The signing follows the group’s earlier partnerships with Japan’s publishing houses Shogakukan, Shueisha, and Kadokawa.
Saudi Research & Media Group (SRMG) has signed a licensing agreement with Japanese publisher Kodansha for Manga Arabia.
The strategic partnership grants SRMG exclusive copyrights to publish the first-ever Arabic adaptations of Kodansha’s popular manga fiction series.
Commenting on the partnership, Jomana Al-Rashid, CEO of Saudi Research & Media Group (SRMG), said: “Our creative collaboration with Kodansha is the latest in our recent series of partnerships with Japan’s leading publishing houses for Manga Arabia, ensuring our innovative storytelling can reach manga enthusiasts across the Arab world through official and legal channels.”
Dr Essam Bukhary, Editor-in-Chief of Manga Arabia, added: “We are extremely pleased to sign this agreement with Kodansha, a company that has undoubtedly emerged as a leader in the industry and garners global acclaim for its works such as Attack on Titan. This agreement certainly enriches the breadth of Manga Arabia’s creative content via a legal, official channel that benefits the original creators and publishers, while enhancing the regional creative landscape with original Saudi and Arab IPs.”
Satoru Matsumoto, Vice President and Board Member of Kodansha, stated: “We are extremely delighted to have three of our highly popular titles published in the upcoming editions of Manga Arabia. This partnership is a historic milestone for us, helping us widen the reach of titles loved by an extensive Japanese fanbase and enabling us to officially publish and distribute them in an Arabic-speaking country for the very first time. We look forward to presenting manga fans across Saudi Arabia and the wider region with exciting new stories from a variety of genres, while inspiring a renewed excitement for the artform. We would like to extend our gratitude to SRMG for providing us with this opportunity, and hope that such partnerships pave the way for stronger cultural collaborations between Japan and the Kingdom.”
The content licensing agreement follows the launch of Manga Arabia Kids, featuring manga tales juxtaposed with simplified Arabic graphics.
Manga Arabia will soon launch a second title targeting readers aged 16 years and above.
