Digital Manga Corporate Shake-Up

According to a partially unconfirmed report published by Anime News Network, Digital Manga, the parent company of the Omocha Box anime retail store, internet anime news site Akadot, translating company Synch-Point, and Digital Manga Distribution, formerly the anime subdivision of Books Nippan, is preparing to split into two or more separate new companies.

The Japanese anime producer and merchandising company Broccoli has “poured a large amount of capital into Digital Manga” and reportedly will take over ownership of at least Synch-Point and Omocha Box, which may affect the availability of Synch-Point anime releases including FLCL and I’ll Be An Angel. According to the report, FLCL will be released in America as scheduled, but now that Synch-Point is owned by Broccoli, Cindy Yamauchi of Super Techno Arts has confirmed that Japanese creators Studio A.P.P.P. have withdrawn the distribution rights to Jojo’s Bizarre Adventures from Synch-Point and are now searching for a different American company to license and distribute the title.

There has been no word yet on how this corporate fracturing will effect Akadot, Digital Manga distribution (which distributes Synch-Point video releases and other anime merchandise to retailers), Comictones and the tentative American version of Newtype Magazine.