ivanmkt100kirara

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Post #12 -

And now, the final post of this project. In regards to the social media presence of the Manga Time Kirara brand, it’s what you expect. They have their own official website, as well as their own account on Twitter, currently at 214k followers as of this writing, and individually, their franchises also have their own accounts. Otherwise, the usage of their social media is exactly what you think it is. To inform and update consumers on what’s happening. The site updates whenever the latest issue is released to have it displayed on the front, and subsequently informs what to expect on the following issue, and when it’ll be released. No issues to be found, and it has a pretty strong understanding in terms of the digital-native of it all. 

For the advertising, common forms of broadcast advertisements and billboards are used to highlight Manga Time Kirara, especially whenever one of their titles receives an anime adaptation. Pictured is a billboard to promote the animated version of Norimitsu Kaiho’s Gakkou Gurashi, originally released in the summer of 2015, and the second season of Koi’s Gochiusa, which premiered later that autumn. Commonly, the advertising of Kirara’s work is found in Akihabara, a neighborhood in the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo, Japan, and is widely considered to be one of the best centers to display the work from the area, as a major shopping district. Another form of marketing I would like to promote is a podcast, specifically for Bocchi the Rock!. First premiering in September 2022, Bocchi the Radio is an ongoing biweekly internet radio podcast that also acts as a source of promotion material for the series, in collaboration with the companies of Aniplex and Onsen Radio. The podcast discusses the franchise, and related media, including Manga Time Kirara itself. This extra bit of podcast integration itself makes the Kirara brand feel more active and in-touch, and not just with shows or manga. 

As the Manga Time Kirara magazine line are only available in Japan, I can’t say much on sales promotions, nor do I think I would unless they had distribution in my area, though from what I’ve been able to gather, sales for the various volumes published do happen frequently, and I can only suspect the promotions on that front do good numbers at a cheaper cost. In terms of personal selling, I think it does benefit, given what I explored in previous slides on the market of eBay and Mecari, even if it depends on the region, given it’s not exactly a global brand, and yet, that’s the sum of things for now.

After all, it's just cute girls doing cute things.

Sources:

Manga Time Kirara (17, May 2002) Manga Time Kirara. Manga Time Kirara. Retrieved October 30th, 2024. http://www.dokidokivisual.com/

Onsen Internet Radio Station (7, September 2022) Bocchi the Radio!. Yoshino Aoyama. Retrieved October 30th, 2024. https://www.onsen.ag/program/bocchi-radio

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Post #11 - Place and Distribution

Post #11 - Place (Distribution) 

For the distribution of Manga Time Kirara’s brand across the market, it is also another element that I have discussed from beforehand previously,  but to restate, it’s not that hard to figure out. The magazines are sold both online at several sites and through various stores across Japan, including the official Houbunsha website. There isn’t an exclusive nature in terms of where Kirara is sold, as it’s available commonly at any local chain that houses magazines or similar items. The revenue is kept to a constant degree in part to the wide distribution in stores and online. For specific stores or online sites, a bonus item is included if you decide to pre-order. The piece listed below is an illustration piece, in full, of the magazine's cover.

Notably, the exclusive distribution part is that the Manga Time Kirara family of magazines are only available in it’s home country of Japan. It is unavailable in any other country, though it can be imported off sites including Mercari and eBay, though more costly than in it’s homeland. On another note, both Houbunsha and Kirara offer a variety of merchandise for their respective franchises, including plushies, figures, and collabs with cafes, as well as sponsorships and events. Currently, there is not a Kirara destination store, but merchandise is quite common across merch stores.

In terms of what the Kirara brand brings in their customers for their customers to keep returning back to buying their items, one could say it’s brand loyalty, and one might speak that it’s just a symptom of constant purchasing power that will live on for many years to come that this brand is known for. After this, only one more post until this exploration of cute girls doing cute things is over for now.

