Kadokawa Seeks Overseas Manga Artists to Address Shortage in Japan

Publisher Kadokawa seeks overseas manga artists to face the growing shortage of creators in Japan and expand the global manga market. The announcement gained attention after the Wordless World Manga Contest, which received over 1,000 entries from more than 100 different countries.

The company’s goal is not only to promote Japanese-style storytelling but also to discover new talents capable of meeting the demands of the worldwide manga industry.

Manga Artist Shortage in Japan

In an interview with Oricon News, Risa Tomisaki, from Kadokawa’s Overseas Manga Editorial Department, explained that the rise of digital platforms has greatly increased the demand for comics, but the number of manga creators has not kept up.

“There are many outlets to publish manga today, but we don’t have enough artists to meet that demand. That’s why we’re looking for new talent, even outside Japan,” said Tomisaki.

The Role of Overseas Manga Artists

Noboru Segawa, Kadokawa’s IP executive producer, emphasized the shortage of artists for adapting light novels and isekai stories into manga. Despite the abundance of source material, there aren’t enough creators to work on adaptations.

He pointed out that competing for the same pool of Japanese talent doesn’t solve the core issue. Expanding the number of creators is essential — which is why Kadokawa is exploring the “wide sea” of overseas manga artists.

Segawa also highlighted Japan’s demographic challenges, with an aging population and declining birth rates making it harder to create works for younger audiences. For this reason, regions like Southeast Asia, with larger youth populations, are seen as key markets.

Beyond manga, Kadokawa also plans to invest more in its anime division. An executive stated that the industry must raise production budgets and rely on global markets. Countries like Brazil, Mexico, and India were mentioned as promising opportunities for expansion.

via Oricon