or any game development or business information. The Hackmanac...
Bandai Namco Filmworks, Sotsu Reorganize to Combine Gundam Units
Reorganization aims to streamline overlapping Gundam-related businesses between 2 companies
― Bandai Namco Holdings Inc. announced on October 7 that it has begun preparations for an organizational restructure of its anime-related businesses, specifically with Bandai Namco Filmworks and Sotsu Co., Ltd., to streamline overlapping Gundam-related and other businesses (anime planning, production, copyrigh...
Sponsors Remain for Fuji TV's Autumn Anime Season
Fuji TV sees gains in corporate sponsors after nearly 8 months
― ANN's Japan-based staff confirmed the return of sponsors to Fuji TV with the full-fledged start of the autumn season for anime, as of Tuesday. Fuji TV is airing eight regular animated series: Let's Play, the second season of Assassination Classroom (rerun), Shabake, Digimon Beatbreak, SI-VIS: The Sound of Heroes, Chibi Maruko-chan, Saz...
Japan's Denny's Restaurants, Other Businesses Pull Hisashi Eguchi Art After Tracing Accusations
Perfect Blue/Sonny Boy designer said he received model's consent after ads debuted
― The Denny's restaurant chain in Japan, the Ogikubo location of the shopping complex chain Lumine, and the Saison Card credit card service announced earlier this week that they have stopped using advertising illustrations by manga creator Hisashi Eguchi (Eiji, Stop!! Hibari-kun!, character designs on Roujin Z, Perfect...
Crunchyroll Cites Internal System Problems Regarding Subtitles for Fall 2025 Anime
Crunchyroll: "[Issues were] not [caused] by any change in how we create subtitles, use of new vendors or AI."
― Some of Crunchyroll's subtitles for new anime from the fall 2025 season have changed in terms of typesetting, font, and size. Continuing anime do not appear to be affected. ANN reached out to Crunchyroll regarding its subtitles, and a spokeperson responded with the following statement:
Over...
Konami Signs Publishing Deals With Random House, Panini Group for Yu-Gi-Oh! Books
Random House to release titles in U.S., Canada; Panini to publish books in Europe, Central/South America
― Konami Cross Media NY, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has signed publishing deals with Random House Children's Books and Panini Group for the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. The former will release titles in the U.S. and Canada, including various territories and military bases. The latter will publish t...
Korean Gov't Official: Webtoon Piracy Cases Surge Eightfold in 4 Years, but 91% of Takedown Requests Fail
Webtoon category now accounts for 77% of all content-related takedown requests
― Takedown requests of unauthorized overseas distribution of Korean webtoons has risen nearly eightfold from 48,452 cases in 2020 to 393,038 in 2024, according to data released on October 1 by Rep. Sol Son of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee. Despite the surge in enforcement efforts by the Ko...
Crunchyroll, AnimeJapan Partner to Offer New Award to Develop Young Anime Creators
Short film competition for animation students in Japan is aimed at discovery of new talent
― Streaming service Crunchyroll and the AnimeJapan event announced on Wednesday they are partnering to launch the New Creator Awards in Japan. The competition is aimed at nurturing and supporting the discovery of new anime creative talent. The competition is open to students in the field of animation, and short...
Kakao Entertainment Rolls Out Free AI Short-Form Video Tool for Webtoon Creators
Technology automatically selects key webtoon scenes, transforms them into short clips of around 40 seconds
― Kakao Entertainment has launched a new artificial intelligence tool that allows webtoon creators to convert their comics into short-form videos. The company announced on October 1 that, since September 29, it has been offering the “Helix Shorts AI Agent” to creators free of charge. The techno...
Naver Webtoon Launches US$70,000 Monthly Reward Program for Short-Form Video Feature 'Cuts'
Naver Webtoon to roll out "Cuts Fund Share" program starting in November
― Naver Webtoon announced on October 2 that it will offer creators a total of approximately US$70,000 (100 million won) in monthly rewards to boost its new short-form animation service, Cuts. The initiative was unveiled at the “Cuts Creators Day” event held at Naver's Green Factory headquarters in Seongnam on October 1. Around ...
