Japan’s manga industry is increasingly relying on digital sales as traditional print publishing continues to lose ground. Digital manga generated ¥527.3 billion in 2025, accounting for more than 70% of the country’s total manga market, according to figures from the Research Institute for Publications. Meanwhile, print manga sales fell by 14% compared with the previous year, highlighting the changing business model of one of Japan’s biggest entertainment industries.
The shift is also changing how major publishers such as Shueisha, Kodansha, and Shogakukan generate revenue. Rather than depending primarily on manga magazines and paperback volumes, these companies are expanding digital distribution, anime and film adaptations, and merchandise licensing.
Digital Manga Sales Dominate Japan’s Publishing Market
The Research Institute for Publications estimated that Japan’s combined print and digital manga market reached ¥692.5 billion in 2025, a 1.7% decline from the previous year. Digital sales increased by 2.9% to ¥527.3 billion, while print sales dropped to ¥165.2 billion.
The changing market is particularly visible in the circulation figures of major manga magazines. Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, which reached a record circulation of 6.53 million copies in December 1994, recorded an average of 985,000 copies between April and June 2026. Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine and Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday have also experienced significant circulation declines.
Masaaki Hara, director of the Research Institute for Publications, told The Yomiuri Shimbun that manga’s growing influence can no longer be measured through print and digital sales alone. He highlighted the importance of film and television adaptations, alongside merchandise, in expanding manga’s reach as intellectual property.
Anime Adaptations and Licensing Become Major Revenue Sources
Shueisha’s financial results demonstrate how publishers are adapting to the digital transition. For the fiscal year ending in May 2026, revenue from intellectual property-related businesses and other sources accounted for 50% of the company’s total sales, surpassing publishing revenue for the first time. The success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s movie adaptation reportedly contributed to this growth.
Kodansha is also seeing stronger digital performance. Its digital revenue reached ¥86.3 billion, up 8.2% year-on-year, compared with ¥43 billion from print publications.
However, smaller publishers that depend heavily on physical books face greater challenges. Tokyo Shoko Research recorded 21 publishing industry bankruptcies between January and July 2026, representing a 90.9% increase from the same period in 2025.
The figures illustrate a wider transformation in Japan’s manga business, where digital distribution and successful entertainment adaptations are becoming increasingly important to publishers’ financial performance.
The market figures are also corroborated by Kyodo News, which reported the 2025 figures following the Research Institute for Publications’ announcement. Digital manga represented approximately 76% of the combined print and digital manga market, although its growth slowed to 2.9%.
