Comics
Kodansha acquires US publisher Vertical
Published Thursday, Feb 24 2011, 19:18 GMT | By Mark Langshaw
The manga giant purchased the company in conjunction with Dai Nippon Printing, who came away with 46% ownership, Anime News Network reports.
Vertical specialises in translated Japanese fiction and manga. The buy-out is thought to be part of Kodansha's strategy to take control of its material in the West. It previously terminated a licensing agreement with Del Rey Comics in favour of using its own Kodansha Comics imprint.
Kodansha is a market leader in manga publishing, owning the licenses to popular anime properties Akira, Ghost In The Shell and Oh My Goddess!, among others.
Rival publisher Shogakukan and Shueisha purchased US manga firm Viz Media in 2009.
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