When it comes to manga, the industry has found itself a new frontier. The global marketing is booming as readers are still finding faves may they be new or old. From classic shojo runs to new shonen hits, manga has a firm foothold in the United States. Now, a new report has surfaced breaking down which publishers are topping the industry stateside, and Viz Media is holding strong despite new competition.
The whole presentation came to life as San Diego Comic Con courtesy of the Manga Publishing Roundtable. It was there experts from publishers like Square Enix appeared to talk about the U.S. market. To kick off the conversation, some facts about manga publishers from 2023 were presented, and the data speaks for itself.
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“In 2023, manga sales were $381.16 million USD, -13.15% compared to 2022. Viz Media titles were 57% of all manga sold, down from 60% in 2022,” the report shared. It went on to break down the market share for U.S. manga by publisher. It turns out Viz Media has more than 50% of the field though that figure is down a few points. Other publishers like Yen Press and Kodansha are vying for second place, so you can check out the full list below:
- Viz: 57%
- Kodansha: 13%
- Yen Press: 13%
- Seven Seas: 9%
- Dark Horse: 4%
- Square Enix: 2%
- Tokyopop: 1%
- All Other Combined: 1%
While the figures between 2023 and 2022 drops across the board for manga, the interest in reading is only growing. During the panel, the topic of apps surfaced as digital comics have become a go-to for readers. From webtoons to manhwa and manhua, the rise of digital comics cannot be ignored, and manga is catching up. From K Manga to the Shonen Jump app, there are new ways to access manga legally than ever before and at minimal cost. So as the field pivots towards digitization, all eyes will be on publishers like Viz Media to see how they adapt.
What do you make of this latest manga industry update? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
