Kodansha to Print Manga Locally in India for the First Time
Local printing cuts import duties and shipping delays, making physical manga more accessible and affordable for Indian collectors, while Kodansha taps into India's large youth market with plans for Hindi translations.
Reporting from 1 sources: Animehunch.
Kodansha announced a joint venture in Delhi, Kodansha India Pvt. Ltd., to print and publish physical manga locally in India. The venture, backed by 95 million INR, is set to incorporate in July 2026 and begin operations in fall 2026. This is the first time a Japanese publisher has established a subsidiary in India for local manga production, bypassing import costs and delays.
Kodansha will establish Kodansha India Pvt. Ltd. in Delhi, a joint venture with Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. and IJ Kakehashi Services Pvt. Ltd. Kodansha holds an 81% stake, with 95 million INR in initial capital. Hirotoshi Kurita, a Kodansha board director, will serve as Managing Director. The company is scheduled to incorporate in July 2026 and start printing in fall 2026. Traditionally, manga sold in India was shipped from the United States, incurring steep import duties and delays. Local printing aims to lower costs and speed availability. Kodansha plans to announce the first lineup of locally printed titles later this year and is working on Hindi translations of popular series, citing India's large youth demographic and economic growth as reasons for the move.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.