Sources:

Animate (28, September 2024). Manga Time Kirara Carat November 2024. Animate. Retrieved October 28th, 2024. https://www.animate-onlineshop.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=2960800

Mercari Japan (28, September 2024) Manga Time Kirara MAX Gamers Bonus Unopened. Mercari Japan. Retrieved October 28th, 2024. https://jp.mercari.com/item/m12189935440 

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Post #10 - Trends and Pricing

For the pricing and trends that Kirara follows, most of what would be stated here has been discussed in a host of previous posts, but to reinforce some of the statements made in the past, the small target market that Kirara’s niche is in allows for them to be towards the top of their competition. Opportunity wise, of course, the low cost allows for the Kirara magazines to be widely bought, and any trends that any of it’s competitors follow inherit themselves to the actions of what Kirara does. The competitive advantage that Manga Time Kirara has against over brands is something already discussed a plethora of times, and it’s been constant since.

In the marketplace, one aspect I thought would be important to bring up is the matter or resellers and their tactics of selling, and how it simultaneously acts as both an opportunity and threat against Kirara. Noticeably, one part of reselling that I must bring up is how reselling the magazines are seen in Japan, where they are sold, and outside Japan, where they aren’t. Pictured are two photos of the same January 2023 magazine issue, first released in November 2022. Notice how the eBay listing is extremely expensive, at a non-tax-included price of $72.84, but the same magazine, found on the Japanese version of Mercari, is just 2,455 Japanese Yen, or $16.06 in USD dollars. The pricing gap between the two indicated to me how Manga Time Kirara’s magazine value is seen. In Japan, given the brand is sold there, the reseller prices are affordable, even if they are a little more pricey. However, in the rest of the world, since none of the Kirara family is sold there, it’s seen as a niche motif of Japan’s entertainment culture, increasing the price. It’s a good thing as it makes the Manga Time Kirara have this alluring feel to it with high pricing, but at the same time, it makes it more mysterious than it really is. 

In general, in Japan, the brand is priced at the place it should be, but outside of Japan, it’s priced higher than it should be. That what happens when your brand is located in just one country. It makes it an interesting case of brand positioning across the world. 

Sources:

Ebay (19, November 2022) Bocchi the Rock Manga Time Kirara MAX Jan 2023 Limited Edition Guitar Pick Japan. Ebay. Retrieved October 23rd, 2024 https://www.ebay.com/itm/305815889573

Mercari Japan (18, October 2024) Manga Time Kirara Max January 2023 Issue. Mercari Japan. Retrieved October 23rd, 2024 https://jp.mercari.com/en/item/m74016638568

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Post #9 - Services

For the customer service of Manga Time Kirara, it’s a little less prominent then one may expect. On the internet front, the primary customer service and support system is entitled Kirara Web. The purpose of which is to allow customers to email directly about their product, including new comic and magazine releases. The phone number is Houbunsha 03-3815-1521, and is available from Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 17:30, for which any of the demographic can message or call. It is unavailable on weekends or holidays. 

Elsewhere, directly on the Houbunsha site itself, the same phone number applies on their inquiry section, where you can ask about their brands, including Manga Time Kirara. This is the extent of the customer service provided. The customer excellence is minimal, but it does it’s job to be effective on the overall product excellence.  This is shorter than rest as there’s much to overview aside from what was stated. It’s not like there is a real life destination store to visit. 

In hindsight, you prohibit you from asking about their manga. I imagine they don’t want to give away any future announcement someone’s begging to know. That’s just maintaining your target market for a surprise. I'm not sure what else is there to state.

Sources: 

Doki Doki Visual (17, May 2002) Inquiry. Doki Doki Visual. Retrieved October 21st, 2024 http://www.dokidokivisual.com/inquiry/index.php

Houbunsha (10, July 1950) Inquiry. Houbunsha. Retrieved October 21st, 2024. https://houbunsha.co.jp/contact/index.php

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Post #8 - Brand Detail

Post #8 - Brand Detail 

For how Manga Time Kirara specifically fits into the established product mix as a brand, and especially how it’s revenue is earned, this is a very straightforward one to inspect into. With their magazine line, which I’ve already stated before, there are four main lines: the original Manga Time Kirara magazine, and it’s associated sub magazines which include MAX, Forward, and Carat. I’ve already explained them in detail in previous posts, but to reestablish in regards to how it ties with the brand, of course, it’s a method to have Kirara appeal to a wide audience. If one wants comedy, they have MAX, but if one is looking for a story, there is Forward. It adds a larger customer satisfaction in tune to what has already been established from before.

