On September 14th, DG Mobile (CEO: Kazusuke Obi / Location: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Tomigaya 2-43-15), CharaWeb Corporation (CEO:Takami Miyagi / Location: Tokyo-to, Daito-ku, Ueno 7-14-2), and the publisher of such girls magazines as “Hana to Yume”, Hakusensha (Tokyo-to, Chiyoda-ku,Kanda,Awajicho 2-2-2) will present the manga-product distribution pay service, “Hakusensha e-Comics” on Mobile Comic Solution comic-data production and distribution technology.

The electronic-book market has seen signs of substantial growth in recent years, centering particularly around the market created by the reading of “mobile comic” manga by young people on their mobile phones.

For some time, DG Mobile integrated technology has been a reliable provider of comics and contents aimed at Third-Generation Mobile Phones [Mobile Comic Solution (offering authoring software for the processing of manga and images into data for use with Third-Generation Mobile Phones, Private Access Applications Licensing, etc.)] has seen extensive sales. Also, Shogakukan’s cooperation with affiliated companies, chiefly the entertainment system contents production company Web Progressive (presently, Net Advance Corp.)in May 2004, and cooperation and production of digital-manga with a group of famous manga creators, The Digital Manga Association in August 2004 to gain permission from each creator and publisher to place manga as the axis for building the foundation of a burgeoning contents business aimed at Third-Generation Mobile Phones.

For some time now, DG Mobile has seen an acceleration in the spread of comic contents that are distributed through Mobile Comic Solution integrated technology (manga and image processing authoring software, private use application technology licensing, etc. for Third-Generation Mobile Phones) and has been propelled forward by greater sales. In order to speed up the production of new manga contents for mobile phones and digital manga, DG Mobile has teamed up with a body of popular manga creators, the Digital Manga Association (August, 2004). The company has also collaborated with the Exing Corporation to create a site dedicated to comics, and with the Fractalist Corporation for the world’s first photo-collection site (May, 2005). These sites will lay a strong foundation for new contents business based on Third-Generation Mobile Phones.  The CharaWeb Corporation, starting with a large selection of mobile entertainment contents such titles from Hakusensha products like “Hana to Yume” and “Young Animals”, ring-tones, horoscopes, and games. With improvements in mobile phone functions and the expansion of the electronic-book market into Third-Generation Mobile Phones likely to increase, DG Mobile and Hakusensha are determined to be a part of the mobile-comic market.

“Hakusensha e-Comics” contents will be marketed toward men and women both young and adult. Among the first manga to be released are, “Patariro!”, “KareshiKanojo No Jijo”, “Ai Yori Aoshi” and “Holy Land”, as well as fifteen other titles. Initial service will consist of three stories from the works available, after which two additional titles will be added every month, with two stories worth of new data being offered for each of the various works per month.

To begin, Vodafone will start offering service from September 14th, KDDI, NTT Docomo, and others each following with service of their own. Member registration on the “Hakusensha e-Comics” site is required for each of the mobile phone companies in order to read the manga.

■[Hakusensha e-Comics] Outline

[W Juliet] [Patariro!] [Patariro Saiyuki!] [KareshiKanojo No Jijo] [Holy Land] [Boku No Chikyu Wo Mamotte] [Cynical*Hysteria*Hour] [Okojosan] [Tatakae! Announcer]
[Ai Yori Aoshi] [Kaseifu Patariro!] [Uchyu No Hate Kara Konnichiwa] [Momo Iro Sisters] [Ganbare! Wan Wan Chan] [Kanata Kara] For inquiries related to this media, contact

DG Mobile Corp. Contact: Sugi
Tel: 03-5452-0355 Fax: 03-5452-0356
E-Mail: sugi@dgmobile.co.jp