Viz Media

Corporate brand

American entertainment company specializing in manga publishing and the licensing, distribution, and production of Japanese anime and related media. A major North American manga and Japanese entertainment publisher associated with the Shonen Jump publishing and digital-reading brand.

Last updated October 14, 2026

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Overview

Viz Media, LLC is an American entertainment company whose principal businesses are the English-language publication of Japanese manga and the licensing, distribution, and production of anime, films, television programming, and related digital content. Its core market is North America, although the company has also expanded distribution and licensing activity into other territories. The business originated in 1986 when Seiji Horibuchi established Viz Communications in the United States with support from Shogakukan. Horibuchi had moved from Japan to California and developed an interest in introducing Japanese comics to American readers after encountering Katsuhiro Otomo's work. Early releases faced the limitations of a specialist comics market, so the company pursued mainstream bookstore distribution and described many of its manga books as graphic novels. That approach helped create dedicated manga shelving in general bookstores. The licensing of Ranma ½ was an important early commercial success, followed by major properties such as Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and Case Closed. Viz expanded beyond print into anime distribution and periodical publishing. Its English-language edition of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump, launched as Shonen Jump, gave the company a recurring platform for serialized manga and helped connect print releases with anime and toy-oriented audiences. The company also developed English-language editions, home-video releases, digital products, theatrical activities, and film-production relationships. Viz introduced content ratings for manga and some anime releases, ranging from all-ages material to mature titles, and its editions have used both adapted left-to-right layouts and the original right-to-left reading direction depending on the title and period. Ownership links with Shueisha strengthened in 2002. In 2005, Viz Communications merged with ShoPro Entertainment, the American subsidiary of Shogakukan, and became Viz Media. Shogakukan, Shueisha, and their production affiliate Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions became the company's Japanese corporate owners. The merger consolidated licensing, publishing, and distribution activities under the Viz Media name. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, Viz restructured parts of its business and adjusted its distribution model. Warner Home Video was selected to distribute Viz's new and catalog home-video releases in the United States and Canada beginning in 2009. Viz also created or operated related entertainment initiatives, including Viz Productions, the live-action film label New People, and the anime streaming service Neon Alley. Neon Alley content was later moved to Hulu, and the brand was retired in 2016. Viz continued to broaden its international and digital operations. It announced distribution activity in the Philippines in 2013 and India in 2014. Partnerships with Crunchyroll and Funimation expanded the availability of selected licensed titles through home video, electronic sell-through, and streaming. In 2023, Viz launched Viz Manga, a digital subscription and reading service carrying Shogakukan and Shueisha licenses that are not part of the Shonen Jump service, including simultaneous English releases for selected ongoing series. In 2024, Viz announced that it had acquired RWBY after the closure of Rooster Teeth, adding the American animated franchise to its licensing and distribution portfolio. Viz is principally positioned as a specialist gateway for Japanese popular culture in English-speaking markets. Its business combines rights management, editorial localization, physical publishing, digital reading, anime distribution, and selected screen-media production. In 2017, it was reported as the largest graphic-novel publisher in the United States bookstore market, with a 23 percent share. The company remains active under the ownership of Shueisha, Shogakukan, and ShoPro.

