Los Angeles, CA, April 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nearly 30 Years After Pioneering Manga in the West, TOKYOPOP Opens Its Doors to Everyday Investors for the First Time.
TOKYOPOP, the company that popularized manga as a mainstream category in the Western world, today announced the launch of a Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) equity offering, marking the first time in its history that the company is opening ownership to the public.
Founded in 1997, TOKYOPOP has grown into a global, multi-channel business with approximately $15 million in annual revenue, a catalog of more than 100 IP properties, and distribution spanning over 50 countries and 30 languages. The company has brought more than 10,000 titles to market, achieved multiple #1 rankings on U.S. BookScan charts, and continues to expand its footprint across publishing, licensing, and screen adaptation, including the live-action film “Priest” at Sony Pictures and a series of anime productions.
At the core of TOKYOPOP’s strategy is the TOKYOPOP IP Engine, an integrated system for finding stories early and growing them into global franchises. The company begins at the source, working with manga where audience demand is first established, and then expands those stories across anime, licensing, merchandise, and live experiences. This offering is designed to provide growth capital to scale that model—investing in new IP, expanding development opportunities, and increasing the company’s ability to bring stories to a global audience. Rather than relying on single, hit-driven outcomes, TOKYOPOP is building long-term value through a diversified portfolio of IP that can scale across formats and markets.
“Nearly 30 years ago, we launched the Manga Revolution, back when the gatekeepers told us no one in America wanted Japanese stories,” said Stu Levy, Founder & CEO of TOKYOPOP. “We proved them wrong — and so did the fans. Today, manga and anime are a global phenomenon. Now, for the first time, we’re opening the company up and inviting fans to join us as owners.”
The global anime and manga market continues to expand rapidly, with estimates projecting growth from approximately $37 billion today to over $60 billion by 2030. Increasingly, successful franchises originate from manga and expand across multiple formats, creating long-term value through cross-media development and global distribution.
With established operations, long-standing industry relationships, and a growing IP catalog, TOKYOPOP is positioning itself to scale its business by deepening monetization of existing properties while developing new franchises for a global audience.
If you’re interested in becoming a TOKYOPOP investor, go to invest.tokyopop.com to learn more.