HIKE Inc. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Masataka Mikami;hereinafter referred to as "HIKE"),  under the umbrella of Pole To Win Holdings Inc. (Head Office: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Teppei Tachibana; Stock Code: 3657; hereinafter referred to as "PHD"), is pleased to announce the launch of the new "HIKE Editorial Department" to handle digital manga publishing.

"HIKE Editorial Department" will create original e-books (comics) and distribute them on various platforms, as well as take advantage of HIKE's strengths (IP 360-degree development) of being able to produce and distribute all content in-house, including animation and merchandise sales, to deliver fascinating works that go beyond manga to the world.

Official site: https://hikebooks.com/
Official X: https://x.com/hike_editorial
Business: Production and sales of original e-books (comics)

How HIKE Editorial Department was established
The digital publishing market (books, magazines, and comics) in Japan in 2023 is expected to reach approximately 535.1 billion yen (a 6.7% increase from the previous year), of which digital comics accounts for 90% of the 483 billion yen (a 7.8% increase from the previous year). (*1) The global webcomic market is estimated to be 7.13 billion US dollars (approximately 1.118 trillion yen) in 2023, and is forecast to reach 13.04 billion US dollars (2.452 trillion yen) by 2032. (*2)

HIKE also believes that the digital publishing market will continue to expand. HIKE also has the strength of being able to develop its own anime and stage adaptations, music production, merchandise sales, and more (IP 360-degree development). The newly launched HIKE editorial department is also looking at IP development centered on manga, and has set the concept of "From manga to beyond." HIKE editorial department aims to expand its business beyond just publishing manga.

*1: Source: Japan Publishers Association, Publishing Science Institute
*2: Source: Fortune Business Insights

■Four points on HIKE editorial team

At HIKE, the entire editorial department is in charge of the work, and together with editors with ample manga editing experience at major publishing companies, we will support the creation of even more appealing works. The appeal of the HIKE editorial department is that it is not just about creating works, but also about promoting the author's individuality. And as HIKE is involved in many IP businesses, including not only manga but also anime and games, there are the following points that are unique to HIKE.

① Various secondary developments

At HIKE, we have a system in place that allows us to produce and develop all of our content in-house, which means there are many opportunities for secondary development.

② Overwhelming promotion

In addition to creating works, we implement a number of measures to ensure that the works do not get lost, such as social media management and marketing, in order to deliver the appeal of the original authors and their works to more readers.

③ Abundant manga data

Based on our unique database, we analyze best-selling works and the latest trends, and use them for marketing, promotion, and product creation.

④ Wide-ranging overseas expansion

By working with group companies that have many overseas sites and specialize in localization, we are able to distribute our works to various countries.
The digital comics created by the HIKE editorial department will be distributed by various digital book distribution services in the future. Please look forward to the creation of new works.

■We are looking for manga artists and manga editors!

In conjunction with the opening of the HIKE editorial department, we are actively recruiting manga artists and manga editors. If you have a passion for manga, we look forward to your application.

◎ Manga artist

Any genre is acceptable, including girls, women, boys, and young men. We also welcome applications from manga artists capable of serialization, as well as those who only draw or write original stories.
・Qualifications for application: There are no restrictions on professional or amateur, age, gender, experience, or genre. *You can apply as many times as you like.
・Submitted works: Not only "original, unpublished works," but all works will be considered for judging, including "works that have been published in commercial magazines," "works that have been published online," "independently published works," and "works currently being submitted for manga awards."
<More details here >

◎ Editor

You will be in charge of editing original comics for digital distribution. You will be responsible for a range of editing tasks, from original planning, meetings with authors, negotiating terms, plot and name checks, progress management, proofreading, and submission.
We welcome applications from people with editing experience and those with no experience who are interested in editing work.
<More details here >