M&C!

M&C!, also known as m&c! Publishing, is an Indonesian publishing company whose name refers to “Magazine & Comics,” or “Majalah & Komik” in Indonesian. The company is part of the Retail and Publishing Division of Kompas Gramedia Group, one of Indonesia’s major media, publishing, and retail organizations. Its publishing identity developed from the comic-publishing activities associated with Komik Gramedia Majalah in the 1980s and was formally established as m&c! in 2003. The brand’s early publishing background was built around licensed foreign comics. During the 1980s, Komik Majalah published material from European and Hong Kong publishers. Among the titles that gained recognition in Indonesia were the Dutch Nina series and the Hong Kong kung fu comic Tiger Wong. This initial focus gave the business experience in importing, localizing, and distributing serialized visual storytelling for Indonesian readers. In the 1990s, the publishing program expanded to include Japanese comics, commonly known as manga, reflecting the growing popularity of Japanese popular culture in Indonesia. After its formal establishment in 2003, M&C! broadened its role beyond a single comic imprint. The company organized its publishing activities through specialized labels aimed at distinct readerships and genres. KOLONI was introduced on May 17, 2003, as an imprint for Indonesian-made comics and became the principal home for local comic projects within the brand’s portfolio. Other labels were developed for different categories: Clover for novels, funtastic for children’s books, Miracle for nonfiction, and QANZA for Islamic books. This structure allowed M&C! to serve both entertainment and general-interest reading markets while maintaining recognizable editorial identities. M&C! has remained particularly associated with comic and manga publishing. Its catalog has included works such as Shaman King, Full Metal Panic!, and Sakura Wars, with publications carrying Indonesian readership classifications ranging from SU, meaning suitable for all ages, to 18+, for readers aged 18 and above. The use of age classifications reflects the company’s role in adapting and distributing comics for the Indonesian market across different readership segments. On March 22, 2019, M&C! launched Akasha, a label for manga with more mature themes and an older target audience. The label represented a further segmentation of the company’s manga business and complemented its existing publishing lines. Alongside Elex Media Komputindo, another Kompas Gramedia publishing company, M&C! is described as one of Indonesia’s two largest publishers in the comic-publishing industry. Its continuing position is supported by the group’s publishing infrastructure, retail presence, and established connection with Indonesian comic readers.

M&C!'s institutional history reaches back to the comic-publishing operations associated with Komik Gramedia Majalah during the 1980s. Those operations published comics acquired from foreign publishers, initially concentrating on European and Hong Kong material. The Dutch Nina series and the Hong Kong kung fu title Tiger Wong were among the comics that became popular with Indonesian readers. This period established the editorial and distribution foundation from which the later M&C! brand developed. During the 1990s, the publishing program expanded into Japanese comics, or manga. The change reflected the increasing presence of Japanese popular culture in Indonesia and broadened the range of international comic material available through the Gramedia publishing and retail ecosystem. The business was formally established as m&c! in 2003 and became part of Kompas Gramedia Group's Retail and Publishing Division. M&C! subsequently developed a multi-imprint structure. On May 17, 2003, it created KOLONI, an imprint dedicated to Indonesian local comics. It later added Clover for novels, funtastic for children's books, Miracle for nonfiction, and QANZA for Islamic books. These labels enabled the company to distinguish editorial categories and reach different readerships while operating within the same publishing organization. Comics and manga have remained central to the brand. M&C! has published more than 50 manga titles with Indonesian age classifications ranging from SU, for all ages, to 18+, for adult readers. Examples associated with its catalog include Shaman King, Full Metal Panic!, and Sakura Wars. Its catalog therefore spans both broadly accessible entertainment and material directed at older audiences. On March 22, 2019, M&C! added Akasha, a label focused on manga with mature themes and an older target audience. The label extended the company's segmentation strategy and gave mature-oriented manga a distinct identity. M&C! is headquartered in the Kompas Gramedia Palmerah building in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta. Together with Elex Media Komputindo, another Kompas Gramedia publishing company, it is described as one of the two largest publishers in Indonesia's comic-publishing sector.

• 2019

  Akasha label launched

  [1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  On March 22, M&C! launched Akasha for manga with more mature themes aimed at older readers.

• 2003

  M&C! established

  [1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  M&C! was established as a publishing company within Kompas Gramedia Group's Retail and Publishing Division.

• 2003

  KOLONI imprint created

  [1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  On May 17, M&C! established KOLONI as an imprint for Indonesian local comics.

• 1990

  Expansion into Japanese manga

  [1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  During the 1990s, the comic program expanded beyond European and Hong Kong material to include Japanese manga.

• 1980

  Roots in Komik Gramedia Majalah

  [1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  The publishing activities that would eventually lead to M&C! began with Komik Gramedia Majalah and its publication of comics from foreign publishers.

An Indonesian mass-market and specialist publishing brand within Kompas Gramedia Group, best known for comics and manga while also covering fiction, children's literature, nonfiction, and Islamic publishing through dedicated imprints.

• Manga and comics

  M&C! manga and comics

  M&C!'s core catalog consists of translated and localized comics, including Japanese manga and earlier material from European and Hong Kong publishers. Its publications cover multiple readership classifications, from SU, or all ages, through 18+ adult material. Catalog examples include Shaman King, Full Metal Panic!, and Sakura Wars.

• Local comics · 2003

  KOLONI

  KOLONI is M&C!'s imprint for comics created in Indonesia. Established in 2003, it gives locally produced comic work a dedicated publishing identity within the broader M&C! portfolio.

• Mature-audience manga · 2019

  Akasha

  Akasha is a label introduced for manga featuring more mature themes and intended for older readers. Its creation extended M&C!'s segmentation of its manga catalog by giving adult-oriented material a distinct brand.

• Novels

  Clover

  Clover is an M&C! imprint devoted to novels, broadening the company beyond comics and manga into prose fiction.

• Children's books

  funtastic

  funtastic is the children's-book imprint in the M&C! publishing structure, serving younger readers with books distinct from the company's comic and adult-oriented lines.

• Nonfiction

  Miracle

  Miracle is the imprint assigned to nonfiction publishing within M&C!'s multi-label portfolio.

• Islamic books

  QANZA

  QANZA is M&C!'s imprint for Islamic books, providing a dedicated editorial identity for religious and Islamic-oriented publishing.

• 2019

  Launch of AkashaProduct launch

  Background

  M&C!'s manga portfolio included multiple age classifications and required clearer segmentation for titles aimed at older readers.

  Action taken

  The company launched Akasha on March 22 as a label for manga with mature themes.

  Aftermath

  Akasha expanded M&C!'s label architecture and gave mature-audience manga a separate identity.

  Source

• 2003

  Formalization and imprint expansionStrategy

  Background

  After developing from the earlier Komik Gramedia Majalah operation, M&C! was established as a publishing company and needed to organize a broader publishing portfolio.

  Action taken

  M&C! formalized its publishing identity and created KOLONI for Indonesian comics, later adding genre-focused imprints for novels, children's books, nonfiction, and Islamic titles.

  Aftermath

  The imprint model positioned M&C! as a diversified publisher rather than solely a foreign-comics distributor.

  Source

• 2019

  M&C! introduces Akasha mature-manga label[1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  Akasha was launched as a label for manga with more mature themes and an older intended readership.

• 2003

  M&C! formally established as a publishing company[1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  M&C! was established as a publishing company and became part of Kompas Gramedia Group's Retail and Publishing Division.

• 2003

  M&C! launches KOLONI local-comics imprint[1]M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The KOLONI imprint was established to publish comics created in Indonesia.

1. 1M&C! — Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org