View source for Kodansha

{{Short description|Japanese publishing company}}
{{Expand Japanese|講談社|date=July 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Kodansha Ltd.
| native_name = 株式会社講談社
| native_name_lang = ja
| romanized_name = Kabushiki gaisha Kōdansha
| former_name = Dainippon Yubenkai-Kodansha (1911–1958)
| logo = Kōdansha logo.svg
| logo_size =
| logo_caption = Logo used since 2021
| image = [[File:Kodansha (head office).jpg|250px]]
| image_caption = Headquarters in [[Bunkyō]], [[Tokyo]]
| type = [[family business|Family-owned]] [[privately held company|private]] [[kabushiki gaisha|KK]]
| founded ={{start date and age|1911}} (as Dai Nippon Yūbenkai)<br> {{start date and age|1931|12|01}} (as Kodansha Ltd.)
| founder = [[Seiji Noma]]
| area_served = Worldwide
| hq_location = [[Bunkyō]]
| hq_location_city = [[Tokyo]]
| hq_location_country = Japan
| key_people = {{ill|Yoshinobu Noma|jp|野間省伸}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.kodansha.com/#message |title = Message(language->en->message) |accessdate=2024-01-11}}</ref> (president and [[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]])
| industry = [[Publishing]], [[music industry|music]]
| products = [[Book]]s, [[light novel]]s, [[magazine]]s, [[manga]], [[comics]], [[Compact disc|CD]]s and [[DVD]]s (through King Records)
| subsid = [[King Records (Japan)|King Record Co., Ltd.]]<br>[[Kobunsha|Kobunsha Co., Ltd.]]<br>[[Kodansha USA]]<br>[[Ichijinsha]]<br>[[Wani Books]]
| revenue =
| num_employees = 914 ({{as of|September 2013|lc=y}})
| owner = Noma family (Noma Cultural Foundation 39.2%)
| website = {{URL|http://www.kodansha.co.jp}}
}}
{{nihongo|'''Kodansha Ltd.'''|株式会社講談社|Kabushiki-gaisha Kōdansha|lead=yes}} is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in [[Bunkyō]], [[Tokyo]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=About us |url=https://children.kodansha.co.jp/about/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224175003/https://children.kodansha.co.jp/about/ |archive-date=2022-12-24 |access-date=2022-12-24 |website= |publisher=Kodansha Children's Books}}</ref> Kodansha publishes the [[manga]] magazines {{Lang|ja-latn|[[Nakayoshi]]}}, ''[[Afternoon (magazine)|Afternoon]]'', ''[[Evening (magazine)|Evening]]'', ''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]'', and ''[[Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine]]'', as well as the more literary magazines ''[[Gunzō]]'', ''[[Weekly Gendai|Shūkan Gendai]]'', and the [[Japanese dictionary]], ''[[Nihongo Daijiten]]''. Kodansha was founded by Seiji Noma in 1910, and members of his family continue as its owners either directly or through the Noma Cultural Foundation.
==History==
[[Seiji Noma]] founded Kodansha in 1910 as a spin-off of the ''Dai-Nippon Yūbenkai'' ({{nihongo2|大日本雄辯會}}, "Greater Japan Oratorical Society") and produced the literary magazine, ''[[Yūben]],'' ({{nihongo2|雄辯}}) as its first publication.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=September 10, 1934|title=Books: Clubby Magazines|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,747935-2,00.html|url-status=live|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224175305/https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,747935-2,00.html|archive-date=2022-12-24|access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref> The name ''Kodansha'' (taken from ''[[Kōdan Club]]'' ({{nihongo2|講談倶楽部}}), a now-defunct magazine published by the company) originated in 1911 when the publisher formally merged with the ''Dai-Nippon Yūbenkai''. The company has used its current legal name since 1958. It uses the motto {{Nihongo|3="omoshirokute, tame ni naru"|2=面白くて、ためになる|4="To be interesting and beneficial"}}.
Kodansha Limited owns the Otowa Group, which manages subsidiary companies such as [[King Records (Japan)|King Records]] (official name: King Record Co., Ltd.) and [[Kobunsha]], and publishes ''Nikkan Gendai,'' a daily tabloid. It also has close ties with [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] and officially sponsors [[Tokyo Disneyland]].
Kodansha is the largest publisher in Japan. Revenues dropped due to the 2002 [[Economic history of Japan|recession in Japan]] and an accompanying downturn in the [[publishing industry]]: the company posted a loss in the 2002 financial year for the first time since the end of [[World War II]]. (The second-largest publisher, [[Shogakukan]], has done relatively better. In the 2003 financial year, Kodansha had revenues of ¥167 billion compared to ¥150 billion for Shogakukan. Kodansha, at its peak, led Shogakukan by over ¥50 billion in revenue.)