On note of how Kirara is able to flourish in their mix of products, aside from the manga, there is also animation as a source of opportunity for them. Since January 2007 with the release of Hidamari Sketch from Studio Shaft, Manga Time Kirara’s titles have been adapted into animation, on an almost yearly basis. There was a time where Kirara had five anime adaptations per year on average, though it has slowed down in recent years. As of this writing, there are nearly 40 Kirara anime, and several more already announced to be on the way. Thanks to this extended interest in another medium, it allows for a wider target market to be involved. People who don’t read their magazine could still be exposed to them, and become fans of their work. It helps out in the long run to be tied to much.

In addition to animation and the multiple magazine lines of Kirara itself, there is also, as stated in a previous post, the number of sponsorships and events is also an aid towards Kirara’s own expanded status in Japan. To reinforce them once again, there are Kirara’s exhibitions held on a semi-regular basis, and a few events dedicated to specific Kirara titles. A notable example is the various events held for Bocchi the Rock!, Kirara’s most popular recent hit. There have been several concerts for the series, which are quite popular over in it’s home country, and various in-between to sell promotions with cafes or advertise new merchandise. If a Kirara series gets a chance to be animated, there is bound to be plenty of cross-promotion with cafes in Japan to go alongside it.

Sources:

Hatena Blog (22, October 2019) Manga Time Kirara Exhibition in Osaka" (19/10/18). Hatena Blog. Retrieved October 16th, 2024. https://h-channel.hatenablog.jp/entry/raten_osaka .

Animate Times (21, May 2023) "Bocchi Za Rokku!" Live Event "Tie Band LIVE -Stellar -" Will Be Held! New Songs "Into the Light" and "Blue Spring and Western Sky" Premiered Ahead of Release and Distribution. Animate Times. Retrieved October 16th, 2024. https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=168467804

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Post #7 - Packaging

For the average magazine print of any of the Manga Time Kirara family, the packaging is typical of what you expect of magazines. On the front, appears whatever the cover of the month is, spotlighting the series for the month. On the back, it’s an advertisement for something else. Take the most recent issue as a frame of reference, which was used to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the MAX magazine in particular, featuring the protagonists of two of Kirara’s most beloved titles, Koi’s Gochiusa and Aki Hamaji’s Bocchi the Rock!, which happen to also be among two of my favorites as a whole. There could be another post all about how it felt watching the latter’s anime adaptation in the autumn of 2022 and how it turned out to be one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life that still lingers with me to this day, but the time is not for that.

The appealing visuals of the cover of these two colorful girls is something I suspect would drive someone’s interest high, rather they are a part of the demographic or not. It makes you want to know where they’re from. In all, it makes the purchasing power all the more appealing to grab someone’s attention from a distance. On the back, appears an advertisement for the latest Kirara exhibition, Manga Time Kirara Exhibition FINAL, which was held last month. When I first learned about why these magazine releases always are two months ahead of the curve (for example, the instance I’m using for this post describes it being for November 2024, not September 2024, when it was first released), but from what I remember, that’s more of a sales reason to indicate being on schedule and letting stores get their stock. If there isn’t a ton to speak about the packaging of these products, that’s because it’s straightforward. In addition, from the photos I’ve been able to see for myself, it’s a fairly thin magazine. It’s not heavy to carry, similar to most of it's kind. 

