Kazé
Kazé is a French anime and manga publishing and distribution brand serving European markets.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Kazé is a French entertainment and publishing brand focused on Japanese anime, manga, home video, cinema distribution and related media services. Founded in 1994 by Cédric Littardi, the company initially established itself through the French release of Japanese animation on VHS, beginning with Record of Lodoss War. It subsequently developed a broad licensing and distribution business covering animated television series, feature films, manga, DVDs and Blu-ray releases. The brand expanded beyond traditional publishing during the 2000s. In 2005 it created Wasabi Records, a music label specializing in Japanese popular music. Kazé also distributed Japanese animated features including Appleseed, Origin: Spirits of the Past and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. In 2007 it released Shinobi, its first live-action film in French cinemas. These activities positioned Kazé as a specialist importer and localizer of Japanese popular culture rather than solely as a book publisher. Kazé entered television and digital distribution in 2009. KZTV, also known as Kazé TV, launched in France as an anime-focused television channel. The company also introduced KZPlay, an online anime streaming service, in October of that year. KZPlay later combined with Genzai, another anime streaming platform, to create Anime Digital Network, a service launched in 2013 with Média-Participations and its related publishing and distribution businesses. Kazé eventually withdrew from ownership of the platform in 2022, after which the service became wholly owned by Média-Participations and was renamed Animation Digital Network. The company's corporate ownership changed several times. Viz Media Europe, a subsidiary associated with Shogakukan and Shueisha, announced its acquisition of Kazé in August 2009. The transaction brought Kazé into a larger Japanese-media-backed European distribution structure. Viz Media Europe was later acquired through a WarnerMedia and Otter Media transaction, and the business subsequently came under Sony ownership through Crunchyroll EMEA. In 2022, Kazé's labels were announced for rebranding under Crunchyroll, with the change taking effect on October 1, 2022. Kazé also operated a substantial manga publishing program. Its catalogue included shōnen, shōjo, seinen, josei, classic, yaoi and yuri works. The Asuka imprint had previously carried much of the company's manga output; from 2010, most non-yaoi publications moved to the Kazé imprint, while Asuka continued to be associated primarily with yaoi titles. Reported catalogue examples include Black Rose Alice, Initial D, The Promised Neverland, After School Nightmare, Bokurano, Black Jack and works by Osamu Tezuka. The company also published a French edition of Be x Boy magazine. Kazé operated or distributed in several European countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Spain, and organized theatrical anime events in Germany and Austria under the Kazé Anime Nights name. The company faced criticism in Italy in 2012 over the dubbing and DVD presentation of several releases, particularly Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail, Mardock Scramble: The First Compression and Children Who Chase Lost Voices. After the Crunchyroll rebranding, HarperCollins announced in 2025 that it would acquire the French and German Crunchyroll manga publishing operations, including Kazé. HarperCollins later announced that the Kazé label would return for new licenses from April 2026. The brand's present status and precise operating structure should be verified against current corporate and trade sources because the available reference material describes developments extending into 2026.
