Webtoon Entertainment’s Japanese subsidiary, LINE Digital Frontier, has forged a strategic alliance with Manga Studio No. 9, a move poised to significantly impact the global webcomic landscape. The partnership, finalized at the end of 2024, aims to leverage the strengths of both companies to fuel the growth of Japanese webtoons and expand their international reach.
A Strategic Investment in Japanese Content
The deal, which involves a strategic investment by LINE Digital Frontier in No. 9 Inc, is a clear indication of Webtoon Entertainment’s commitment to the Japanese market. No. 9 Inc. is a prominent digital comics agency and manga studio known for producing and publishing hit webcomics such as “Savior of Divine Blood” and “I Am the Strongest Transcendent”. These titles have already garnered significant popularity on Webtoon Entertainment’s global platforms.
Junkoo Kim, CEO & Founder of Webtoon Entertainment, emphasized the importance of Japan as a hub for comic art, stating, “Japan is the home of manga and some of the world’s most exciting comic art, so it’s a natural growth market for our global business.” The investment is not just a financial transaction but also a collaborative effort to develop and promote Japanese webcomics for both local and global audiences.
As part of the agreement, No. 9 Inc. will appoint an outside director from LINE Digital Frontier to its board, further solidifying the partnership and strategic alignment between the two entities. This move signals a deeper level of integration and a shared vision for the future of manga.
Driving Growth and Global Reach
The partnership seeks to accomplish three key goals, all centered around “Creating the Future of Manga”. These include:
- Fostering sustainable growth for Japanese webtoon titles
- Accelerating the global expansion of domestic webtoons
- Developing new hit IPs (Intellectual Properties)
LINE Digital Frontier’s expertise in digital distribution and global outreach, combined with No. 9’s production capabilities, creates a synergy that will be crucial for achieving these ambitious objectives. The collaboration will capitalize on No. 9’s creative production know-how and LINE’s extensive global distribution network.
Webtoon Entertainment’s LINE Manga app has already demonstrated its dominance in the Japanese market, having topped the overall app market by revenue multiple times in 2024, according to SensorTower. This existing success highlights the potential for further growth and the impact of this partnership.
The Rise of Japanese Webtoons
The Japanese webtoon market has seen substantial growth in recent years. As of 2022, the domestic market was valued at approximately 50 billion yen, accounting for 10% of the overall digital comics market. The number of homegrown webtoon titles is steadily increasing, with several achieving impressive milestones. Some titles have surpassed monthly sales of 100 million yen, and a number of popular series have spawned anime and film adaptations.
No. 9’s webtoon production label, Studio No. 9, is at the forefront of this growth. They are responsible for titles such as “Savior of Divine Blood ~Draw Out 0.00000001% to Become the Strongest~” and “I am the strongest awakener, recognized by all of the world’s cheat masters,” which have consistently ranked high on LINE Manga’s annual charts. These successes underscore the quality and popularity of Japanese webtoons.
Webtoon’s Expanding Global Footprint
This collaboration is part of Webtoon Entertainment’s broader global expansion strategy. The company, backed by South Korea’s Naver Corporation, is actively investing in the development of local content. This investment is Webtoon’s first in a Japanese studio, marking a significant move towards increasing the portion of locally produced content.
Webtoon Entertainment is also working with Japanese partners to develop several hit IPs for screens around the world. These include an anime adaptation of “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” with Aniplex and Crunchyroll, and an adaptation of “GOSU” with Toei, the studio behind popular series such as “Dragon Ball” and “One Piece”.
Webtoon’s global reach extends beyond Japan, with its content being localized for fans worldwide. No. 9’s produced webcomics have been translated into multiple languages, including Korean, English, Chinese (Traditional), French, Thai, and Indonesian, demonstrating a commitment to making Japanese webtoons accessible to a broader audience.
About Manga Studio No. 9
Manga Studio No. 9, also known as No. 9 Inc., was established in November 2016 and is based in Tokyo. The studio specializes in producing and publishing manga and webcomics. In addition to “Savior of Divine Blood” and “I Am the Strongest Transcendent”, they have developed a strong portfolio of popular titles. Their localized content has been instrumental in reaching Webtoon’s international fanbase.
While No. 9 Inc. is known for its webcomic production, another entity named Project No.9 is a separate animation studio. Project No. 9, founded in February 2009, has produced a wide range of anime series, including “Bottom-tier Character Tomozaki,” “Higehiro,” and “The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten.” Although both names are similar, it’s important to distinguish Project No.9 as an animation studio and No. 9 Inc. as a webcomic and manga production studio.
The Future of Webtoons
The collaboration between LINE Digital Frontier and Manga Studio No. 9 represents a significant step forward in the webtoon industry. With the combined expertise of both companies, this partnership is expected to drive the growth of the Japanese webtoon market and serve as a gateway for Japanese entertainment to reach a global audience.
The webtoon market is rapidly expanding. It is projected to reach $10.78 billion in 2025 and an impressive $31.21 billion by 2034, with an expected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.4% from 2025 to 2034. This growth underscores the increasing popularity and influence of webtoons as a form of digital entertainment.
The partnership is not only about business expansion but also about fostering creativity and bringing more engaging content to fans worldwide. With this collaboration, Webtoon Entertainment is poised to further solidify its position as a leader in the global digital comics market.
