| 1 | [[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_tokyopop_logo.png]] |
| 2 | |
| 3 | '''Tokyopop''', formerly Mixx, is a translator and distributor of {{manga}}, aka Japanese comics. |
| 4 | |
| 5 | They were one of the most prolific manga publishers in the US, along with Creator/VizMedia and Creator/DelReyManga, and were one of the first publishers to print their manga "back to front", i.e. in the original Japanese format. They promoted titles printed under this format as "100% Authentic Manga!", although it may have been done for economic as much as artistic reasons. In addition, they also had their manga sold in bookstores as well as comic book stores -- this actually really helped increase their audience, since bookstores are more common in the Americas and are usually easier for younger people to get to (you would often find a bookstore in a mall... but not a comic book shop). Tokyopop also formerly published anime [=DVDs=] too, though it didn't last as long as they wanted. Some of their back catalog was acquired by Creator/{{Funimation}}, while other part [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes remains in limbo]]. |
| 6 | |
| 7 | They tried to expand their line by sponsoring "[[{{Animesque}} Original English Manga]]", including licensed fare such as manga-styled ''Franchise/StarTrek'' stories, a [[Manga/ReturnToLabyrinth sequel]] to ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'', and CEO Stu Levy's project with Courtney Love (yes, ''that'' Courtney Love), ''Manga/PrincessAi''. It also included original [=IPs=], like Brandon Graham's ''ComicBook/KingCity'' and Becky Cloonan's ''East Coast Rising''. Some of these titles were more successful than others. Tokyopop was doing great... and then the roof fell in. |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Tokyopop had a ''reputation'' in the American anime and manga fanbase. They were known for having some bad habits in their translation editions, such as leaving word bubbles in blank, sometimes not translating sound effects, hardly ever providing explanatory notes, and often excluding honorifics in the characters' dialogues. This last in particular made them targets of [[UnpleasableFanbase fannish rage]], because Japanese honorifics are SeriousBusiness. In general, if you like your translations to be in very smooth, natural-sounding English, you'll like Tokyopop -- but you'll probably also wonder what you're missing from the original. |
| 10 | |
| 11 | The other was a bit more serious. For a few years, they ran a "''Rising Stars of Manga''" competition, inviting people to send in short one-shot manga (though some people would send in prologues to larger stories, and Tokyopop figured that as long as it stood on its own as a story, it was fine) and published ten winners each year. Many of those winners were offered to do full series, such as ''ComicBook/PeachFuzz'', ''Manga/AtomicKingDaidogan'' (made by Nathan "Captain K" Maurer, famous for his uber-popular ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' fancomic, ''Webcomic/DoubleK''), ''Manga/DogbyWalksAlone'', and even Endling of ''Webcomic/EverAfter'' won the second competition! Unfortunately, after seven contests, the entire competition ceased to exist, and most of the artists who were offered deals [[ScrewedByTheNetwork had their series pulled]]. That was just the beginning of those creators' problems, though. |
| 12 | |
| 13 | Tokyopop would put you on store bookshelves... in exchange for half your copyright. This was essentially a backdoor form of work-for-hire, preying on young American mangaka who had talent and ambition, but often had no business sense. In 2011, the company [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-04-15/tokyopop-to-close-north-american-publishing-division closed down all American operations, leaving only their international office in Germany open]] - among other factors, the closure of bookstore chain Borders, who reportedly owed them a lot of money, hit them hard. When Tokyopop's American division went under, though, the creators' rights