New English Publisher Crossed Hearts Reveals 3 Manhwa Licenses, License of Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion Novels
New Japanese manga, Korean webcomics, Asian novels publisher plans to debut 30+ series in 2026
― Crossed Hearts, a new California-based global English publisher, has announced the worldwide English-language print launches of three Korean manhwa titles: Baroness Goes on Strike, From a Knight to a Lady, and The Archduke's Adopted Saint. Each series will debut in premium full-color print editions with b...
Manga Planet Shuts Down Digital Platform on March 31
Manga Planet to shift focus to print releases
― Manga Planet announced on Wednesday that it is closing its digital service on March 31, 2026 due to "various circumstances like recent restrictions from payment processors and the changing online landscape." Manga Planet will shift focus to its print releases through its label and futekiya imprints. Starting on October 31, Manga Planet will no longer of...
CyberAgent Establishes Anime Studio With Mob Psycho 100 Designer Yoshimichi Kameda
Kameda joins Studio Kurm as representative creator in January 2026
― CyberAgent announced on Wednesday that it has established Studio Kurm, a new anime production studio, on the same day with anime producer Maiko Okada (Yaiba: Samurai Legend, Great Pretender, Great Pretender razbliuto, The Empire of Corpses) as its president and CEO. Mob Psycho 100 anime character designer and DAN DA DAN anime alien ...
Cygames' Executive Director Yuito Kimura Steps Down
Kimura co-founded company in 2011
― Cygames announced that its Executive Director Yuito Kimura is stepping down as of Tuesday. Kimura explained that he is no longer able to fulfill his responsibilities under current circumstances, but he assured that his condition is not life-threatening. He added that he plans to return to game development someday. Kimura co-founded Cygames with President Koichi Wat...
Trump Renews Call for '100% Tariff' Tax on All Movies Made Outside U.S.
Trump made similar remark in May that has not yet resulted in action
― U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, his majority-owned social media service, on Monday that he is "imposing a 100% Tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States." The post is similar to one Trump made this past May, when he deemed movies produced in other countries a "National Security thr...
CESA Report: Half of Japanese Game Studios Use AI in Development
AI used for videos, images, stories, text, programming
― According to a Video Game Industry Report preview by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) last Thursday, 51% of Japanese game studios use AI in development. Common uses of AI were for videos, images, stories, text, and programming. In addition, 32% of companies use AI to develop game engines. The CESA conducted a survey for ...
Japan Aims to Boost Annual Entertainment Sales Overseas to 20 Trillion Yen
Ken Akamatsu pitches government's 5-year action plan at Tokyo Game Show
― Manga creator-turned-legislator Ken Akamatsu reported he had attended the Tokyo Game Show (TGS) on its first business day, Thursday, and he discussed how he presented the Japanese government's plans to support the entertainment industry, particularly video games. The current Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Education, Culture, Sp...
WEBTOON Partners with Comics Publisher BOOM! Studios for Vertical-Scroll Editions
Lineup includes Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd, Fence, Lumberjanes
― WEBTOON has announced a partnership with BOOM! Studios to adapt several of the publisher's leading titles into vertical-scroll webcomic editions for its English-language platform. The agreement makes WEBTOON the exclusive home for digital scroll adaptations of Something Is Killing the Children, Wynd, Fence, and Lumberjanes...
Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser Retires on December 31
Devon Pritchard succeeds Bowser as NOA president
― Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser announced on Thursday that he is retiring from the company on December 31. Nintendo Co., Ltd. (NCL) also announced his retirement on the same day. Devon Pritchard will succeed Bowser as president of Nintendo of America, and will also become an NCL Executive Officer in the company's board of directors.Today, I...
Disney+/Hulu to Raise Monthly Pricing on Streaming Plans in U.S.
Subscription prices to increase on October 21
― Entertainment news website The Hollywood Reporter reported on Tuesday that Disney+ is planning to raise the price for monthly subscriptions to its streaming platform beginning on October 21. The price for the subscription tier with ads will increase from US$9.99 to US$11.99, and the price for the ad-free tier will increase from US$15.99 to US$18.99. Th...
Kenshi Yonezu's 'Kick Back' Becomes 1st Japanese Song Certified Platinum in U.S.
