KADOKAWA, a prominent Japanese media company, has partnered with Indonesia’s Kompas Gramedia Group to create PT PHOENIX GRAMEDIA INDONESIA. This new venture, established on January 5, 2024, marks a strategic expansion into the Indonesian market for publishing translated Japanese manga and light novels. KADOKAWA holds a majority 51% stake, while PT Gramedia Asri Media, a subsidiary of Kompas Gramedia, controls the remaining 49%.
Kompas Gramedia Group, a diversified conglomerate, is well-entrenched in various sectors including real estate, education, and broadcasting. Its publishing arm, Gramedia, is Indonesia’s largest, also operating a network of 123 bookstores. This extensive reach spans publishing, distribution, and retail, offering a robust platform for the new venture.
PT PHOENIX GRAMEDIA INDONESIA’s ambitions extend beyond mere translation. It plans to sell anime-related merchandise and manage a digital platform, primarily focusing on the manga, anime, and light novel sectors.
This move by KADOKAWA and Kompas Gramedia taps into Indonesia’s demographic potential, home to 270 million people, and a significant young population. The country’s increasing consumption of animation, comics, and games, especially Japanese works, presents a lucrative opportunity.
KADOKAWA has been aggressively expanding globally, especially in the entertainment arena. Following its ventures in Europe, Taiwan, and Thailand, the Indonesian market is its latest foray, leveraging its publishing expertise. This strategic push into Southeast Asia underscores KADOKAWA’s commitment to international growth, with PT PHOENIX GRAMEDIA INDONESIA poised as a pivotal player in its expanding global narrative.