I wouldn’t say the packaging is anything extraordinary or special when you contrast it with the average magazine printed currently, it’s fairly simple, like what you might spot at a grocery store or outside stand anchored to an assuming restaurant. It just gets the job done for product excellence and customer excellence to be ongoing for customers. As the magazine is only available in Japan aside from the obvious instance of a potential import to the states, it’s not exactly something with extensive coverage outside of it’s home region. At some point, I think I would like to own at least one to behold what it feels to read a cute edition.

Sources:

The instructions did not entice any hints of plugging a source for this, so I'll let it be for now.

[ivanmkt100kirara]

Post #6 - Competition

In the world of magazines, Manga Time Kirara’s main competitors aren’t too notable given the rather specific model that Kirara’s work inherits to, but one that does stick out is Comic Cune. First founded in August 2015 by Kadokawa Corporation and published via the Media Factory brand, which itself is a rival to the larger Houbunsha name, Comic Cune was designed to be another four-panel “cute girl” magazine in the vein of Kirara, but with some key differences. There are no-sub magazines, just the standard Comic Cune edition that is published monthly at the end of each month. The magazine’s content is less generally appealing then the rather friendly appearance of most of Kirara’s catalog, and really, it’s not that interesting to talk about it. There’s a reason why Manga Time Kirara is the market leader in a mostly empty landscape when it’s competition is just not that strong or compelling to look into. In contrast to how friendly Kirara is with translating their work into animation or hosting yearly events, Cune lacks even a quarter of that. At most, just an event every once and a while, and that’s about it.

The way I wrestled to talk about this was a challenge, given the real lack of Kirara’s overall meaningful competition. Other Japanese magazines, like the much more famous Shonen Jump to the wider world, don’t quite interfere with Kirara’s niche. In terms of if I like Kirara or Cune better, absolutely the former, by a landslide. Their library and style is just more appealing to me, even as someone who doesn’t live in Japan. The only other magazine that comes to mind that could come across as competition is one that actually predates Manga Time Kirara by nearly a decade earlier; Dengeki Daioh. Best known as the magazine which published Kiyohiko Azuma’s timeless classics Azumanga Daioh and Yotsuba&!, credited as the pioneers for the boom of “cute girl doing cute things” stuff at the turn of the century, Daioh also has a fair amount of cute girl stuff, but it’s not exactly the main focus of the magazine. It’s more of a secondary than a primary with them. What else is there? The people who published YuruYuri? I suppose, but really, it’s Kirara’s to lose with the rest. It’s easy to tell this is the part of this project that finding sources and references for I struggled with, but I think I can tell who has the highest revenue.

In theory, the easy competitive advantage that Kirara has is likely a crucial reason they are still living on. If I had to guess how big their market share is, when taken into account when technically counts as a “cute girl” magazine fully or not, it’s high. I’m going to take a guess and it’s somewhere between 80% and 90% because of their presence in other markets with animation and merchandise, with Comic Cune being in a far distant second place, and the rest having a minor percentage.That might seem high, but I suspect it may actually be that high. There's a lot of cute girls out there to view.

Sources:

Natalie (28, June 2015) Four-Panel Magazines in Comic Alive Are Launched Independently, and Comic Alive Was Born in August. Natalie. Retrieved October 9th, 2024. https://natalie.mu/comic/news/152016

Daioh Dengeki (30, May 2009) Memories Related to the First Issue (Dengeki Daioh Editor-in-Chief Nakayama Benz). Daioh Dengeki. Retrieved October 9th, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20090530095209/http://daioh.dengeki.com/info/15th/column02.html

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Post #5 - Target Market

As stated in previous posts, the original market for Manga Time Kirara was for male teens and men, well into their adulthood, lasting around their early 30s. Intended for what would be for millennials (25-34 years old) at the time of the inception, the magazine was designed as a breather for those after work or class is completed, and maybe to laugh or smile at something. The content of the magazine is pretty universal, though it’s obvious that some work is more dedicated to a specific taste, such as MAX’s titles being more comedic than others and Forward’s own are more invested in telling a story then a gag. The range of style can also apply too.