Kodansha sponsors the prestigious [[Kodansha Manga Award]] which has run since 1977 (and since 1960 under other names).
Kodansha's headquarters in Tokyo once housed [[Noma dojo|Noma Dōjō]], a [[kendo]] practice-hall established by Seiji Noma in 1925. However, the hall was demolished in November 2007 and replaced with a dōjō in a new building nearby.
The company announced that it was closing its English-language publishing house, Kodansha International, at the end of April 2011.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Kamiya|first1=Setsuko|last2=Aoki|first2=Mizuho|date=March 4, 2011|title=Kodansha International to close doors|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/03/04/news/kodansha-international-to-close-doors/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180406230052/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2011/03/04/news/kodansha-international-to-close-doors/|archive-date=April 6, 2018|newspaper=[[The Japan Times]]}}</ref> Their American publishing house, [[Kodansha USA]], will remain in operation.
Kodansha USA began issuing new publications under the head administrator of the international branch, Kentaro Tsugumi, starting in September 2012 with a hardcover release of ''The Spirit of Aikido.''<ref>{{cite book|first=Kisshomaru|last=Ueshiba|url=http://www.kodanshausa.com/books/9781568364094/|title=The Spirit of Aikido|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101091246/http://www.kodanshausa.com/books/9781568364094/|archivedate=November 1, 2015|publisher=Kodansha USA, Inc.|date=September 4, 2012|isbn=9781568364094}}</ref> Many of Kodansha USA's older titles have been reprinted. According to Daniel Mani of Kodansha USA, Inc., "Though we did {{Sic|stopped}} publishing new books for about a year starting from late 2011, we did continue to sell most of our older title throughout that period (so Kodansha USA never actually closed)."{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}
In October 2016, Kodansha acquired publisher [[Ichijinsha]] and turned the company into its wholly-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pineda|first=Rafael Antonio|date=2016-10-14|title=Kodansha Acquires Ichijinsha, Makes It Into Subsidiary Company|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-10-14/kodansha-acquires-ichijinsha-makes-it-into-subsidiary-company/.107650|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005050107/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-10-14/kodansha-acquires-ichijinsha-makes-it-into-subsidiary-company/.107650|archive-date=2022-10-05|website=[[Anime News Network]]}}</ref>
On November 30, 2022, Kodansha announced an extended partnership with [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] to release anime originals based on its manga exclusively on video streaming service [[Disney+]] starting with the second season of ''[[Tokyo Revengers]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Brzeski|first=Patrick|date=2022-11-29|title=Disney Expands Partnership With Japan's Kodansha to Release More Anime Originals (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/disney-expands-partnership-with-japans-kodansha-to-release-more-anime-originals-exclusive-1235271990/amp/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224175718/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/disney-expands-partnership-with-japans-kodansha-to-release-more-anime-originals-exclusive-1235271990/|archive-date=2022-12-24|newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref>
On March 21, 2023, Kodansha announced a manga distribution service called "K Manga" which was initially launched exclusively in the United States on May 10, 2023. It started approximately with 400 titles, of which 70 were simultaneous publications of ongoing series.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hazra|first=Adriana|title=Kodansha to Launch New 'K Manga' Platform in U.S. (Updated)|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-03-21/kodansha-to-launch-new-k-manga-platform-in-u.s/.196121|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=April 29, 2023|date=March 21, 2023|archive-date=April 30, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430013519/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-03-21/kodansha-to-launch-new-k-manga-platform-in-u.s/.196121|url-status=live}}</ref> On October 21, 2024, it was announced that the service became available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tai|first1=Anita|title=K Manga Expands into Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-10-21/k-manga-expands-into-canada-australia-new-zealand-singapore/.217016|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=October 27, 2024|date=October 21, 2024}}</ref>
On May 24, 2024, Kodansha announced that they acquired publisher [[Wani Books]] and turned it into a wholly-owned subsidiary.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tai|first=Anita|title=Kodansha Acquires Wani Books|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-05-26/kodansha-acquires-wani-books/.211172|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=May 26, 2024|date=May 26, 2024}}</ref>
==Relationships with other organizations==
The Kodansha company holds ownership in various broadcasting companies in Japan. It also owns shares in [[Nippon Cultural Broadcasting]] and Kobunsha. In the 2005 takeover-war for [[Nippon Broadcasting System]] between [[Livedoor]] and [[Fuji Television|Fuji TV]], Kodansha supported Fuji TV by selling its stock to Fuji TV.
