Manga Publishers
"Manga," is the Japanese word for comic book. Depending on which
interpretation you prefer, the term
roughly translates as "picture book," "motionless picture entertainment,"
or "random pictures." In the
United States, manga refers to Japanese comics which have been translated
into English. The phrase
"Ameri-manga" is a term coined to describe comic books written and drawn
by westerners in the Japanese
style.
The following companies comprise the leading publishers of manga
in the United States.
Geobreeders; © Central Park Media Corp.
Viz Communications
- An American subsidiary of the Japanese firm Shogakukan Inc.,
Viz is
the largest manga publisher in the U.S. Best known as the force
behind
the Pokemon craze, Viz has been publishing manga in the U.S.
since 1986.
Popular titles include:
- Eagle: The Making of An Asian-American
President
Pokemon Adventures
Dragonball Z
No Need for Tenchi
Ranma ½
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The Return of Lum
CPM Manga
This company and its parent, Central Park Media,
publish both manga and anime for the American
market. Popular titles include:
Call Me Princess
Dark Angel
Geobreeders
Princess Prince
Project A-ko
The Record of Lodoss War
Dark Horse Comics
Best known as a publisher specializing in comic books of licensed
characters, such as Star Wars,
Aliens, and Predator, Dark Horse also produces an impressive manga line.
Popular titles include:
Blade of the Immortal
The Dirty Pair
Ghost in the Shell
Gunsmith Cats
Oh My Goddess
Shadow Lady
Mixx Entertainment
Los Angeles-based Mixx is an Internet entertainment company specializing
in Japanese popular culture for
the U.S. market, and is best known for its Tokyopop.com Web site. Mixx
also maintains the U.S. license
for several leading manga series. Popular titles include:
Cardcaptor Sakura
Ice Blade
Magic Knight Ray Earth
Sailor Moon
Antarctic Press
Independent publisher of Ameri-manga comics. Popular titles include:
Gold Digger
Ninja High School
The Courageous Princess
Warrior Nun Areala