Japanese singer-songwriter's Chainsaw Man opening makes music history once again
― The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced on Thursday that it has certified Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu's 2022 single “Kick Back” as Platinum. According to RIAA, Yonezu's single is the first Japanese-language song to receive Platinum certification in the United States. The RIAA certifi...
Korean Lawmakers Launch Bipartisan Webtoon Caucus
Inaugural ceremony for "National Assembly Members Who Love Comics and Webtoons" caucus will be held on September 25
― A new bipartisan caucus dedicated to supporting Korea's comics and webtoon industry will officially launch in the National Assembly this month. The Manhwa Webtoon Association General Federation announced that the inaugural ceremony for the “National Assembly Members Who Love Comics a...
Disney, WEBTOON Plan New Digital Comics Platform
Disney, WEBTOON agree for Disney to acquire 2% equity stake in WEBTOON Entertainment
― The Walt Disney Company and WEBTOON Entertainment announced on Monday they have signed a non-binding term sheet to develop a new digital comics platform. The service will include more than 35,000 comics from across Disney's portfolio, including Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and 20th Century Studios, along with WEBTOON...
Naver Webtoon Revises Comment Policy Following Backlash Over Author Identities
Change also retroactively applied to comments posted before June, exposing authors' nicknames on older posts
― According to Korean trade media outlet Chosun Economy, Naver Webtoon has quietly revised its comment system after a month of criticism over revealing authors' nicknames in past comments, which led to accusations of opinion manipulation. In June, the platform changed its comment display form...
Kakao Creative Foundation Expands Workspace Support for Webtoon Creators
Program supported 21 teams (66 creators) last year, fully covering their rent
― The Kakao Creative Foundation, under Kakao Entertainment, the parent company of webtoon platform Tapas, has provided creative workspaces to 158 webtoon and content creators in partnership with the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON), the company announced September 1. The program, which provides subsidized studios in ...
Animate Group's Frontier Works Acquires Yokohama Animation Lab as Subsidiary
Company aims to develop new properties with acquisition
―
Frontier Works, the planning and production company of the Animate Group, announced on Friday that it has decided to acquire the anime studio Yokohama Animation Lab as a subsidiary. Frontier Works stated the new acquisition will allow it to focus on creating new original IPs as well as to develop productions of external properties. This move ...
Abrams ComicArts Distributes Books With Lunar Distribution
Abrams previously distributed through Diamond Comics
― Abrams Books' manga- and comic book-focused division Abrams ComicArts announced on August 28 that it is now working with book distributor Lunar Distribution for its titles to the comics direct market. Abrams Books and Abrams ComicArts previously distributed books through Diamond Comic Distributors Inc. A spokesperson from Abrams ComicArts told AN...
GARNiDELiA Vocalist MARiA Reports Her Agency Has Not Paid Her Wages
MARiA: “I have come to the realization through a third party that my agency has not officially paid me for my activities over the past few years. I believe there are instances when payments were not made at all.”
― Following the September 2 announcement of Japanese pop rock duo Garnidelia's indefinite hiatus, GARNiDELiA vocalist Mai “MARiA” Mizuhashi reported that she had not been paid for her work ...
U.S. Appeals Court: Most 2025 Tariff Orders Are Illegal, But Will Stay in Effect Until October
AmiAmi to hold packages while arranging alternate shipping methods
―
A U.S. appeals court ruled on Friday that the majority of U.S. President Donald Trump's executive orders on import tariff taxes this year are illegal. However, the tariffs will remain in place until October 14 to provide a window for the administration to file a further appeal with the Supreme Court. Separately, anime and manga goo...
Japan Post, Good Smile to Suspend Most Package Deliveries to U.S. Due to Tariffs
Packages over US$100 in value no longer accepted beginning on Wednesday
―
The Japan Post announced that effective on Wednesday, it will temporarily suspend package delivery to and from the U.S. for packages exceeding US$100 in value and consumer goods, citing recent legislation surrounding import tariffs. Personal items under US$100 in value, as well as small EMS packages will still be accepted for ...
