Viz Media

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.

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.

1. 2024RWBY acquisition announced

   Viz announced its acquisition of RWBY after Rooster Teeth closed.

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2. 2023Viz Manga launches

   Viz launched a digital manga service carrying additional Shogakukan and Shueisha works.

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3. 2019Crunchyroll distribution partnership

   Viz agreed to distribute selected Crunchyroll-licensed titles on home video and electronic sell-through.

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4. 2014Indian distribution announced

   Viz announced an Indian release program involving Shueisha titles.

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5. 2013Distribution expands to the Philippines

   Viz began distributing selected titles in the Philippines.

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6. 2012Neon Alley launches

   Viz introduced a streaming service focused on anime and related programming.

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7. 2005ShoPro merger creates Viz Media

   Viz Communications merged with ShoPro Entertainment and adopted the Viz Media name.

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8. 2002Shueisha becomes a joint owner

   Shueisha joined Shogakukan as a corporate owner of Viz.

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9. 1987First publications released

   Viz released its first manga titles, including Legend of Kamui.

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10. 1986Viz Communications founded

    Seiji Horibuchi established the company in the United States with support from Shogakukan.

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A major English-language publisher and distributor of Japanese manga and anime, combining direct publishing, digital reading, licensing, home entertainment, streaming, and selected film and television production.

• Shonen Jumpmanga magazine and digital publishing2002

  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.

• Viz Mangadigital manga service2023

  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.

• Anime home-video releasesanime distribution

  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.

• RWBYanimated franchise and licensing2024

  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.

• Viz Productionsfilm and television licensing

  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.

• Neon Alleyanime streaming service2012

  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.

• 2024Acquisition of RWBYM&A

  Rooster Teeth, the original parent company of RWBY, closed in 2024.

  What changed. Viz announced that it had acquired RWBY.

  Aftermath. The acquisition added a prominent American animation property to Viz's broader licensing and distribution portfolio.

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• 2023Launch of Viz MangaProduct launch

  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.

  What changed. 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.

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• 2012Change in chief executive leadershipOther

  Viz announced a transition in its senior management team.

  What changed. 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.

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• 2009Outsource home-video distribution to Warner Home VideoStrategy

  Viz sought broader and more efficient distribution for its new and existing anime home-video catalog during a period of restructuring.

  What changed. 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.

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• 2024Viz Media acquires RWBY

  Viz announced that it had acquired RWBY after the closure of the franchise's original parent company, Rooster Teeth.

  M&A
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• 2023Viz Media launches Viz Manga

  The digital manga service launched with Shogakukan and Shueisha licenses, including simultaneous English publication for selected ongoing works.

  Product launch
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• 2020Funimation and Viz Media announce streaming distribution partnership

  Selected Viz titles became available through Funimation's streaming service following earlier title-level availability.

  Other
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• 2019Viz Media partners with Crunchyroll for home-video and digital distribution

  The partnership covered selected Crunchyroll-licensed titles in the United States and Canada.

  M&AOther
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• 2012Ken Sasaki succeeds Hidemi Fukuhara as chief executive

  Viz announced a leadership transition in which Ken Sasaki became president and CEO while Fukuhara moved to a vice-president role.

  Leadership change
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• 2010Viz Media announces further workforce reduction

  Viz announced a further reduction of approximately 60 employees and said its product lines would continue operating.

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• 2009Viz Media announces workforce reduction

  The company reduced staffing as part of a response to difficult economic conditions.

  Other
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• 2008Warner Home Video selected for Viz home-video distribution

  Viz announced that Warner Home Video would distribute new and catalog releases from April 2009.

  Other
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• 2005Viz Communications merges with ShoPro Entertainment and becomes Viz Media

  The merger combined Viz Communications with Shogakukan's American subsidiary and created the current Viz Media structure.

  M&A
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1. Viz Media
2. Official Viz Media website