Tokyopop’s officially announced to the Beat yesterday that its American publishing would cease operations as of May 31, just two weeks after the release of PRIEST. The movie may prove to be a sign of what the company’s business style will be like from here on out as its German branch, which is in charge publishing and film rights, will continue to operate. Following substantial rounds of layoffs over the past couple years (the latest happening in February,) this will bring Tokyopop’s 14 year life to an end after significant booms and busts in its American readership. Founder and CEO, Stu Levy issued a personal statement on Tokypop’s website to coincide with the press release, giving his reasons for "laying down his guns" in the manga revolution his company's championed throughout its life.
I have some friends who’ve worked for Tokypop in the past and they’d made it sound to me like this writing’s been on the wall for a long time, both internally and externally. This will surely mark a substantial change in the landscape of American manga readership, but I’m more curious as to what this means to you in the Anime Vice community. Is it the end of an era - - perhaps one that was always unsustainable? - - or is more simply a symptom of change in a market that's still evolving?
Tokyopop managed to hold on longer then they should have, because they had very close business ties with Borders. However, in the process, I feel they over-extended themselves. When Borders started running into financial problems, the rug basically got pulled out from under them and - to mix my metaphors, like a Jenga tower, they collapsed.
Is it unfortunate? Absolutely. I'm loving Hanako and the Terror of Allegory, and I really hope it gets license rescued. Am I surprised? No. Why? Well - in a nutshell, I read volume 1 of Alice in the Country of Hearts not that long ago and was rather surprised by how bland it was. That was a manga that, really shouldn't have been licensed for a US release, yet it was. What can I say.
Unlike Central Park Media - I wasn't hoping for Tokyopop's demise - they were still active and they were still publishing quality stuff (as opposed to CPM which was vegetative), yet all the signs were there.
Ah, well. *pours a 40 on the curb*
This is not the sign of an era ending-but it is one of the times. Tokyopop just wasn't big enough to keep afloat with the bigger publishers. What I am most worried about is what will happen to the licenses. *crosses fingers for the grand entrance of FUNimation's manga division*
*Holds his fingers together so that they will never un-cross*
AiON is the one I'm most worried about of the two titles I have. I don't know much of what Tokyopop publishes so I'll have to make a list so I know a rare find when I see one.
As for the FUNimation bit, I really hope for something to come about. That way, FUNi can do the manga along with the anime. The difficult part of all that is FUNi's sales have taken beatings in recent years due to the economy and declining demand in the market (despite the growing number of fans aka consumers). Thus, I believe FUNi would be hard pressed to get a publishing office up and running. However, I also think the sales increase from doing manga would be greatly worth it and appreciated. I don't have access to any source of market data to check the viability of such a business extension but from my general knowledge of business (considering I have a degree in the field), FUNi could post significant gains and obtain a reasonable percentage of the market share.
But if FUNi does not find it reasonable to start publishing from scratch then I deem it wise to purchase ,or create a partnership with, a publisher like Seven Seas, Dark Horse, or Del Rey.
Dark Horse is going through their own problems right now.. so I doubt it will be DH. Dal Rey seems the likely choice because as far as Manga works the big hitter is VIZ then Del Rey. I used to think after that it was Tokyopop but now I doubt it.
I agree - particularly since Kodansha US took a lot of the series that Del Ray has licensed - Del Ray could use an influx of licenses if they want to stay in the Manga game, and Tokyopop has stuff that could fill that need. However, Dark Horse could be in the same position as well. We'll see.
The problem now is that Kodansha US is closing by the end of this April. America is taking a hit on the manga front because so many people just read scanlations.
I read scans a lot, too, but only to find out whether I like a series enough to buy it. But also, there are a number of titles (mostly hentai) that are not licensed in the US so scans is the only way I can read them.
Another thing about FUNi starting to do manga is that the company should take licenses from Viz so it can do the manga series along with the anime. Some examples would be One Piece and Black Lagoon. If FUNi would pick up Bakuman (which I think it should for a couple of reasons) I'd add that to the list as well.
I want this to happen!!!!
Well that's a real bummer as I was waiting on the last four volumes of Tsukuyomi: Moon Phase. Really sucks to buy into twelve volumes only to be hanging with the last ones never put out. Hopefully another publisher will come in to pick up the pieces. It is sad, but not devistating to the US manga market. Other publishers have come in such as Yen Press who have picked up quite a few series, and Viz still seems to be doing well.
In talking with one of the Borders employees recently it seems that while the manga selection had shrunk quite a bit, in recent months it has started to grow again. Though sales aren't quite what they used to be, not to mention so many people come in and just read the manga in the store without purchasing it.
There is a market, the problem seems to lie in two factors: price and availability. Manga costs considerably more than your standard comic book (which has also risen in price quite a bit), and manga isn't available in as many locations as comics. There's also the factor of the general economy, but that's affected quite a bit of markets.
You're right... My bad. I got them both confused!
Actually, that's just Kodansha International, not Kodansha USA that's closing - separate business entity (see first paragraph of linked article).
That reminds me, I should probably do a Background Reading for Frederik Schodt's stuff - once I get the Background Reading I'm already working on finished.
It's upsetting to see Tokyopop shut down since it was one of the first manga companies I followed with a passion when I was in middle school. But as time moved on, I worried less really about who was publishing the mangas as opposed to what the content is. Not to mention with the rise of online scans and the movement to digital manga for some, it is evident.
At least the President of Tokyopop isn't telling its consumers that they are the reason the company is going under.