went with them - the company remained a legal entity (because of the German office) and thus owner of half of each property, but was no longer in business so creators could not simply take their series to a new publisher - the message here being, "[[ReadTheFinePrint owning half the rights to your series is the same as owning none of them.]]" All those multimedia deals that they were promised would make up for the loss of half the copyright never materialized either. Of the manga that went out of print, a good chunk of it was never rescued. And even those that ''were'' rescued by other companies have received new or revised translations, leaving the older translations confined to the Tokyopop editions. |
| 14 | |
| 15 | The same year as their closure, they announced [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-10-12/tokyopop-confirms-intent-to-publish-manga-again that they intended to return to the American industry.]] In 2015, they finally made good on all the hints and announced [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2015/07/03/tokyopop-announces-return-to-manga-publishing-mobile-app-and-more a 2016 publishing comeback]], with "hidden gem" manga from smaller publishers, collector's editions, and artbooks, with light novels potentially on the way as well. Much like in the past, Tokyopop is looking into [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2015/07/19-1/tokyopop-hints-as-plans-for-disney-properties developing more manga based on licensed properties]] (With the Disney ones being the majority), including ''Franchise/StarWars'' and ''WesternAnimation/Frozen2013''. They also brought up a Pop Comics app, an ad-supported "Website/YouTube for comics" where artists can share comics while still retaining copyright and creative control. |
| 16 | |
| 17 | Not to be confused with the 80s movie ''[=TokyoPop=]'' that featured the first film appearance of a VisualKei [[Music/XJapan band]]. |
| 18 | |
| 19 | ---- |
| 20 | !!Notable Manga and Comic Series: |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[index]] |
| 23 | * ''Manga/DotHackLegendOfTheTwilight'' (manga) |
| 24 | * ''Manga/PlusAnima'' (Manga) |
| 25 | * ''Manga/AILoveYou'' (Manga) |
| 26 | * ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi'' (Manga) |
| 27 | * ''Manga/AngelicLayer'' (Manga) (rights currently held by Creator/DarkHorseComics, who rereleased the series in two omnibus editions) |
| 28 | * ''Manga/AnimalAcademyHakobuneHakusho'' |
| 29 | * ''Manga/{{Aria}}'' (Manga) |
| 30 | * ''Manga/BattleRoyale'' |
| 31 | * ''Manga/BoysBe'' (Manga, licensed the 2nd series) |
| 32 | * ''Anime/BtX'' (Manga) |
| 33 | * ''Anime/BrigadoonMarinAndMelan'' (Both anime and manga) |
| 34 | * ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' (Manga; later obtained by Creator/DarkHorseComics, currently held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 35 | * ''Manga/CherryJuice'' |
| 36 | * ''Manga/{{Chobits}}'' (Manga; rights currently held by Creator/DarkHorseComics) |
| 37 | * ''Manhwa/CielTheLastAutumnStory'' (Manhwa) |
| 38 | * ''Manga/ConfidentialConfessions'' |
| 39 | * ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' (Manga adaptations) |
| 40 | * ''Manga/DeadmanWonderland'' (Manga, first five volumes; rights currently held by Creator/VizMedia) |
| 41 | * ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' (Manhua adaptations) |
| 42 | ** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' |
| 43 | ** ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02'' |
| 44 | ** ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' |
| 45 | * ''Manga/DNAngel'' (Manga) |
| 46 | * ''Manga/{{Dramacon}}'' |
| 47 | * ''Manga/DragonKnights'' |
| 48 | * ''Manga/EerieQueerie'' |
| 49 | * ''Manhwa/FaeriesLanding'' (Manhwa) |
| 50 | * ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' (Manga) |
| 51 | * ''Anime/{{FLCL}}'' (Manga; rights currently held by Creator/DarkHorseComics) |
| 52 | * ''Manga/FruitsBasket'' (Manga; one of its best-sellers. Creator/YenPress has the rights and re-released the series in omnibus format in 2016) |
