DeNA Launches Digital Manga Magazine Platform for Smart Devices
- Major Japanese publishers to provide exclusive titles by famous artists,
some simultaneously published in Japanese and English -
TOKYO, JAPAN – December 5, 2013 – DeNA launched Manga Box, a new mobile app that allows users to read popular artists' manga series for free, on December 4, 2013. Manga Box features 28 titles at launch, some of which are simultaneously published in both Japanese and English. The Manga Box app is available on the App Store and Google Play in 140 countries and regions around the world.
The digital manga available for free on Manga Box are provided by Japanese publishers including Kodansha Ltd. and Shogakukan, Inc. The lineup includes original manga series created by popular artists, spin-offs of existing popular series and some classics. All titles are updated weekly starting every Wednesday, with three to five new episodes uploaded each day.
On Japanese-English bilingual episodes, users can alternate the languages displayed in the text balloons by simply changing the language settings. DeNA plans to add other languages as well in the future. On Manga Box, twelve most recent issues will be accessible to users for free. Manga Box users can also read the first 100 pages of the first volume of each title at all times.
Shin Kibayashi, a renowned Japanese manga storywriter, script writer and novelist, has been appointed as the editor-in-chief of Manga Box. Kibayashi is known as the creator of Drops of God, a New York Times Best seller, Kindaichi Case Files, Remote and other popular titles.
DeNA plans to sell printed books and e-books of the manga series published on Manga Box as well as a variety of movie adaptations and merchandise based on the series in collaboration with Dentsu Inc.
DeNA held a press conference in Tokyo, Japan on December 4, 2013, at which Isao Moriyasu, President and CEO of DeNA, Kohei Furukawa, Vice President and Board Member of Kodansha and Shin Kibayashi spoke to present Manga Box.
“DeNA has built its business over the years through a fusion of mobile Internet and entertainment,” said Isao Moriyasu at the press conference. “Manga Box is a unique fusion of manga and the mobile Web. We believe this new service will delight consumers by enabling them to discover exciting new titles through their smart devices. We look forward to sharing this great Japanese pop culture with the world through the power of the mobile Internet”.
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