November 26, 2024 - KOMODO today announced NIUHI, a digital community where fans and creators can discover, purchase, sell, and translate indie and blockbuster manga and comics from around the world, aiming to take manga and comics to new heights.
NIUHI is targeted for full release in the first half of 2025, but the first beta is scheduled for Dec 10 Japan Time and everyone is invited to sign up now at the NIUHI website to join the beta invite pool. The NIUHI website also includes the first video preview, plus more information.
“Manga is a growing entertainment art form that needs a more powerful and inclusive digital solution,” said Ricky Uy, CEO of KOMODO, games publisher, NIUHI creator, and provider of Steam Deck in much of Asia. “Until now, its migration from the print world to the digital space has equated to distribution of basic e-readers and limited language options. But with NIUHI, we are building a host of features and connectivity for everyone in the manga community.”
For fans and enthusiasts, the platform will offer an expanding collection of manga and comics – including NIUHI Originals, plus a host of features like the ability to practice a new language by tapping on speech bubbles, and the ability to connect with creators and other fans.
For manga creators, NIUHI will offer global distribution, majority revenue shares, free translations, marketing communication tools, analytics, and more.
NIUHI’s innovative translation tools provide readers instant translation functionality. These features are primarily targeted to enable human-generated translations by both independent and commercial translators, but will also be compatible with off-the-shelf AI translation tools.
KOMODO will be extending beta invites in an ongoing fashion to community members who join the beta invite pool. To enter your name into the beta invite pool and/or to keep up to date with the latest NIUHI news, simply sign up at the official NIUHI site.
The first beta will initially be available in the U.S. and Japan, with more regions to follow soon.
With roots that predate the modern commercial print and digital ages, Manga and Comics are now a multibillion dollar, global entertainment industry that is estimated to grow by over 10 percent per year, according to multiple industry reports.
For more information, contact Yukie Adachi - pr@komodo.jp
About KOMODO
Based in Tokyo and Honolulu, KOMODO works on products that shape the gaming and manga industries of the future. KOMODO HAWAI’I develops NIUHI and publishes popular titles on PC and game consoles, including OneShot, Pocket Mirror ~ GoldenerTraum, Hatsune Miku Logic Paint S, and the A-Train series of games. Additionally, Tokyo-based KOMODO Co., Ltd. is the official licensed provider of Valve's Steam Deck in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.