Manga Arabia enhances Arabic content, aiming to attract Arab families towards recreational reading with translated materials and creations inspired by acclaimed Japanese productions.
Manga Arabia, a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group, has launched Manga International during a ceremony in Tokyo, Japan. The event attracted prominent officials and media representatives from both Saudi Arabia and Japan, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
This expansion comes on the heels of Manga Arabia’s collaborations with major Japanese manga publishers, including Kodansha, Shueisha, Kadokawa, Shogakukan, and Hakusensha.
With a presence in the Arab world, Manga Arabia has introduced two manga magazines – one catering to children and another for young adults – in both print and digital formats. The company boasts a wide reach, engaging over 8m users across 195 countries. Its print distribution network spans 220 points in the Arab world, selling more than 400,000 copies monthly.
Jomana Al-Rashid, CEO of SRMG, underscored the significance of this international endeavour, and said: “We are strategically expanding through partnerships with leading manga companies and establishing a legal framework equipped with cutting-edge technologies. This will not only generate financial returns but also nurture an educational environment catering to the immense global demand for this content.” Al-Rashid emphasised how this expansion aims to combat content piracy and intellectual property theft.
Manga Arabia and Manga International CEO Essam Bukhary added: “Through the art of manga and creative industries, we have achieved remarkable success in the Arab world, earning the trust of our Japanese and international partners. Now, under the umbrella of SRMG, Manga International seeks to leverage our pioneering experience and development in global markets.”
Bukhary outlined plans to translate and produce comic stories targeting international audiences, heralding a qualitative leap for Saudi and Arab creativity on the global stage.
Aligning with Manga Arabia’s vision of empowering imagination and delivering Arabic content to a global audience, the company has already translated several comic stories into English, Chinese, and Malay for international markets. Collaborating with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, Manga Arabia has also adapted a selection of Saudi novels into manga format, aiming to showcase Saudi literature and culture to diverse audiences worldwide.