Japan Post, Good Smile Temporarily Suspend Package Delivery to U.S. Due to Import Tariffs
Packages over US$100 in value no longer accepted beginning on Wednesday
―
The Japan Post announced that effective on Wednesday, it will temporarily suspend package delivery to and from the U.S. for packages exceeding US$100 in value and consumer goods, citing recent legislation surrounding import tariffs. Personal items under US$100 in value, as well as small EMS packages will still be accepted for ...
Toei Animation Establishes New Studio in Osaka
Toei's Osaka Studio aims to recruit talented artists in Kansai region
― Toei Animation announced on Tuesday the establishment of its new production base in Osaka. The new Osaka Studio aims to further expand Toei Animation's production work, recruit talented artists in the Kansai region, and strengthen ties with the local community. With recent advances in networking and digital technology, the Osaka ...
Kakao Entertainment Shuts Down 11 Piracy Sites, Deletes 160 Million Illegal Works in 1st Half of 2025
Company has identified operators behind more than 130 sites, leading to closure of 29 since 2021
― Kakao Entertainment, the parent company of webtoon platform Tapas, announced on August 19 that it shut down 11 piracy websites worldwide and deleted more than 160 million illegally distributed works in the first half of 2025, as part of its ongoing global anti-piracy campaign. The company detailed its ...
WEBTOON Subsidiary Studio LICO Joins Naver Labor Dispute After Breakdown in Wage Talks
Studio LICO calls for its “global incentives” to be counted toward base salary, for salary increases to be in line with its parent
― Naver, the parent company of WEBTOON Entertainment, is facing mounting labor unrest after wage negotiations with six of its subsidiaries collapsed on August 12. The dispute has now drawn in Studio LICO, a WEBTOON-owned production house best known for producing the webt...
Webtoon Market in Korea Slows Sharply in 1st Half of 2025 as Platforms Consolidate
8,123 webtoons were registered in 1st half of 2025, down 17.9%
― South Korea's webtoon industry showed clear signs of slowdown in the first half of 2025, with fewer titles being released and several smaller platforms exiting the market. The result is a deeper concentration of content and revenue among top platforms. According to the “H1 2025 Comics and Webtoon Distribution Statistics” report release...
WEBTOON Entertainment Narrows Net Loss in Q2 on U.S., Japan Growth
Company reports revenue reached US$348.3 million
― WEBTOON Entertainment significantly narrowed its operating loss in the second quarter of 2025 thanks to growth in both the U.S. and Japanese markets. According to a filing on Aug 12, the company reported that revenue reached US$348.3 million, up 8.5% from US$321 million a year earlier. Net loss also shrank to US$3.88 million, down from US$76.57 mill...
GungHo Online Entertainment Dismisses Former Senior Executive for Embezzlement With Plans to File Criminal Charges
Employee embezzled about 246 million yen by making fictitious business orders to self
― Japanese game developer GungHo Online Entertainment announced on Thursday that it has dismissed a former executive-level employee for embezzlement on July 24, and it is consulting with a criminal investigative authority to discuss the possibility of filing a criminal complaint against them. The employee had misapp...
Ascendent Animation Issues Statement Regarding Kiba Walker Following Sexual Allegations With Minors
Ascendent Animation claims no affiliation with Walker, stating that they were not President nor founder
― Ascendent Animation released a statement on Monday regarding voice actor Kiba Walker (also known as "Salem Moon" in drag and LGBTQ+ circles), following allegations made against Walker on July 30 for sending sexually suggestive messages to minors. The company claimed that it "has had no affiliatio...
Crunchyroll Announces Layoffs, Organizational Growth Model for Regional Teams
Crunchyroll to build engineering hubs in U.S., Mexico, India
― Entertainment news website Variety reported on Tuesday on a memo that Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini sent out to staff, and it reveals that Crunchyroll is laying off a number of employees. In addition, some employees will expand their scope, and others will get new role assignments. These changes are effective as of Tuesday in the U.S...
Crunchyroll Partners With Delta to Offer Anime as In-Flight Entertainment
Anime will be available on Delta's seatback screens later this year
― Crunchyroll announced on Monday that it will offer "specially curated" anime on Delta flights later this year as in-flight entertainment on seatback screens. The company did not specify which series will be available, but it teased 2,000 titles and 50,000 episodes. It will share more details in the future. Crunchyroll launched on Y...
