Fuji TV Launches Webtoon Label TOON8 With Four Partner Studios
Fuji TV is the latest major Japanese broadcaster to enter the Webtoon space, a market where domestic hit titles remain scarce despite growing readership among 20- and 30-year-old readers.
Reporting from 2 sources: Comic Natalie, KAI-YOU.
Fuji Television announced on June 4 its full entry into the Webtoon industry with the launch of a new label called TOON8. The label will produce original vertical-scroll, full-color comics in collaboration with four companies: Number Nine, Fumoa, LOCKER ROOM, and C-Route. The first title, "報復の暗殺人形" (Assassin Doll of Revenge) by Subesubemanjuu and produced by Fumoa, began distribution on LINE Manga on June 5. Three additional works are scheduled for monthly releases through September 2026: "刀神ハイスクール" (Blade God High School) from Number Nine in July, "人質妻は離婚したい" (The Hostage Wife Wants a Divorce) from LOCKER ROOM in August, and "対価を払ったら未来が変わりました" (Paying the Price Changed the Future) from C-Route in September. Fuji TV IP Division's Masamichi Sakagami said the label combines the broadcaster's storytelling experience with the production capabilities of the four partner companies. He described TOON8 as a project that will deliver stories across multiple formats including music, television programs, and events.
TOON8 combines "TOON," evoking Webtoons and manga, with "8," a symbol of Fuji TV meant to represent a future where a single story expands infinitely and unfolds worldwide. Masamichi Sakagami of Fuji TV's IP Division said the label is "not just a Webtoon label" but a project that delivers a single story from multiple angles, linked with music, programs, and events.
The first work, "報復の暗殺人形" (Assassin Doll of Revenge), follows Riot, a 62-year-old retired soldier once called a "hero," who transfers his soul into the strongest magical doll "Ray" and is reborn in a youthful form. Author Subesubemanjuu said the work aims for "strong catharsis in a short time" with classic settings like "rejuvenation of an old soldier" and "avenger of a murdered family," adding the original element of "reincarnation into a doll." The "magical tools" that appear frequently are key to the protagonist's abilities, and the variety of battles increases with their types and numbers.
Major companies are increasingly entering the domestic Webtoon market. In April 2026, KADOKAWA and two other companies established a Webtoon production studio, announcing Webtoon adaptations of existing works such as "Record of Lodoss War" and "Sword Art Online." The anime "Solo Leveling" won Anime of the Year at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025. The anime adaptation of "Kenka Dokugaku" (Fight Learning) had its live-action drama distributed on Netflix from May 2026. Both are originally Korean Webtoons.
The label plans to cover a wide range of genres including romance, action, fantasy, and mystery, aiming to develop IP that transcends existing frameworks such as broadcasting, distribution, events, music, and social media expansion.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Comic Natalie フジテレビが新Webtoonレーベル「TOON8」始動、フーモアとタッグを組んだ第1弾作品
- KAI-YOU フジテレビ、Webtoon業界に本格参入 自社レーベル立ち上げ新たなIP開発拠点に