History

Seiji Horibuchi founded Viz Communications in 1986 after moving from Japan to California and developing a plan to publish Japanese manga for American readers. Shogakukan provided early financial backing. The company's first publications appeared in 1987, but the specialist American comics market initially limited sales. Viz responded by entering general publishing and presenting manga in graphic-novel formats that could be sold through mainstream bookstores. This strategy helped establish dedicated manga sections, while the license for Ranma ½ produced an important early hit. The company later expanded into anime licensing and distribution and built a periodical publishing business around Shonen Jump, its English-language adaptation of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump. Popular properties including Dragon Ball, Inuyasha, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Case Closed became central to its publishing and distribution activities. Viz also experimented with localization practices, including both mirrored left-to-right editions and original right-to-left formats. It created content categories for manga and some anime releases, from all-ages titles to mature works. Shueisha became a joint owner in 2002, adding to Shogakukan's ownership relationship. In 2005, Viz Communications merged with ShoPro Entertainment and adopted the Viz Media name. The resulting company was owned by Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions. This structure linked Viz's North American publishing and licensing operations more closely to major Japanese rights holders. In the following years, Viz developed several adjacent businesses. Viz Pictures handled selected Japanese live-action films, later operating under the New People name. Viz Productions coordinated Japanese intellectual-property licensing and participated in screen projects, including the film adaptation Edge of Tomorrow and an American adaptation of Death Note. Neon Alley, an anime streaming service launched in 2012, later shifted content to Hulu and was retired as a brand in 2016. Warner Home Video became a distribution partner for Viz home-video products in 2009. Viz announced distribution initiatives in the Philippines and India in 2013 and 2014. Its later partnerships with Crunchyroll and Funimation extended selected titles into home-video, electronic, and streaming channels. The company reported strong market growth during the 2020 manga boom. In 2023 it launched Viz Manga, a digital service designed to complement Shonen Jump with additional Shogakukan and Shueisha material and selected simultaneous English releases. In 2024, following Rooster Teeth's closure, Viz announced the acquisition of RWBY. The company therefore operates across physical and digital manga publishing, anime and film licensing, distribution, and selected intellectual-property development.

2024
RWBY acquisition announced
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz announced its acquisition of RWBY after Rooster Teeth closed.
2023
Viz Manga launches
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz launched a digital manga service carrying additional Shogakukan and Shueisha works.
2019
Crunchyroll distribution partnership
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz agreed to distribute selected Crunchyroll-licensed titles on home video and electronic sell-through.
2014
Indian distribution announced
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz announced an Indian release program involving Shueisha titles.
2013
Distribution expands to the Philippines
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz began distributing selected titles in the Philippines.
2012
Neon Alley launches
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz introduced a streaming service focused on anime and related programming.
2005
ShoPro merger creates Viz Media
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz Communications merged with ShoPro Entertainment and adopted the Viz Media name.
2002
Shueisha becomes a joint owner
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Shueisha joined Shogakukan as a corporate owner of Viz.
1987
First publications released
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Viz released its first manga titles, including Legend of Kamui.
1986
Viz Communications founded
[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Seiji Horibuchi established the company in the United States with support from Shogakukan.

Products and positioning

Authorized North American publisher and digital distributor of Japanese manga and related entertainment, combining licensed Japanese properties with English translation, localization, print distribution, and digital reading.

Manga magazine and serialized digital publishing · 2002
Weekly Shonen Jump
Viz's English-language adaptation of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump. It serialized and promoted major Japanese manga properties for North American readers and helped connect manga publication with anime and broader youth entertainment culture. A Shonen Jump-branded North American manga offering associated with serialized Japanese comics for English-language readers. The brand connects VIZ's local publishing and licensing role with the serialized manga format, and has been distributed through print and digital channels. Specific publication periods, editorial lineups, and current availability are not established in the supplied reference material. Viz's English-language adaptation of Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump, launched in 2002. It serialized and promoted major Japanese manga properties for North American readers and helped connect manga publication with anime and broader youth entertainment culture. The Shonen Jump name is closely associated with the serialized manga tradition of Japanese shōnen magazines, while Viz provides the local publishing, translation, distribution, and licensing infrastructure for North American readers. In this market, the brand has been used for both periodical-style publishing and digital offerings, including the Viz Media app and other online reading channels.
digital manga service · 2023
VIZ manga catalog
A digital reading service launched in 2023 with Shogakukan and Shueisha licenses that are not included in the Shonen Jump service. It also supports simultaneous English releases for selected ongoing manga. VIZ's broader publishing catalog consists of licensed Japanese manga translated and localized for North American audiences. It spans collected graphic novels and other manga formats, with availability through physical retailers and digital services. Individual titles, formats, release schedules, and rights differ by property and are not enumerated in the supplied reference.
anime distribution
Anime home-video releases
Viz licenses and distributes selected Japanese anime series and films in physical and digital formats. Its catalog has included major franchises such as Naruto, Bleach, Sailor Moon, and other properties associated with its Japanese rights-holder relationships.
animated franchise and licensing · 2024
RWBY
Viz announced the acquisition of the American animated franchise RWBY in 2024 following the closure of Rooster Teeth, expanding the company's portfolio beyond Japanese-origin manga and anime.
film and television licensing
Viz Productions
A related operation that coordinated Japanese intellectual-property licensing with American film companies and supported adaptations involving Japanese creators and rights holders. Associated projects included Edge of Tomorrow and an American Death Note adaptation.
anime streaming service · 2012
Neon Alley
An anime-focused streaming service established by Viz in 2012. Its content was later moved to Hulu, and the Neon Alley branding was retired in 2016.
Digital manga reading
VIZ Media app
A digital reading offering associated with VIZ's manga catalog. It provides a mobile-oriented route to selected manga content and complements the company's physical books, serialized publishing, and other online distribution channels. The supplied reference does not specify its launch date, technical features, catalog size, or availability by territory.