History
Kazé was established in France in 1994 by Cédric Littardi as a specialist distributor and publisher of Japanese animation. Its first reported release was Record of Lodoss War on VHS, reflecting the company's early focus on introducing Japanese anime to French consumers through physical home video. The company later expanded into manga and developed a portfolio of localized editions for European audiences. During the 2000s, Kazé broadened its activities beyond anime home video. In 2005 it launched Wasabi Records, a label devoted to Japanese popular music. It also distributed Japanese animated feature films such as Appleseed, Origin: Spirits of the Past and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. In 2007, Kazé brought the live-action film Shinobi to French cinemas, marking an extension into theatrical distribution beyond animated content. Kazé entered broadcast and digital media in 2009. KZTV, or Kazé TV, was launched as an anime-oriented television channel. In October 2009 the company introduced KZPlay, an online anime streaming service. In the same period, Viz Media Europe announced its acquisition of Kazé. The ownership change connected the French company with a larger European operation backed by Japanese publishing interests associated with Shogakukan and Shueisha. In 2010 the company adopted the accented spelling “Kazé,” reportedly to encourage pronunciation closer to the intended name. The manga business developed through both the Kazé and Asuka imprints. Before the reorganization, Asuka was used for a broad portion of the catalogue. From January 2010, the Asuka name was retained mainly for yaoi publications, while most other titles moved to the newer Kazé imprint. The published range included mainstream shōnen and shōjo series, mature seinen and josei works, classic manga, yaoi and yuri titles, and the French edition of Be x Boy magazine. Examples associated with the catalogue include Black Rose Alice, Initial D, The Promised Neverland, After School Nightmare, Bokurano and Black Jack. The company continued to develop its streaming business through a partnership with Média-Participations. In 2013, KZPlay and Genzai were merged into Anime Digital Network, an anime streaming service operated by Kazé and Média-Participations. Kazé's founder and long-time head, Cédric Littardi, announced his departure in May 2012. Kazé also maintained activities in a number of European markets, including Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Russia and Poland. In Germany and Austria, the company promoted theatrical screenings through Kazé Anime Nights, an event series presenting anime films and, at times, other Asian films for cinema audiences. This complemented the company's publishing and home-video operations by creating a direct theatrical channel for Japanese animation. Kazé's Italian operations attracted criticism in 2012 after the company used the French dubbing studio Wantake, with amateur Italian-French voice performers, for several releases that had previously been handled by Italian dubbing studios. The affected titles included Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail, Mardock Scramble: The First Compression and Children Who Chase Lost Voices. Viewers criticized the perceived quality of the performances and inaccuracies in DVD menu translations, leading to negative online reviews and social-media comments. The corporate structure changed again as Viz Media Europe moved through later ownership by WarnerMedia and Otter Media and then Sony through Crunchyroll EMEA. In June 2022 Crunchyroll announced that Kazé and its labels would be rebranded as Crunchyroll, with the change taking effect on October 1. During the same ownership period Kazé gave up its stake in Anime Digital Network; the platform became fully owned by Média-Participations and later changed its name to Animation Digital Network. In 2025 HarperCollins announced the acquisition of the French and German Crunchyroll manga publishing operations, including Kazé, with completion reported for September 30. HarperCollins subsequently announced that the Kazé label would be revived for new licenses from April 2026. Because these developments extend beyond the historical period covered by much of the available reference material, the brand's current catalog, management and legal structure require verification from up-to-date corporate sources.
- 2025
HarperCollins acquires manga operations
[1]HarperCollins completed the reported acquisition of the French and German Crunchyroll manga publishing operations, including Kazé.
- 2022
Kazé labels rebranded as Crunchyroll
[1]The Kazé brand and its labels were incorporated into Crunchyroll from October 1.
- 2013
Anime Digital Network created
[1]KZPlay merged with Genzai to form Anime Digital Network with Média-Participations.
- 2010
Brand spelling changed to Kazé
[1]The company adopted the accented Kazé spelling to support its intended pronunciation.
- 2010
Manga imprint structure reorganized
[1]Most non-yaoi manga moved from Asuka to the Kazé imprint, while Asuka became primarily associated with yaoi releases.
- 2009
Viz Media Europe acquisition announced
[1]Viz Media Europe announced its acquisition of Kazé.
- 2009
KZTV launched
[1]Kazé introduced an anime-focused television channel.
- 2009
KZPlay launched
[1]Kazé began offering anime through an online streaming service.
- 2007
Shinobi released theatrically
[1]Kazé distributed Shinobi, its first live-action film release in French cinemas.
- 2005
Wasabi Records launched
[1]The company created a music label specializing in Japanese popular music.
