Hakusensha

**Hakusensha Co., Ltd.** (株式会社白泉社, *Kabushiki-gaisha Hakusensha*) is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is a core member of the Hitotsubashi Group, one of Japan's largest publishing conglomerates, alongside Shueisha and Shogakukan. Since its establishment, Hakusensha has aimed to provide dreams and inspiration to readers through publications centered on manga, conveying the joy of reading with every page turn. The company was founded on December 1, 1973, when it was spun off from Shueisha as an independent editing company. Operations began in Kanda-Jinbōchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo. Just five months later, in May 1974, Hakusensha launched its first magazine, the shōjo manga anthology *Hana to Yume*. This was followed by the launch of *LaLa* in 1976, which became another cornerstone of its girls' comics lineup. The company expanded into the boys' comics market with the launch of *Young Animal* in 1992, which began as a twice-monthly magazine. Over the decades, Hakusensha has continued to diversify its output, adding non-manga magazines like *MOE* (a lifestyle magazine incorporating picture books) and *kodomoe* (a child-rearing information magazine), as well as digital publications and e-magazines such as *Love Silky* and *Harem*. In recent years, the company has also embraced digital distribution, launching the general entertainment app Manga Park in summer 2017, which has been downloaded over 4 million times.

Hakusensha is best known for its influential shōjo (girls') manga magazines, particularly *Hana to Yume* and *LaLa*, which have been the launchpad for some of Japan's most iconic series. Its catalog spans a wide range of genres and demographics, including boys' comics through *Young Animal*, romantic comics for adult women in *Rakuen*, and a variety of books, picture books, and novels. The company publishes a total of ten magazines, eight of which are manga magazines, along with ten non-manga magazines. Several of its titles have achieved massive mainstream success. *Berserk*, serialized in *Young Animal*, has sold more than 35 million copies worldwide and has been adapted into television anime, films, and video games. Other notable works include *Sangatsu no Lion*, which received both anime and live-action adaptations, *Natsume Yuujinchou*, *Fruits Basket*, and the classic *Glass Mask*, one of Japan's most representative girls' comic works. The company has also found success with picture books, such as the *Noraneko Gundan* series, which has sold over 1.5 million copies since its first installment in 2012.

Beyond publishing, the company is actively involved in the media mix of its properties, including anime adaptations, games, and merchandise. It also operates a copyright business across some 30 countries and regions, licensing its works for international distribution and adaptation. In a unique move, the company released an African version of its Manga Park app, Manga Park W, in Kenya and Nigeria in January 2019, demonstrating its efforts to expand its digital footprint beyond Japan. As of September 2025, the company employed 119 people and is led by Representative Director and President Yasufumi Takagi. Its capital stands at ¥10 million, and its revenue for the fiscal year ending September 2024 was ¥12.5 billion.