===NHK===
Kodansha has a somewhat complicated relationship with [[NHK]] (Nippon Housou Kyoukai), Japan's [[public broadcaster]]. Many of the manga and novels published by Kodansha have spawned anime adaptations. Animation such as ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'', aired in NHK's ''Eisei Anime Gekijō'' time-slot, and Kodansha published a companion magazine to the NHK children's show ''[[Okaasan to Issho|Okāsan to Issho]]''. The two companies often clash editorially, however. The October 2000 issue of ''Gendai'' accused NHK of staging footage used in a news report in 1997 on [[dynamite fishing]] in Indonesia. NHK sued Kodansha in the Tokyo District Court, which ordered Kodansha to publish a retraction and pay ¥4 million in damages. Kodansha appealed the decision and reached a settlement whereby it had to issue only a partial retraction and to pay no damages.<ref>{{cite web |title=NHK インドネシア「爆弾漁法」 |url=http://engei.s17.xrea.com/gendai1/0001.html |access-date=August 13, 2012 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407103543/http://engei.s17.xrea.com/gendai1/0001.html |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2022}} ''Gendai''{{'}}s sister magazine ''Shūkan Gendai'' nonetheless published an article probing further into the staged-footage controversy that has dogged NHK.
==Honors==
* [[Japan Foundation]]: Japan Foundation Special Prize, 1994.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/about/award/archive/archive1973-1995.html|title=Awards and Special Prizes: Recipients List: 1973{{ndash}}1995|access-date=December 24, 2022|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220629002301/https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/about/award/archive/archive1973-1995.html|archivedate=June 29, 2022}}</ref>
==List of magazines==
===Manga magazines===
This is a list of manga magazines published by Kodansha.
====Male-oriented manga magazines====
'''''Kodomo'' (children's) manga magazines'''
*''[[Comic BomBom]]'' (1981–2007)
'''''Shōnen'' manga magazines'''
*''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]'' (since 1959)
*''[[Monthly Shōnen Magazine]]'' (since 1975)
*''[[Monthly Shōnen Sirius|Shōnen Sirius]]'' (monthly since 2005)
*''[[Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine]]'' (monthly since 2009)
*''Suiyōbi no Sirius'' (website, since 2013)
*''Magazine Pocket'' (app/website, since 2015)
*''Monthly Maga Kichi'' (website since 2023)
:Discontinued
*''[[Shōnen Club]]'' (1914–1962)
*''Monthly Manga Shōnen'' (1947–1955)
*''Bokura'' (1954-1969)
*''[[Magazine Special]]'' (1983–2017)
*''Monthly Shōnen Magazine GREAT'' (1993–2009)
*''[[Monthly Shōnen Rival]]'' (2008–2014)
*''Magazine E-no'' (2009–2011)
*''Monthly Shonen Magazine+'' (2011–2014)
*''Shōnen Magazine R'' (2015–2023)
*''Shōnen Magazine Edge'' (2015–2023)
'''''Seinen'' manga magazines'''
*''[[Weekly Young Magazine]]'' (since 1980)
*''Monthly Young Magazine'' (since 2009)
*''[[Weekly Morning|Morning]]'' (weekly since 1982; originally called ''Comic Morning'')
*''[[Monthly Afternoon|Afternoon]]'' (monthly, since 1986)
*''[[Good! Afternoon]]'' (monthly since 2012; bi-monthly from 2008 to 2012)
*''Comic Days'' (app/website, since 2018)
*''Yanmaga Web'' (website, since 2020)
*''Morning Two Web'' (website, since 2022)
:Discontinued
*{{nihongo|''Young Magazine Zōkan Kaizokuban''|ヤングマガジン増刊海賊版}} (1986–1995)
*''Mr. Magazine'' (1991–2000)
*''[[Monthly Magazine Z]]'' (1999–2009)
*''[[Young Magazine Uppers]]'' (1998–2004)
*''Morning Two'' (2006–2022)
*''Nemesis'' (2010–2018)
*''Young Magazine the 3rd'' (2014–2021)
*''[[Evening (magazine)|Evening]]'' (2001-2023)
====Female-oriented manga magazines====
'''''Shōjo'' manga magazines'''
*{{Lang|ja-latn|[[Nakayoshi]]}} (monthly since 1954)
*''[[Bessatsu Friend]]'' (monthly since 1965)
*''[[Dessert (magazine)|Dessert]]'' (monthly since 1996)
*''Nakayoshi Lovely'' (5 issues per year, since ????)
*''The Dessert'' (monthly, since ????)
