Earlier today, Kickstarter announced that they’ve entered a business partnership with Japanese publisher Kodansha. In an update on the company’s blog, Kickstarter revealed that they will provide the publishing giant with “tools, knowledge, and resources” to support Japanese creators across all categories. Kodansha, meanwhile, will offer advice to creators on “how to effectively tell their stories and find supportive audiences on Kickstarter.”
Kickstarter’s Japanese Country Manager Taro Kodama commented on the news, stating:
Like Kickstarter, Kodansha is a private company focused on championing each individual creator […] With Kickstarter, Kodansha’s team of over 500 experts will strengthen the bridge between talented creators in Japan and the rest of the world. We are excited to see how this new partnership will impact other markets to induce more creativity everywhere.
Kodansha representative Yuki Kishi also offered comment:
The partnership is an excellent opportunity for both teams and many of the amazing creators they’ve connected with, who we couldn’t provide an ideal platform for […] Kickstarter will enable us to direct creators who weren’t able to find a place on our publishing platform to a fitting outlet.
Kickstarter currently hosts twenty-five active projects from Japan, including:
- Fantasy Travelers – Visual Novel
- “Mahoshonen” PILOT FILM PROJECT. BOYS BE MAHO SHONEN!
- Horror Stop Motion Animation – The depth of YAGEN
Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform based in Brooklyn, NY, which was established in 2009. Since their launch, the company has raised more than $4 billion USD from 15.5 million backers, which have gone on to fund over 257,000 creative projects.
Source: Kickstarter Blog (Thanks to Yatta-tachi Editor-in-Chief Katy Castillo for the tip!)
