Japanese publisher AlphaPollis Co. reported its strongest first-quarter performance on record, riding the wave of Japan’s rapidly expanding digital manga market that has doubled in size since the pandemic.
The Tokyo-based company posted revenue of ¥3.58 billion ($23.9 million) for the three months ended June, marking a 16.5% increase from the previous year. Operating profit climbed 7.2% to ¥764 million ($5.1 million), while net income advanced 7.3% to ¥475 million ($3.2 million).
AlphaPollis’s gains reflect broader industry trends, with digital manga sales in Japan reaching ¥512 billion last year according to industry data. The company has capitalized on this shift by strengthening its electronic book distribution and expanding chapter-by-chapter sales through major digital stores since January.
Manga publications drove much of the quarter’s performance, with electronic sales surging despite a slight decline in physical title releases to 44 books. Popular series including “Tsuyokute New Saga,” which began its anime broadcast in July, and “Jishō Akuyaku Reijō na Kon’yakusha no Kansatsu Kiroku,” slated for 2026 animation, boosted sales.
The company maintained its full-year guidance of ¥160 billion ($1.07 billion) in revenue, suggesting management expects growth momentum to moderate as the year progresses. AlphaPollis competes against industry giants Shueisha and Kodansha, which generate revenues exceeding ¥170 billion annually.