In later years, the appeal would later grow beyond. As stated by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Kirara’s chief editor himself, stated when the magazine got more popular in the decades to come, the demographic started to include more than just what was featured. As said in a 2007 interview, “With the spread of magazines and published works, the rate at which writers who have approached us say "I'm reading" seems to be gradually increasing. In the beginning, I was often asked, "What kind of magazine is Kirara?" The number of "bring-in" is also increasing.” This also goes into how the target market started to expand as more people began to read as well.

Said target market, speaking of which, still exists today, in part to a strong purchasing power that has helped the magazine still afloat. The demographic hasn’t changed much since the aforementioned expansion. It’s a simple way to express it, but it gets the job done. When reflecting back on the upcoming anniversaries of the foundation of Houbunsha and Manga Time Kirara in 2021, Kobayshi once again returned for another interview, this time expressing the insights of Kirara, from a positive and negative benefit standpoint, and to “utilize manga as a medium that is familiar to everyone to satirize and enlighten the world and brighten up all of Japan”, which is now publishing philosophy. I think it suits the magazine quite nicely, as "just as the phrase "CGDCT" (Cute Girls Doing Cute Things) was coined, we expect that there will be a certain demand for Kirara's works overseas.", to put into some of the words said that day.

Sources:

Plachina (8, June 2007) Moe 4 Frames, Good Kanji? Manga Time Kirara Editorial Department Interview. Plachina. Retrieved October 7th, 2024. https://www.p-tina.net/interview/79.html

Mahsiro-Writer (12, July 2021) On the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of Yoshibunsha. The Editor-in-Chief of "Manga Time Kirara" Thinks About the Shape of "Everyday Life in the Future". Mashiro-Writer. Retrieved October 7th, 2024. https://www.mashiro-writer.com/interview-houbunsha70th

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Post #4 - SWOT Analysis

Strength: For the targeted demographic it aims for, which was designed for primarily young men despite the cute endearing looks, it has a unique sort of feel towards it. You don't expect a magazine that is devoted to cute girl stuff to be aimed at a higher audience, but because of the more relaxing and entertaining motive of what is offered, the strength of the band is having a unique position in terms of Japanese magazines, and other work in general. The relatively cheap price and constant release schedule also allows for much needed customer excellence to be present regularly.  In a 2007 interview with chief Hiroyuki Kobayashi, it was mentioned that the aforementioned demographic expanded to include younger teenagers, mentioning more universal appeal as a key strength.

Weakness: That being said, given that the magazine and brand is dedicated to just cute girl stuff, an obvious weakness would be that if someone is not interested in those things, the magazine will not appeal to them. It’s a very specific reach. Not everyone is going to be interested in what the world of Manga Time Kirara is going to offer, and some may only like fractions of it, but not the whole package. Someone may enjoy just the series featured in the MAX magazine, and another could only be interested in Carat’s offerings. Of course, any revenue is good for Kirara and subsequently Houbunsha, but if you were in their shoes, I imagine you would want to aim for your average consumer to like all your magazines.

Opportunities: In part to the sponsorship and events that Manga Time Kirara does for the magazine, another benefit is their events to celebrate their characters and franchise. Starting in autumn 2018, Manga Time Kirara has held exhibitions honoring their work, as well as engaging with their audience by providing the chance to explore and getting to know the magazine at heart, which take place almost yearly, or at least every other year. Just last month, Manga Time Kirara Exhibition FINAl, their latest event, took place in honor of the 20th anniversary of the magazine. Lasting for a week in Tokyo, the event served as an exhibition of both Kirara’s history and their legacy, including displaying their past magazines for attendees to see and discussing the impact left behind across the decades. It felt like not just a celebration of the magazine, but also for those who have stuck around throughout the years, showing a great respect between the company and the audience. These exhibitions allow an opportunity for engagement that makes the bond between sides stronger. It makes the brand feel lively.

