Arab News Japan
Manga Arabia, a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG), announced the launch of Manga International and the inauguration of its official headquarters in Japan.
The announcement was made at a ceremony held in Tokyo, attended by prominent officials and media representatives from both Saudi Arabia and Japan. This step is part of SRMG’s strategy to expand into international markets, following successful partnerships and agreements with several Japanese companies and publishers.
Over the past years, Manga Arabia has achieved significant success, launching two magazines, Manga Arabia Youth and Kids, in both print and digital versions. The total number of users of its applications has exceeded 8 million across more than 195 countries worldwide, with over 220 distribution points in the Arab world for its print version, distributing more than 400,000 copies monthly.
SRMG’s CEO, Jomana Rashid Al-Rashid, emphasized the importance of this move, stating: “Expanding into international markets through partnerships with leading global manga companies and leveraging the latest legal and technological foundations will yield substantial financial returns and provide an educational environment given the growing demand for this content and the lack of investment efforts in it.”
She added that this geographical and cultural expansion “will also mitigate the risks of content piracy and intellectual property rights violations, reinforcing SRMG’s strategy in developing local and regional content and promoting Saudi and Arab culture, literature, and traditions globally through the familiar and beloved format of manga.”
Dr. Essam Bukhary, General Manager of Manga Arabia and Manga International, affirmed that the company “has achieved great success in the Arab world through the art of manga and creative industries, earning the trust of Japanese and global partners.”
He added that Manga Arabia, under SRMG’s umbrella, aims to transfer and develop its pioneering experience in international markets through this expansion.
He mentioned that Manga International will work on producing and translating a variety of comic stories to reach readers in multiple languages, describing this step as “a qualitative leap for Saudi and Arab culture and creativity on the global stage, emerging from Manga Arabia’s strategic vision to empower imagination and support and develop Arab creative content, making it accessible to all segments and generations worldwide.”
It is noteworthy that Manga Arabia has translated several of its Mangas into English, Chinese, and Malay, and published them in international markets. It has also partnered with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission to convert several Saudi novels into manga to reach different audiences and present Saudi literature and culture in the manga art style.
Manga Arabia, a subsidiary of SRMG, aims to export Saudi and Arab culture and creativity to the world through creative productions inspired by the community’s culture and the authenticity of Saudi and Arab values.
In addition, it enriches Arabic content to attract Arab families to recreational reading through translated content and works inspired by global productions from Japan.
Manga Arabia has issued two specialized magazines in Arabic and Japanese mangas, targeting kids and youth, achieving widespread success since its launch, with more than 62 issues published and over 170 young creators from the Arab world engaged and empowered.