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Kodansha, Akita Shoten Agree on Copyright Partnership

The Japanese publishers Kodansha and Akita Shoten have announced on Wednesday that they agreed to a partnership involving their domestic and overseas copyright business. Kodansha is Japan's largest publisher, and it serializes Weekly Shōnen Magazine, Morning, Nakayoshi, and several other manga magazines. Akita Shoten publishes Shōnen Champion, Champion RED, Monthly Princess, and other manga magazines.

As part of the partnership, Akita Shoten will consign part of its copyright business operations for manga and other works to Kodansha. The Yomiuri Shimbun paper posits that Akita Shoten aims to take advantage of Kodansha's market position and know-how to expand in anime/drama adaptations and other areas of copyrights, as well as in overseas markets. The partnership will already be on public display at Germany's Frankfurt Book Fair 2009 convention (October 14-18). The Kodansha booth at the convention will deal with the copyrights of Akita Shoten works in addition to those of Kodansha works.

Kodansha confirmed this week that it is establishing the Kodansha USA Publishing company in New York City to directly publish and sell manga in the United States under the Kodansha Comics imprint.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun

Update: Akita Shoten's manga titles include Alien Nine, Baki, Battle Royale, Black Jack, Blue Drop ~Tenshi no Bokura~, Crows, Cutey Honey, Cyborg 009, Demon City Shinjuku, Densha Otoko, El Cazador de la Bruja, Hanaukyo Maid Team, Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Iron Wok Jan!, Jingi, Koi Koi Seven, Kurogane no Linebarrels, My-HiME, Ogenki Clinic, Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas - Meiō Shinwa, Scryed, Seikon no Qwaser, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Sundome, Tetsujin 28 Gou, Triton of the Sea, Uchū Senkan Yamato, and Vampire Princess Miyu.