Threat: In terms of other competition, there really isn't anything out there to combat against it. There are a few other magazines that have tried to do a similar thing, including Comic Cune, which began in 2015, but none have reached the impact and love that Kirara has in Japan. They are the lead in their target market, and it’ll likely be that way for a while. In contrast to other brands or companies or even magazines, the threat is comparably minimal. Most would probably like their threats to be that way, and that's about it for threats.

Sources:

Plachina (8, June 2007) Moe 4 Frames, Good Kanji? Manga Time Kirara Editorial Department Interview. Plachina. Retrieved October 2nd, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20100704140425/http://www.p-tina.net/interview/80

Yahoo Japan (20, September 2024) Writing Down 100 Works Such as "K-On!" "Manga Time Kirara Exhibition FINAL" Opens on the 21st. Yahoo Japan. Retrieved October 2nd, 2024 https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/d2bd60ffb7228cc743e1022a912cbe1429ffa9e0

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Post #3 - Strategy

To ensure that customer excellence is retained for consumers to maintain constant revenue, Manga Time Kirara publishes four times each month, in part to the various sub magazines featured. The standard Manga Time Kirara magazine is published on the 9th, as MAX is released on the 19th, with Forward delivered on the 24th, and Carat distributed on the 28th. Each magazine has the same design format, which is fairly standard given most magazines, and just like with a majority of magazines, it switches looks every month, in tune to the newest edition of the magazine. Sometimes it will be for an anniversary, while other times it may just be for the lighthearted fun of it to celebrate the time of the year. Given there are four main magazines distributed per month every year, there is bound to be a variety of new covers from each magazine. It adds a sense of increased purchasing power to the brand at hand, as well as high sustainability knowing that the magazines will always be on schedule each month in time.

In terms of the distribution with how the magazines are handled, there are a few ways in terms of how they are handled. Price wise, most of them are usually around 470 yen (with tax included), which is $3.28 in U.S. dollars. The lone outliner is Forward, which costs slightly more at 750 yen (with tax included), which is $5.24 in U.S. dollars, which is largely due to the different format in how their manga is designed, as they are able to play with a loose format. One method of purchasing is through various online shops or sites in Japan. There’s also a subscription to the magazine outright, featuring on the Kirara-associated Comic FUZ, for digital purposes. Both the paper and digital versions are released at the same time, which is a benefit, but a disadvantage is that you only initially get to read the first three months of the newest issues. There’s also BookWalker, a manga subscription site that also allows you to catch up with the magazines at a monthly fee at 836 yen ($5.84) with a 14-day free trial, which also covers other magazines as well. 

As the magazine is not sold outside Japan, importing would be someone’s best bet if they wanted one from an outside state. Some can be found on Amazon, but are overpriced far more than the original cost in Japan. An example of a listing, as of this writing, that is priced for $30, compared to the fairly cheap price in Japan, shows why it’s best to not pay so much for an ordinary magazine with cute characters. The reasonable affordable price of the Manga Time Kirara brand is an instrumental reason as to why the customer excellence is quite strong. As a product, the key differentiator present is the constant steady release of each magazine produced, that allows for consumers to understand that this brand has product excellence on a constant basis. In contrast to other magazines, rather they are located in Japan or elsewhere, not a lot can say that they have three other ongoing magazines in addition to the main magazine. The widespread nature of the magazines appearing to be bought and not just one specific location helps add to the customer satisfaction that a consumer will feel whenever they pick up a new issue, knowing they are always buying quality from the brand each and every time.

Sources:

HatenaBlog (31, August 2019) I Started a Manga Time Kirara Subscription. HatenaBlog. Retrieved September 30th, 2024 https://nida3001.hatenablog.com/entry/2019/08/31/215435

EmangaBlog (11, October 2023) All All-You-Can Read Subscriptions of Manga Time Kirara Are Released. EmangaBlog. Retrieved September 30th, 2024 https://emangablog.com/full-release-of-manga-subscription-site-where-you-can-read-manga-time-kirara-as-much-as-you-want-free-trial-reading/2462/

