Sponsored. Founded in 1997, TOKYOPOP was one of the first publishers to bring manga to North American audiences, kicking off a manga revolution that began as a niche hobby for dedicated readers and has since become a mainstay of the comics and graphic novel industry.
Formed by Stu Levy, TOKYOPOP came about when manga was still largely unknown to Western audiences. Early challenges included whether titles should be kept as right-to-left or should have the artwork flipped – a practice that was attempted and quickly discarded – and how to translate cultural concepts that hadn’t yet become known outside of Japan. Sailor Moon, Tokyo Mew Mew, Battle Royale and many other titles were big hits in the early days, alongside manga versions of popular TV shows and movies like Star Wars, Labyrinthand Star Trek.
As the market changed so did TOKYOPOP, and now they’re best known for their inclusive and LGBTQ+ friendly LOVE x LOVE romance line (Dekoboko Sugar Days, There Are Things I Can’t Tell You, The Cat Proposed), all ages Disney Manga releasesThe Nightmare Before Christmas, Descendants) and International Women of Manga publications (Star Collector, Goldfisch, Kamo: a Pact with the Spirit World, Undead Messiah). “I first started reading manga in the early 2000s, just before the first boom,” said Kae Winters, head of marketing. “Getting to be a part of TOKYOPOP’s 25th anniversary celebrations during such an exciting time for manga is a huge honor for me as a fan.”
Throughout the year, TOKYOPOP will be holding a number of events for fans and retailers to join the celebrations. The fun has already started on social media, with fans sending in their favorite TOKYOPOP memories and photos of their extensive manga collections, and even a few tattoos!
This year’s Free Comic Book Day will feature a sneak peek of Guardian of Fukushima, a French graphic novel that tells the true story of Naoto Matsumura, a farmer ordered to evacuate from the deadly radiation zone. Unwilling to abandon his beloved animals, Matsumura chose to return home to his farm, and to fight for the beauty of life (full print release coming in March 2023).
As conventions begin in person again, TOKYOPOP will be attending Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con in July with booths on the exhibit floor and exclusive 25th anniversary merch, new manga releases, show limited bundles and sales, and giveaways. They’ll also be hosting several panels, and giving out special collectibles to fans who make purchases at the shows.
This year will also see a special return of the Rising Stars of Manga contest in collaboration with INKR’s digital comic platform. An exciting opportunity for manga and comic creators to pitch their ideas to publishing professionals, the top winners will receive a cash prize and have their work published in a collected print book. Past contests have included debut work from creators like M. Alice LeGrow (Bizenghast), Felipe Smith (MBQ), Mike Schwark and Ron Kaulfersch (Van Von Hunter), and Josh Elder (Mail Order Ninja).
And though details are still under wraps, coming in the later half of the year will be an exciting opportunity for anyone to become a part of the TOKYOPOP family. No, it’s not NFTs or blockchain technology; However this is a big move for fans who want to be a part of and have a say in how the company moves forward.
With other plans still in the pipeline and the year only just beginning, this is sure to be a great year for manga fans! Details will be updated on the TOKYOPOP website as they’re announced.
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