| 53 | * ''Manga/FutariEcchi'' (Manga, as ''Manga Sutra Futari H''; on hiatus since volume 4) |
| 54 | * ''Manga/FutureDiary'' |
| 55 | * ''Manga/GakuenAlice'' (Manga) |
| 56 | * ''VisualNovel/GakuenHeaven'' (Three out of four volumes) |
| 57 | * ''Manga/GameXRush'' |
| 58 | * ''Manga/GetBackers'' (Manga; rebranded volumes 26 and 27 as ''Manga/GetBackers: Infinity Fortress'' 1 & 2) |
| 59 | * ''Manga/GirlGotGame'' |
| 60 | * ''Literature/TheGoodWitchOfTheWest'' (First two novels and six manga volumes) |
| 61 | * ''Manga/{{Goth}}'' (Manga, plus the original novel by ''Otsuichi'') |
| 62 | * ''Manga/{{Gravitation}}'' |
| 63 | * ''Manga/GreatTeacherOnizuka'' |
| 64 | * ''Manga/GTOTheEarlyYears'' (deluxe edition volumes 1-10, under the title ''GTO: The Early Years''. Vertical Inc. published the remaining 5 volumes) |
| 65 | * ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' Titles |
| 66 | ** ''Gundam Wing'' |
| 67 | *** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWing'' (Comicalization by Kōichi Tokita) |
| 68 | *** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamWingEndlessWaltz'' (Comicalization by Kōichi Tokita) |
| 69 | *** ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Battlefield of Pacifists'' |
| 70 | *** ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: The Last Outpost'' (originally titled Gundam Wing Dual Story: G-Unit) |
| 71 | *** ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Technical Manual'' |
| 72 | ** ''Gundam SEED'' |
| 73 | *** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed'' (Novelization by Liu Goto) |
| 74 | *** ''Manga/MobileSuitGundamSeedAstray'' |
| 75 | *** ''[[Manga/MobileSuitGundamSeedAstray Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray R]]'' |
| 76 | *** ''[[Manga/MobileSuitGundamSeedAstray Mobile Suit Gundam SEED X Astray]]'' |
| 77 | ** ''Mobile Suit Gundam Lost War Chronicles'' (the manga adaptation of the [=PS2=] game) |
| 78 | * ''Franchise/DotHack'' (Manga, 4koma, Alcor, G.U.+, ''Manga/DotHackLegendOfTheTwilight'', ''.hack//XXXX''; and for novels, ''Literature/DotHackAIBuster'' and ''.hack//Another Birth''.) |
| 79 | * ''Manga/HanakoAndTheTerrorOfAllegory'' |
| 80 | * ''Manga/HappyCafe'' |
| 81 | * ''Manga/HarlemBeat'' (manga) |
| 82 | * ''Manga/HekikaiNoAiON'' |
| 83 | * ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' (Rights currently held by Right Stuf) |
| 84 | * ''Manga/HibikisMagic'' |
| 85 | * ''Manga/IkkiTousen'' (Manga, as ''Battle Vixens''. {{Macekre}}d.) |
| 86 | * ''Manga/InitialD'' (Manga and anime. Blatantly [[CulturalTranslation Americanized]] and {{Bowdlerize}}d; Manga rights currently held by Kodansha Comics USA and Anime rights held by {{Creator/Funimation}}) |
| 87 | * ''Manga/InstantTeenJustAddNuts'' |
| 88 | * ''Manga/{{Jiraishin}}'' (Under the title of ''Ice Blade'') |
| 89 | * ''Manga/JunjouRomantica'' (Manga) |
| 90 | * ''Manga/KaitouSaintTail'' (Both anime and manga) |
| 91 | * ''Manga/{{Karin}}'' (Full manga and eight out of nine novels, as ''Chibi Vampire'') |
| 92 | * ''Manga/KedamonoDamono'' (manga) |
| 93 | * ''Manga/KilalaPrincess'' |
| 94 | * ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' (Original translations; 2013 releases done by Creator/YenPress) |
| 95 | ** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsI'' |
| 96 | ** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories'' |
| 97 | ** ''Manga/KingdomHeartsII'' (first two volumes only) |
| 98 | * ''Manga/KingOfThorn'' (manga) |
| 99 | * ''Manga/{{Kodocha}}: Sana's Stage'' (manga) |
| 100 | * ''Manga/KonohanaKitan'' (manga) |
| 101 | * ''Literature/KyoKaraMaoh'' |
| 102 | * ''Manga/Life2002'' |
| 103 | * ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' (manga adaptation) |
| 104 | * ''Manga/LoveHina'' (manga; rights currently held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 105 | * ''Manga/LupinIII'' (The original 1967 Manga as well as the 1977 sequel) |
| 106 | * ''Manga/MaidSama'' (manga) |