Brand decisions

2024
Acquisition of RWBYM&A
Background
Rooster Teeth, the original parent company of RWBY, closed in 2024.
Action taken
Viz announced that it had acquired RWBY.
Aftermath
The acquisition added a prominent American animation property to Viz's broader licensing and distribution portfolio.
Source
2023
Launch of Viz MangaProduct launch
Background
Viz had separate digital services for different parts of its manga catalog and sought to offer additional Shogakukan and Shueisha titles in a dedicated reading product.
Action taken
Viz launched Viz Manga with digital access to additional licensed works and selected simultaneous English chapters.
Aftermath
The service broadened Viz's direct digital relationship with manga readers and complemented Shonen Jump.
Source
2012
Change in chief executive leadershipOther
Background
Viz announced a transition in its senior management team.
Action taken
Ken Sasaki was named president and chief executive officer, succeeding Hidemi Fukuhara, who became vice-president.
Aftermath
The change preceded a period of renewed partnerships, international distribution, and digital expansion.
Source
2009
Outsource home-video distribution to Warner Home VideoStrategy
Background
Viz sought broader and more efficient distribution for its new and existing anime home-video catalog during a period of restructuring.
Action taken
Warner Home Video was appointed to distribute Viz releases in the United States and Canada beginning April 1, 2009.
Aftermath
Viz retained licensing and production responsibilities while using Warner's distribution infrastructure.
Source

Recent events

2024
Viz Media acquires RWBY[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Viz announced that it had acquired RWBY after the closure of the franchise's original parent company, Rooster Teeth.
2023
Viz Media launches Viz Manga[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Product launch
The digital manga service launched with Shogakukan and Shueisha licenses, including simultaneous English publication for selected ongoing works.
2020
Funimation and Viz Media announce streaming distribution partnership[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Other
Selected Viz titles became available through Funimation's streaming service following earlier title-level availability.
2019
Viz Media partners with Crunchyroll for home-video and digital distribution[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
M&A · Other
The partnership covered selected Crunchyroll-licensed titles in the United States and Canada.
2012
Ken Sasaki succeeds Hidemi Fukuhara as chief executive[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Leadership change
Viz announced a leadership transition in which Ken Sasaki became president and CEO while Fukuhara moved to a vice-president role.
2010
Viz Media announces further workforce reduction[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Other
Viz announced a further reduction of approximately 60 employees and said its product lines would continue operating.
2009
Viz Media announces workforce reduction[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Other
The company reduced staffing as part of a response to difficult economic conditions.
2008
Warner Home Video selected for Viz home-video distribution[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
Other
Viz announced that Warner Home Video would distribute new and catalog releases from April 2009.
2005
Viz Communications merges with ShoPro Entertainment and becomes Viz Media[1]Viz Mediaen.wikipedia.org
M&A
The merger combined Viz Communications with Shogakukan's American subsidiary and created the current Viz Media structure.

Sources10 sources

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