Kodansha anime business profile: ownership, revenue, and strategy
Kodansha publishes manga that powers global anime franchises, but its financial disclosures keep publishing and animation economics under one roof.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Kodansha Corporation is Japan's largest publisher by revenue and one of the most important upstream rights holders in anime. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, Kodansha reported revenue of JPY 169.1 billion, operating profit of JPY 10.4 billion, ordinary profit of JPY 15.1 billion, and net profit of JPY 11.1 billion. The company is privately held, led by President Yoshinobu Noma, with 972 employees and capital of JPY 300 million as of April 2025. Its anime strategy rests on publishing source manga, licensing adaptation rights, and participating in production committees rather than owning animation studios outright.
What Kodansha is and who leads it
Kodansha Corporation is a Japanese publishing company founded in 1909 and headquartered in Bunkyo, Tokyo. It is the largest publisher in Japan by revenue and publishes manga, literature, journalism, fashion magazines, children's books, and reference works. Its manga magazines include Weekly Shonen Magazine and Evening, and it owns or publishes major franchises such as Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, The Seven Deadly Sins, and Ghost in the Shell.
As of April 2025, Kodansha was led by President Yoshinobu Noma and had 972 employees. The company has capital of JPY 300 million. It is privately held, so it does not disclose public shareholders or a stock price.
How Kodansha makes money from anime
Kodansha's core business is publishing, but its manga titles are the raw material for much of the anime industry. When a Kodansha manga is adapted into an anime, the company typically joins the production committee, licenses publishing rights overseas, and collects royalties from merchandise, games, and media exploitation.
The company has emphasized that rights businesses, including film and anime adaptations, are becoming an increasingly important pillar of revenue. Digital publishing, overseas expansion, and media mix are central to its growth strategy.
Latest earnings in context
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, Kodansha reported revenue of JPY 169.1 billion, down 1.1% year over year. Operating profit was JPY 10.4 billion, down 3.8%, while ordinary profit rose 5.6% to JPY 15.1 billion and net profit rose 19.4% to JPY 11.1 billion. The divergence between operating and bottom-line profit came from non-operating and extraordinary items.
The slight revenue decline reflects softness in parts of the publishing business, while the profit growth at the net level shows the benefit of rights income and cost management. As with other publishers, Kodansha's headline numbers do not isolate anime revenue.
Kodansha fiscal year ended November 30, 2025 results. Source: gamebiz summary of Kodansha financial announcement.| Metric | Fiscal year ended November 2025 | Year over year |
|---|
| Revenue | JPY 169.1B | -1.1% |
| Operating profit | JPY 10.4B | -3.8% |
| Ordinary profit | JPY 15.1B | +5.6% |
| Net profit | JPY 11.1B | +19.4% |
Subsidiaries and global footprint
Kodansha operates through domestic subsidiaries including Kobunsha, King Records, Kodansha BECK, Kodansha Scientific, and Kodansha IP. Overseas subsidiaries include Kodansha USA, Kodansha USA Publishing, and Kodansha Europe. These units handle English-language manga publishing, licensing, and regional expansion.
King Records is a notable subsidiary because music and soundtrack rights are a meaningful part of anime economics. Kodansha also has related companies in digital technology, content data marketing, and fulfillment.
Strategy and where Kodansha fits in anime
Kodansha's strategy is to maximize the value of its IP across publishing, anime, film, games, and merchandise. The company has said that overseas business, digital publishing, and adaptations are increasingly important to its future. Hit titles such as Attack on Titan demonstrate how a Kodansha manga can become a multi-decade global franchise spanning anime series, films, games, and merchandise.
Because Kodansha is a private publisher, its financial disclosures are less detailed than those of listed companies. Analysts estimate its anime exposure from the performance of its hit titles and from licensing announcements rather than from segment reporting.
What public disclosures do not show
Kodansha does not publish segment revenue for anime, publishing, and merchandise. It does not break out revenue by title or by territory. The figures available come from summary financial announcements, not detailed securities filings.
This means the exact contribution of anime adaptations to Kodansha's revenue is not public. The company is clearly a major beneficiary of anime's global growth, but the share of revenue directly attributable to anime rights and adaptations must be estimated from external sources.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Kodansha?
Kodansha is a privately held company. It does not disclose public shareholders. It is led by President Yoshinobu Noma.
What is Kodansha's latest revenue?
For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2025, Kodansha reported revenue of JPY 169.1 billion, operating profit of JPY 10.4 billion, ordinary profit of JPY 15.1 billion, and net profit of JPY 11.1 billion.
Does Kodansha own an animation studio?
No. Kodansha is a publisher and rights holder. It licenses manga for anime adaptation and participates in production committees, but animation production is handled by partner studios.
What are Kodansha's biggest anime-related titles?
Kodansha publishes source manga for major anime franchises including Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, The Seven Deadly Sins, Ghost in the Shell, and Fairy Tail.
Sources and methodology
- 講談社、2025年11月期決算は売上高1.1%減の1691億円, gamebiz. Fiscal year ended November 30, 2025 revenue, operating profit, ordinary profit, and net profit figures.
- 会社概要, Kodansha. President Yoshinobu Noma, 972 employees, capital JPY 300 million, and related companies.