Pierrot Changes Corporate Name to Studio Pierrot
Pierrot was founded in 1979 under corporate name Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.
― Animation studio Pierrot announced last Friday that it has changed its corporate name from "Pierrot Co., Ltd." to "Studio Pierrot Co., Ltd." Yūji Nunokawa founded Pierrot under the corporate name Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd. in 1979. Since then, the studio has worked on a large number of works including The Wonderful Adventures of ...
Disney+ to Integrate Hulu Streaming Service Into Singular App
Both services to stream content on app launching in 2026
― Entertainment news website Variety reported on Wednesday that Disney+ is "fully integrating" the Hulu streaming service, and a new singular app with both Disney+ and Hulu services will launch in 2026. The subscription services will remain standalone, but both Disney+ and Hulu will be accessible from the unified app. Disney already offers bund...
Comic Exporters, Comic Holdings to Sell Diamond UK to New Company Diamond Distributors UK
Agreement pending approval of United States Bankruptcy Court
― Comic Exporters and Comic Holdings, subsidiaries of Diamond Comic Distributors Inc., announced on July 31 that the companies have entered into an agreement to sell 100% of the shares of Diamond Comic Distributors UK (Diamond UK) to Diamond Distributors UK Ltd., a new company owned and managed by the existing management team of Diamond UK....
Game Development Company Yuke's to Purchase Aquaplus
AQUAPLUS to become subsidiary of Yuke's on August 29
― Game development company Yuke's announced on Monday that it has agreed to acquire the shares of AQUAPLUS, which will become its subsidiary. With the acquisition, AQUAPLUS' subsidiary Fix Records Inc. will also become a subsidiary of Yuke's. The acquisition is scheduled to take place on August 29 with a transfer price is 783,520,000 yen (about US$...
Korean Government Reveals Plans to Offer Tax Credits for Webtoon Production Costs
Eligible content includes webtoons, digital comics distributed via online network
― In a move to boost the global competitiveness of South Korea's webtoon industry, the government announced plans to introduce tax credits covering 10–15% of production costs for digital comics. As part of the 2025 tax reform plan the Ministry of Economy and Finance unveiled on July 31, the new measure aims to strength...
Publisher AlphaPolis Acquires Anime Studio White Fox
Tsukimichi, GATE publisher to make Re:Zero, Arifureta anime studio a wholly owned subsidiary
― Japanese publishing company AlphaPolis announced on Thursday that it will acquire the anime studio WHITE FOX, and will make WHITE FOX a wholly owned subsidiary. The acquisition date is set for September 30. AlphaPolis stated in the announcement it is aiming to diversify its business into animation, merchand...
Anime Studio Gaina Changes Name to Benten Film After Being Acquired by AI Animation Company Creator's X
Gaina produced Baban Baban Ban Vampire, Forest of Piano, Grendizer U anime
― Anime studio Gaina announced on Friday that it is changing its name to Benten Film after being acquired by AI animation company Creator's X. Kinoshita Group Holdings, which had fully acquired Gaina (formerly known as Fukushima Gainax) in July 2018, has transferred all of its shares of Gaina to Creator's X. "Benten" is a refe...
VShojo Releases Statement Following Talent Exodus
VShojo CEO Justin Ignacio: I am sharing the difficult news that VShojo is shutting down, and I take full responsibility for the decisions that led us to this point.
― VTuber agency VShojo's CEO Justin Ignacio released a statement on Friday following the mass exodus of VShojo talent. Ignacio stated that VShojo is shutting down and he takes full responsibility for “the decisions that led us to this poi...
Bandai Namco, Sony Sign Strategic Business Partnership
Sony also acquires about 2.5% of Bandai Namco shares
― Bandai Namco Holdings announced on Thursday that it has signed a strategic business alliance agreement with Sony Group Corporation, aimed at strengthening engagement among anime and manga fans. Sony also agreed to acquire 16 million Bandai Namco shares held by existing shareholders for approximately 68 billion yen (about US$464.5 million), making...
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