The Japanese publishing giant KADOKAWA is to launch the global development of vertical scrolling manga works.

It has already started to provide the English version of scrolling manga “TATESC Comics” on its e-book platform BOOK WALKER GLOBAL.

The company also released 20 titles at Anime NYC 2022 and aims to expand the number of titles to 100 in the next fiscal year.

Vertical scrolling manga is a manga work that is supposed to be read while scrolling vertically. It enables the reader to read the manga easily on smartphones. Vertical manga is common in South Korea and China.

The number of vertical manga readers in Japan and in Asia overall has increased rapidly. It is also famous in Europe and US. Hence Kadokawa aims to capture the growing market.

Kadokawa is one of the biggest publishers in and out of Japan. It recently acquired the Canada based Anime News website, Anime News Network.

Kadokawa states their views about acquiring the company as, “Our decision to proceed with the acquisition is intended to further strengthen KADOKAWA’s global marketing efforts relating to the digital and physical products handled by BOOK☆WALKER Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo) which operates an English online ebook store (BOOK WALKER Global), YEN PRESS, LLC (Headquarters: New York, hereinafter “YP”) which engages in the comprehensive English publication of manga and light novels, etc. in North America, and J-Novel Club LLC (Headquarters: Texas) which engages in the English e-book publication of Japanese light novels and the operation of a digital subscription service platform among others in the English- speaking market. The transaction is contemplated to be pursued through the acquisition by a newly established company under KADOKAWA’s US holding company KADOKAWA WORLD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. (Headquarters: Delaware, hereinafter “KWE”) of all of the related business assets from ANN, scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. The transaction, its value is not disclosed, would have no material impact on KADOKAWA’s consolidated business results. Following the completion of the transaction, we intend to further expand of all of the group’s businesses in the English-speaking market by strengthening collaboration in promotion and other areas among each of the group’s aforementioned businesses.“

The CEO of ANN also gave his statement on this, read the following article to know what he said:

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KADOKAWA Acquires North American Anime News Site Anime News Network

Source: Animation Business Info