Once understood only by hardcore otaku, the Japanese word "manga" has now become a recognized term in the global lexicon. The popularity of manga and manga-related products in Europe and English-language markets is now equal to that in Asia. Kodansha's overseas licensing and rights business started with the sale of manga translation rights, before broadening to include anime broadcasting, DVD sales, and merchandising. International media franchising of Kodansha properties into live-action films, digital and other media is firmly set on an upward trajectory.

The Garden of Sinners (Kara no Kyokai) is a novel that sold more than a million copies in the Japanese market. It has since been published in Korea--where it sold an impressive 120,000 copies--and Taiwan, with an English version due to come out in the U.S. in 2009. The first installment of the animated feature was released in late 2007 to packed theaters.

Every year, more than 250 Kodansha books are translated and published overseas. Offers to acquire rights to our best sellers are quick to come in from Taiwan, Korea and Thailand, where there is a boom in content of Japanese origin. In Europe and North America, there is increasing interest in our novels, young adult titles and illustrated children's books. A recent success across many territories was the fantasy novel The Twelve Kingdoms, which has been published in a total of seven languages so far--English, French, German, Danish, Korean, Thai, and traditional Chinese.