| 107 | * ''Manga/MagicKnightRayearth'' (manga) (rescued by Creator/DarkHorseComics, who re-released the series in two omnibus editions but not the rights are held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 108 | * ''Manga/MarmaladeBoy'' (Both anime and manga) |
| 109 | * ''Manga/MamotteShugogetten'' |
| 110 | * ''Manga/MeAndMyBrothers'' |
| 111 | * ''Manga/MiracleGirls'' (manga) |
| 112 | * ''Manga/MiriyaAndMarie'' |
| 113 | * ''Manga/MyHime'' (manga) |
| 114 | * ''Manga/{{Parasyte}}'' (later re-translated and re-released by Creator/DelReyManga; rights currently held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 115 | * ''Manga/PeacemakerKurogane'' |
| 116 | * ''Manga/PeachGirl'' (Manga; rights currently held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 117 | * ''Manga/PetShopOfHorrors'' (with a translation that's often only "loosely based" on the original text) |
| 118 | * ''Manhwa/PHDPhantasyDegree'' (manhwa) |
| 119 | * ''Manga/PitaTen'' |
| 120 | * ''Manga/PixiePop'' |
| 121 | * ''Manga/{{Planetes}}'' (manga, subsequently republished by Creator/DarkHorseComics) |
| 122 | * ''Manga/RaveMaster'' (manga and anime. It was picked up and completed by Creator/DelReyManga) |
| 123 | * ''Manga/RealBoutHighSchool'' (manga and anime; digital rights now held by Creator/VizMedia) |
| 124 | * ''Manga/RealityCheck'' |
| 125 | * ''Anime/ReignTheConqueror'' (a.k.a. ''Alexander Senki'') |
| 126 | * ''Manga/RozenMaiden'' (original manga) |
| 127 | * ''Manhwa/{{Rure}}'' (manhwa) |
| 128 | * ''Manhwa/{{Redrum327}}'' |
| 129 | * ''Anime/SaberMarionetteJ'' (the manga adaptation, {{Macekre}}d) |
| 130 | * ''Manga/SailorMoon'' (Manga, {{Macekre}}d in an effort to match the {{Macekre}}d Creator/DiC dub of the first [[Anime/SailorMoon anime]]... it overtook the anime and some stuff was the same as the original leading to an odd mix of dub and original terms and names. Rights currently held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 131 | * ''Anime/SamuraiChamploo'' (Manga adaptation) |
| 132 | * ''Manga/SamuraiHaremAsuNoYoichi'' |
| 133 | * ''Literature/ScrappedPrincess'' (manga and some of the novels) |
| 134 | * ''Manga/SeaPrincessAzuri'' |
| 135 | * ''Manga/SgtFrog'' (digital rights held by Creator/VizMedia, who rereleased all of Tokyopop's published print volumes digitally) |
| 136 | * ''Manga/SilverDiamond'' |
| 137 | * ''Literature/{{Slayers}}'' (translations of the {{Light Novel}}s.) |
| 138 | * ''Manga/SoulRescue'' |
| 139 | * ''Manga/StardustWink'' |
| 140 | * ''Manga/StitchAndTheSamurai'' (all 26 chapters of this ''Franchise/LiloAndStitch'' spin-off and the first part of a ''VideoGame/DisneyTsumTsum'' side story; the second part, featuring WesternAnimation/{{Leroy and|Stitch}} [[WesternAnimation/LiloAndStitchTheSeries Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel]], was not given an English publication) |
| 141 | * ''Manga/{{Tactics}}'' (volumes 1-8, with the first two volumes getting a release by ADV Manga before the rights transferred over. Was picked up for a digital release by [=JManga=], who went up to volume 12 before going under in 2013, leaving the last three volumes unreleased in English) |
| 142 | * ''Manhwa/TheTarotCafe'' |
| 143 | * ''Manga/TokyoMewMew'' (Rights currently held by Kodansha Comics USA) |
| 144 | * ''Literature/TrinityBlood'' |
| 145 | * ''Literature/TheTwelveKingdoms'' (novels; four of seven volumes were released) |
| 146 | * ''Manga/VampireDoll'' |
| 147 | * ''Webcomic/VanVonHunter'' (the print companion to the {{webcomic}}) |
| 148 | * ''Manga/{{Vassalord}}'' |
| 149 | * ''Manga/{{Warrior|CatsManga}}s'' (manga adaptations) |
| 150 | ** ''ComicBook/WarriorCatsTheRiseOfScourge'' |
| 151 | * ''Manga/YourAndMySecret'' (Volume 8 remains unpublished) |
| 152 | * ''Manga/YubisakiMilkTea'' (Volume 8 combined Japanese volumes 8 and 9; Volume 9 remains unpublished) |
| 153 | * ''Anime/YuriKumaArashi'' (planned to be published in 2019 under the name ''Yuri Bear Storm'') |
| 154 | * ''Zone-00'' (written by Kiyo Kyujyo, the author of the ''Trinity Blood'' manga. It is currently still being published.) |
| 155 | [[/index]] |
| 156 |
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