Tokyo, April 4, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) is pleased to announce and April 3, 2023 revamp of Manga Planet, the overseas manga content distribution service jointly operated with Niigata City-based FANTASISTA,INC. At the same time, a number of new functions will be launched.

Manga Planet is a service that takes popular manga from Japanese publishers and translates them into English. The service is provided via a monthly subscription of USD6.99, based on unlimited access. In this latest development Manga Planet has merged with its Boy’s Love (BL) focused sister brand – Futekiya, offering access to two digital libraries for the price of one!

*Manga Planet Expands by Merging with futekiya, Boosting Reader-Oriented Services - Blog | Manga Planet

Following the merger, the number of titles on offer will be expanded, while other new functions include the sale of manga works on an episode-by-episode basis, a loyalty points system, and a rental service.

*For English information on Manga Planet, please visit https://mangaplanet.com/

Background

Many of the platforms that distribute Japanese manga overseas have, to date, provided only limited sales channels, such as subscriptions and title-by-title billing. In addition, distributed content has been limited to just a portion of the works available in the domestic market. In response to the growing needs of readers who want to select a purchase method that suits them, and read more works in their favorite genres, DNP has expanded the Manga Planet contents as well as revamping the service to allow users to select multiple purchase methods.

Main Revamps

Support for Individual Billing on an Episode and/or Volume Basis as well as Rental Purchases

In addition to the subscription service, it will now be possible to purchase or rent in single episode, or single volume units. This service is a new attempt at providing a distribution platform that allows users to choose from multiple purchasing methods. Looking ahead, we will build a provision methodology that combines subscription and individual billing, which is beneficial to both content holders and users.

Expanding Contents Centered on Works such as Romantic Comedies And BL 

We will increase the number of titles by about 1,000 within 2023, centering mainly on romantic comedies and BL that are popular with our female users. A survey of overseas manga fans conducted since 2012, based on service members, revealed a strong need for the genres that will be added in this latest development. To date, only a limited number of works in these genres have been officially sold overseas. Hence, in line with this latest expansion in contents, we will not only respond to our client’s reading needs, but by boosting official contents distributed in an appropriate environment, will also be in a position to deter viewing and distribution of pirated editions.

Going Forward

Centered on Manga Planet, DNP will promote the global expansion of Japanese manga content, aiming for sales of 6 billion yen in 2030. Looking ahead, we will continue to expand various functions while anticipating changes in reading styles. We will also work on creating new value, including promoting the eradication of piracy, the manufacturing and marketing of on-demand print and goods, distribution of audio content, as well as the establishment and operation of fan communities. By leveraging a variety of Japanese manga contents, we aim to become a Global Manga Content Platformer, where manga fans around the world can communicate with writers, publishers and editors.

* Product specifications and service details referred to in this news release are current as of the date of the announcement. They may be changed without notice.