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Shonen Jump+ Editor-In-Chief, Momiyama, has called attention to the growing manga markets in China and France, noting that these regions are often overlooked in favor of the North American market, despite their impressive sales figures.
In a recent statement on X, Momiyama highlighted a significant milestone: a single manga volume from Shonen Jump+ has surpassed 1 million copies in print sales in China, a historic first for the country.
“A comic book from Jump+ has surpassed 1 million copies in print sales in China.
This may be the first time in history that a single volume of manga has exceeded 1 million copies in print in China.It feels like the recent growth of China’s physical manga market is not widely recognized.“
While he remarked on the increasing recognition of manga’s popularity overseas, he expressed a sense of unease about how discussions often center on the North American market’s expansion.
He noted that countries like France and China play equally pivotal roles in manga’s global success.
“In recent years, there has been an increase in reports about the expanding popularity of manga overseas. Most of these seem to emphasize the growth of the North American market. However, personally, I always feel a subtle discomfort when reading them.
For example, with Jump+, there are more works that sell better in France than in North America,”
He emphasized that France publishes more manga titles than North America, a trend likely mirrored by other publishers.
These observations challenge the narrative that North America is the dominant market for international manga consumption.
Momiyama also reflected on the broader global reach facilitated by platforms like MANGA Plus.
Since its launch five years ago, the platform has provided simultaneous worldwide serialization of manga in multiple languages. The initiative has contributed to a substantial increase in global manga readership, a growth that extends beyond North America.
“Looking at the numbers, manga readership has grown significantly worldwide compared to five years ago, not just in North America.“
However, he acknowledged that significant gaps remain, especially in creating an environment where readers worldwide can access a wide variety of manga in their preferred languages.
These limitations, he argued, drive readers toward piracy. Momiyama called for the creation of an environment where fans worldwide can easily access diverse manga titles in their preferred languages.
“That said, the number of works being simultaneously published still varies greatly by language. Moreover, there are very few countries with an environment like Japan’s, where readers can choose from a wide variety of manga at any store. I personally feel that this is one reason why readers turn to piracy.
Every time I hear positive news like ‘1 million copies sold in China,’ it reminds me of the need to create an environment where readers in every country can access a wide range of manga in their preferred language as soon as possible.“
Source: X