Products and positioning
A specialist European publisher, licensor and distributor bringing Japanese anime, manga, music and related popular culture to localized audiences.
manga publishing · 2010
Kazé Manga
Kazé Manga was the company's principal manga imprint for a wide range of Japanese comics. Its catalogue included popular shōnen and shōjo titles, mature seinen and josei works, classics, yaoi and yuri publications. Reported titles associated with the broader catalogue include Black Rose Alice, Initial D, The Promised Neverland, After School Nightmare, Bokurano, Black Jack and works by Osamu Tezuka.
manga publishing imprint
Asuka
Asuka was an earlier and continuing manga imprint associated with Kazé's publishing activities. After the 2010 imprint reorganization, most non-yaoi series moved to Kazé Manga, while Asuka was used mainly for yaoi titles. The imprint had previously carried a broader range of manga genres.
anime home video and licensing · 1994
Kazé Anime
Kazé Anime covered the company's licensing, localization and physical distribution of Japanese animated television series and films in European markets. Its output developed from early VHS releases into DVD and Blu-ray publishing and included both series and feature-length animation.
music publishing · 2005
Wasabi Records
Wasabi Records was Kazé's music label, launched to specialize in Japanese popular music. It represented the company's diversification from anime and manga into adjacent Japanese entertainment products.
television channel · 2009
KZTV
KZTV, also called Kazé TV, was an anime-focused television channel launched by Kazé in France in 2009. It extended the brand into scheduled television programming and complemented its physical-media business.
streaming service · 2009
KZPlay
KZPlay was Kazé's online anime streaming service, launched in October 2009. It later merged with Genzai to create Anime Digital Network, now known as Animation Digital Network.
cinema event series
Kazé Anime Nights
Kazé Anime Nights was a theatrical event format in Germany and Austria. It presented anime films, and sometimes other Asian films, in cinemas for one or more days, giving Kazé a direct event-based route to audiences.
Controversies
2012
Italian dubbing and DVD localization criticism
Italian viewers criticized Kazé's decision to use the French studio Wantake, including amateur Italian-French voice actors, for several releases rather than an Italian dubbing studio. Complaints concerned perceived acting quality and inaccurate DVD menu translations for titles including Black Lagoon: Roberta's Blood Trail, Mardock Scramble: The First Compression and Children Who Chase Lost Voices. The criticism generated negative online reviews and social-media comments.
Marketing campaigns
- Kazé Anime Nights
Germany · Austria
Kazé organized cinema screenings of anime films and, on some occasions, other Asian films under the Kazé Anime Nights banner.
Outcome. The event series expanded Kazé's role from publisher and home-video distributor into theatrical anime presentation.
Brand decisions
2025
Transfer manga publishing operations to HarperCollinsM&ABackground
Kazé's French and German manga operations had been incorporated into the Crunchyroll structure.
Action taken
HarperCollins announced and later completed the acquisition of the relevant French and German Crunchyroll manga publishing operations, including Kazé.
Aftermath
HarperCollins announced plans to revive Kazé as a label for new licenses from April 2026.
2022
Rebrand Kazé under CrunchyrollStrategyBackground
Kazé had become part of the European Crunchyroll corporate structure following successive ownership changes.
Action taken
Crunchyroll announced that Kazé and its labels would be rebranded under the Crunchyroll name from October 1, 2022.
Aftermath
The standalone Kazé identity was removed from the active publishing and distribution structure described in the announcement.
2022
Exit Anime Digital Network ownershipStrategyBackground
Kazé had co-launched Anime Digital Network with Média-Participations in 2013.
Action taken
Kazé relinquished its ownership interest in the streaming platform.
Aftermath
Média-Participations became the full owner, and the service subsequently changed its name to Animation Digital Network.
2013
Merge KZPlay and Genzai into Anime Digital NetworkM&ABackground
Kazé and Média-Participations operated separate anime streaming services, KZPlay and Genzai.
Action taken
The two services were combined to create Anime Digital Network.
Aftermath
The merged platform became a major French anime streaming operation and was later renamed Animation Digital Network after Kazé's exit.
2010
Reorganize manga imprintsStrategyBackground
Kazé had previously published much of its manga catalogue through the Asuka imprint.
Action taken
The company moved most non-yaoi series to the Kazé imprint and retained Asuka mainly for yaoi publications.
Aftermath
The change clarified the separation between the Kazé and Asuka publishing identities while preserving both names in the catalogue.
Sources1 sources
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