Kadokawa Future Publishing Co., Ltd. (株式会社KADOKAWAフューチャー パブリッシング, Kabushiki-gaisha Kadokawa Fyūchā Paburishingu) is the publishing arm of Kadokawa Corporation, publishing manga, novels, light novels, magazines, tabletop role-playing games and other type of content with eight different publishing brand companies that previously merged with it.[1] The company used to be the first iteration of Kadokawa Corporation[2] and was the parent company of the Kadokawa Group companies, which brought together several affiliated companies related to Kadokawa Shoten. Kadokawa Dwango announced a restructuring in February 2019. On July 1, 2019, Kadokawa Corporation was reorganized; the publishing business remained and the company was renamed to Kadokawa Future Publishing. Kadokawa Dwango itself became the second iteration of Kadokawa Corporation. On December 1, 2023, the company was renamed to Kadokawa Key-Process.[3]
Native name | 株式会社KADOKAWA KEY-PROCESS |
|---|---|
Romanized name | Kabushiki-gaisha KADOKAWA KEY - purosesu |
| Formerly |
|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| TYO: 9477 | |
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | April 2, 1954 |
| Founder | Genyoshi Kadokawa |
| Headquarters | , Japan |
Area served | Japan |
Key people | Tsuguhiko Kadokawa (chairman) Masaki Matsubara (president and CEO) Shinichiro Inoue (SVP) |
| Parent | Kadokawa Corporation |
| Divisions | ASCII Media Works Chukei Publishing Enterbrain Fujimi Shobo Kadokawa Gakugei Publishing Kadokawa Magazines Kadokawa Shoten Media Factory |
| Subsidiaries | Building Book Center |
| Website | keyprocess |
History
editThe company was founded on April 2, 1954, as Kadokawa Shoten. It was renamed Kadokawa Holdings on April 1, 2003, transferring the existing publishing businesses to Kadokawa Shoten Publishing. The company was again renamed Kadokawa Group Holdings on July 1, 2006. The company inherited the management and integration businesses within Kadokawa Shoten Publishing in January 2007. The magazine businesses were transferred to the Kadokawa Magazine Group. The company was renamed Kadokawa Corporation on June 22, 2013.
On October 1, 2013, nine companies in the Kadokawa Group (ASCII Media Works, Chukei Publishing, Enterbrain, Fujimi Shobo, Kadokawa Gakugei Publishing, Kadokawa Production, Kadokawa Magazines, Kadokawa Shoten and Media Factory) were merged into Kadokawa Corporation. Eight of them operate now as brand companies. Kadokawa Production was dissolved and integrated into the General IP Business Headquarters.[4][5] On December 30, 2013, Kadokawa had announced that the company has acquired 100% of publisher Choubunsha.[6]
On May 14, 2014, it was announced that Kadokawa Corporation and Dwango, the owner of Niconico, would merge on October 1, 2014, and form the new holding company Kadokawa Dwango. Both Kadokawa and Dwango became subsidiaries of the new company.[7][8] In February 2019, Kadokawa Dwango announced that Dwango would now be a direct subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation in a reorganization of the company.[9]
On July 1, 2019, Kadokawa Corporation was reorganized; the publishing business remained and the company was renamed to Kadokawa Future Publishing. Kadokawa Dwango itself became the second iteration of Kadokawa Corporation.
On January 25, 2024, Kadokawa announced that it would acquire a majority stake in Vega from Média-Participations.[10]
Brand companies (divisions)
edit- ASCII Media Works
- Chukei Publishing
- Enterbrain
- Fujimi Shobo
- Kadokawa Gakugei Publishing
- Kadokawa Magazines
- Kadokawa Shoten
- Media Factory
Subsidiaries
edit- Building Book Center
- Kadokawa Key-Process
References
edit- ^ "Brand Companies". Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ 株式会社KADOKAWA, Kabushiki-gaisha Kadokawa
- ^ 債権者各位 [Creditor Notice]. Kadokawa Group (in Japanese). October 25, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2024.
- ^ "Kadokawa to Merge 9 Subsidiaries Into 1 Company". Anime News Network. March 28, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
- ^ "Notice of Absorption-Type Merger of Consolidated Subsidiaries and Partial Amendments to the Trade Name and the Articles of Incorporation" (PDF). Kadokawa Corporation. March 28, 2013. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- ^ "Kadokawa Buys Barefoot Gen's Publisher Choubunsha". Anime News Network. December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^ Schilling, Mark (May 14, 2014). "Kadokawa and Dwango to Merge". Variety. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ "Publisher Kadokawa, Internet firm Dwango complete merger". The Japan Times. October 1, 2014. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ Ressler, Karen (February 15, 2019). "Nobuo Kawakami Steps Down as Kadokawa Dwango President". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
- ^ Hazra, Adriana (February 3, 2024). "Kadokawa Launches Joint Venture Business With French Publisher Dupuis". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
External links
edit- Official website (in Japanese)