The ambitious new manga platform plans to release titles in 100+ languages.
Japanese publishing mogul Shueisha is truly going global with the launch of their new digital manga platform MANGA MILLION. The new platform already hosts over 400+ titles spanning over a million pages. More importantly, the ambitious project will translate all the titles in over 100 languages including: English, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Spanish, French, Turkish, Tagalog, Korean, Polish, and many more.
Why did Shueisha launch the MANGA MILLION platform?
Shueisha has launched a trailer for the MANGA MILLION platform which previews some of the languages and titles that will be available. The trailer also features a song by musical duo YOASOBI.
The incredible project has been launched to reach a wider global audience who might not be able to access manga series if they are only available in Japanese or English. Some of Shueisha’s most popular manga releases, such as ONE PIECE, Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen, CHAINSAW MAN, Dandadan, Sakamoto Days, Death Note, Blue Box. Oshi No Ko, Spy x Family, Nana, Kaiju No. 8, Haikyu!!, Demon Slayer, Kaguya Sama: Love is War and many more are already available to read on the platform. All of the titles also have multiple chapters released with various language translations.
As per the report by Anime News Network, Shueisha has confirmed not using any AI for the new translations. Moreover, the application is now free without registration for a limited time. However, the company is yet to decide on a timeline for free access. MANGA MILLION is one of the largest initiatives in Shueisha’s long history.
Shueisha already has a global manga platform called MANGA Plus, which offers manga in multiple languages. However, MANGA Plus focuses mostly on shōnen titles, whereas MANGA MILLION will also include beloved shōjo titles across generations.
MANGA Plus by Shueisha’s Editor-in-Chief Shuhei Hosono is also the initiator of the MANGA MILLION project and has stated:
The project began with a simple question: what if we marked Shueisha's 100th anniversary by translating one million pages of manga into 100 languages? As we developed the concept, we also saw it as a way to address the language barriers that still prevent many readers around the world from accessing manga. We hope that MANGA MILLION, an unprecedented translation initiative spanning 100 languages and one million pages, will spark new discoveries and connections between readers and Japanese manga.
With this new project, Shueisha is trying to break the language barrier many manga fans still face and finally make manga accessible to people across the globe.