:Discontinued
*''[[Shōjo Club]]'' (monthly, 1923–1962)
*''[[Shōjo Friend]]'' (1962–1996)
*''[[Monthly Carol]]'' (1983-1984)
*''[[Mimi (magazine)|Mimi]]'' (1975–1996)
*''[[Aria (magazine)|Aria]]'' (monthly, 2010–2018)
'''''Josei'' manga magazines'''
*''[[Be Love]]'' (monthly 1980–1982, 2018–present, bimonthly 1982–2018; originally called ''Be in Love'')
*''[[Kiss (Japanese magazine)|Kiss]]'' (monthly since 1992)
*''Kiss Plus'' (bi-monthly, ????-2014; succeeded by ''Hatsu Kiss'')
*''ITAN'' (quarterly since 2010)
*''Hatsu Kiss'' (bi-monthly 2014–2018, monthly 2018–2021)
'''Web magazines'''
*''Ane Friend''
*''Comic Tint''
*''Honey Milk''
===Literary magazines===
* ''[[Gunzo (magazine)|Gunzo]]'', monthly literary magazine
* ''[[Mephisto Prize#Mephisto (magazine)|Mephisto]]'', tri-annual literary magazine focusing on mystery and detective stories
* ''[[Faust (magazine)|Faust]]''
==Book series==
===Published by Kodansha Ltd.===
* Kodansha Gakujutsu Bunko (講談社学術文庫) (English, "Kodansha Academic Paperback Library")  (1970)
===Published by Kodansha International/USA Ltd.===
* Japanese for Busy People Series
* Japanese for Young People Series
* Kodansha Bilingual Books<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/kodansha-bilingual-books.html Kodansha Bilingual Books - Book Series List] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125231131/https://www.publishinghistory.com/kodansha-bilingual-books.html |date=January 25, 2022 }}, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved June 23, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.tofugu.com/reviews/kodansha-international-bilingual-books/ Kodansha International's Bilingual Books Series] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623084656/https://www.tofugu.com/reviews/kodansha-international-bilingual-books/ |date=June 23, 2022 }}, tofugu.com. Retrieved June 23, 2022.</ref>
* Kodansha Globe<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/kodansha-globe.html Kodansha Globe (Kodansha International) - Book Series List] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623085917/https://www.publishinghistory.com/kodansha-globe.html |date=June 23, 2022 }}, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved June 23, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.deseret.com/1994/8/19/19126219/kodansha-globe-aims-to-keep-old-titles-on-shelves Kodansha Globe aims to keep old titles on shelves] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623085619/https://www.deseret.com/1994/8/19/19126219/kodansha-globe-aims-to-keep-old-titles-on-shelves |date=June 23, 2022 }}, deseret.com. Retrieved June 23, 2022.</ref>
* This Beautiful World<ref>[https://www.publishinghistory.com/this-beautiful-world-kodansha-international.html This Beautiful World ( Kodansha International) - Book Series List] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220623085917/https://www.publishinghistory.com/this-beautiful-world-kodansha-international.html |date=June 23, 2022 }}, publishinghistory.com. Retrieved June 23, 2022.</ref>
== Miss iD ==
== Awards given ==
Kodansha presents the following awards:
* The Noma Prize for Literature
* The Noma Literary Prize for New Writers
* The Noma Literary Prize for Children’s Literature
* The Noma Publishing Cultural Prize
* The Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for Literature
* The Yoshikawa Eiji Bunko Prize
* The Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for New Writers
* The Yoshikawa Eiji Cultural Prize
* The Kodansha Manga Awards
* The Kodansha Honda Yasuharu Non-Fiction Award
* The Kodansha Science Publication Award
* The Kodansha Picture Book Award
* The Noma Award for the Translation of Japanese Literature
* The [[Edogawa Rampo Prize|Edogawa Rampo Award]]
* The Kodansha Media Award<ref>{{Cite web |title=SUSTAINABILITY｜KODANSHA CORPORATE SITE Inspire Impossible Stories |url=https://www.kodansha.com/sustainability/ |access-date=2024-07-14 |website=KODANSHA.com |language=en}}</ref>
==See also==
{{Portal|Tokyo|Companies|Books|Anime and manga}}
* [[Edwin O. Reischauer Memorial House]]
* [[Kodansha Noma Memorial Museum]]
* [[Noma Prize]]
* [[Tuttle Publishing]]
* [[Vertical (publisher)]]
{{Clear}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|Kodansha}}
* [http://www.kodansha.co.jp/ Kodansha Official Japanese website] {{in lang|ja}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130124153551/http://www.kodansha.co.jp/english/index.html Kodansha Official English Website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190702064340/http://www.kodanshausa.com/ Kodansha USA Official Website] (archive)
* [http://www.kodanshacomics.com Kodansha USA Official Website]
* [https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=88 Kodansha Anime News Network]
{{Kodansha manga magazines}}
[[Category:Kodansha| ]]
[[Category:Japanese companies established in 1910]]
[[Category:Publishing companies established in 1910]]
[[Category:Book publishing companies in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Comic book publishing companies in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Liberal media in Japan]]
[[Category:Magazine publishing companies in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Mass media companies based in Tokyo]]
[[Category:Manga distributors]]
[[Category:Publishers of adult comics]]
[[Category:Japanese brands]]
[[Category:Disney comics publishers]]