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Post #2 - The Brand

As a brand, Manga Time Kirara is first and foremost dedicated to providing monthly magazines as their method of distributing their cute girl manga titles to audiences. Their first issue was published on May 17th, 2002, as the brand was also founded the same year. As of 2020-2021, their annual circulation is 80,000. As a division of the Houbunsha company, it is located in Bunko-ku, Japan. Uniquely, Manga Time Kirara does not operate under a traditional employees mean, but rather, with artists, who are recruited based on their self-publishing or independent experience. On average, hundreds of artists work for the brand at the same time due to wide range of magazines to work for, but in specific, about 90-110 artists. The main issuer of the company is Takkai Higashi, while Hiroyuki Kobayashi acts as chief editor. It's editorial department is Manga Time Kirara Editorial Department. It's status as public or private is unknown.

The marketing strategy and mix, which includes the likes of targeting towards a demographic of young men despite the cute look, is notable in being designed as the first magazine brand to specialize in "moe 4-koma", which was growing in popularity at the turn of the century. Throughout the 2000s, it introduced more sub-magazines, which introduced a further pride of product mix to the company. Further magazines of the brand include Carat, MAX, and Forward, which still go to this very day.

Aside from their four-pannel manga series, their revenue also involves animation, special events, and merchandising, which leads to 4,737,210,00 yen for Houbunsha per year, or $32,781,758.48 dollars. It's mission statement is "Doki Doki Visual 4-koma Magazine", which is just saying what to expect from them. Manga Time Kirara is the brand that earns all the money for Houbunsha, to put it lightly.

Sources:

DNB (18, June 2020) HOUBUNSHA CO., LTD. Company Profile | BUNKYO-KU, TOKYO, Japan | Competitors, Financials & Contacts - Dun & Bradstreet (dnb.com). DNB. Retrieved September 25th, 2024 https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.houbunsha_co_ltd.d67379bc407f134626ac224927e87420.html

J-Magazine (30, September 2019) JMPA Magazine Data: [Men] Comic Magazines for Men. JMPA. Retrieved September 25th, 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20201108011108/https://www.j-magazine.or.jp/user/data/magdata/1/13

Myvavi (1, March 2024) Company Profile of Houbunsha Co., Ltd. | Mynavi 2025. Mynavi. Retrieved September 25th, 2024 https://job.mynavi.jp/25/pc/search/corp73447/outline.html

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Post #1 - Welcome to Manga Time Kirara

For the business I selected to examine for the semester, I went with a choice that I've been interested in for several years, but one that is rather foreign outside of it's country. I came across the little fun world of Manga Time Kirara earlier this decade, which first started in 2002, and it has captured my interest ever since, becoming one of my favorite interests to explore. It is something that didn't initially settle in, but as the years went on, so did my liking of this magazine. Their best stories are fairly simple but rooted in such human expression and joy that I can't help but smile each time I return to their library. I'm happy to have been given the opportunity to explore it in detail. I came close to not going through with it due to the unfamiliarity it would bring, but I thought if I didn't do it now, I would never do it.

To briefly describe the magazine, owned under the publishing company of Houbunsha, it is a family of Japanese magazines dedicated to stories about cute girls doing cute things, which helps grow their revenue each year, as well as allowing their titles to become anime television shows on the air. Their market orientation philosophy allows for audiences of many ages, from young teenagers to early adults, to enjoy the various classics published in this magazine family tree, following nicely with the 4 Ps as well. Their strong everlasting success in both the anime and manga mediums allows for various sponsorships and events to take place just about every month, granting continuous customer satisfaction in part to an active activity to allow for both new and old audiences to return.

Their most recent cover issue, celebrating 20 years of their Max sub-brand, features two of their most famous and beloved franchises; Koi's endearing cozy classic "Gochiusa" (known in the U.S. as "Is the Order a Rabbit?") and Aki Hamaji's comedic down-to-earth music hit "Bocchi the Rock!". I'm looking forward to exploring a brand that is unfamiliar with most, but might be more familiar with after this.