Japanese telecommunications company NTT DOCOMO, INC announced today the U.S. launch of digital manga platform MANGA MIRAI, developed in partnership with MyAnimeList Co., Ltd., Akatsuki Group, and MEDIA DO Co., Ltd. MANGA MIRAI offers a diverse selection of titles from a variety of publishers, including Kodansha USA Publishing, LLC, Yen Press, LLC, and SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
The platform aims to provide an environment for English-speaking anime, comic, and webtoon fans to explore the titles serving as the basis for popular anime series and discover entirely new stories as well.
MANGA MIRAI will launch with over 11,000 volumes across more than 780 titles. The platform features dedicated adapted-to-anime sections for manga of popular anime adaptations such as WIND BREAKER and BLUE LOCK. Additionally, MANGA MIRAI will feature original manga + webtoons and English editions of previously untranslated titles, opening up new stories and series to fans.
For manga series, users will have the opportunity to purchase titles on a per volume basis and can access their content via a standard left-to-right page turning interface. For other titles, including some of the webtoons and manga-inspired titles on the platform, users can buy single or multiple episodes / chapters and read the content in a vertical scrolling format.
Purchased titles can be read on both the website or through the dedicated reading app, available on both the Apple Store and Google Play. We had the opportunity to check out the platform ahead of its official launch and found it to be a solid one, with the site having many features to bolster ease-of-access and quick locating of relevant and interesting titles.
Saori Miyahara, General Manager of NTT DOCOMO’s Content Service Department, explained that “The Japanese word ‘MIRAI’ means ‘future’,” further commenting that “The name MANGA MIRAI reflects our mission to deliver the celebrated manga culture of Japan to the entire world and establish its future. We hope to support creators with this platform by offering readers official translations provided by publishers, as well as many more incredible stories that have yet to be translated. We aim to create a platform that delivers the charm of manga to all corners of the Earth and add a little sparkle to everyone’s lives.”
Atsushi Mizoguchi, CEO of global anime and manga community & database MyAnimeList, commented on the launch, saying “MyAnimeList is excited to be a part of MANGA MIRAI. Through this partnership, we are introducing a feature that allows users to preview and purchase manga seamlessly throughout our website. We believe this initiative will enrich the user experience and open new opportunities for authors to connect with readers worldwide. Together with MANGA MIRAI, we are committed to spreading the joy of manga overseas. Please look forward to our exciting developments ahead.”
In the weeks to come, MANGA MIRAI plans to offer discounted pricing on selected titles and continue to expand its catalogue by working with a wide range of publishers. Additional details on both the discount campaign and the catalogue growth will be announced on the platform’s website and social media channels (such as the official Twitter account) once available.
Source: Press Release
Participate In Discussions