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  • Parent Company of LINE Manga Listed on Nasdaq with a Market Cap of $2.9 Billion, Japan-Origin Webtoon Takes Over Times Square
Japan Anime News Edit by Taimu Tsuji

Parent Company of LINE Manga Listed on Nasdaq with a Market Cap of $2.9 Billion, Japan-Origin Webtoon Takes Over Times Square

WEBTOON Entertainment, the parent company of LINE Digital Frontier Inc., which operates the digital comic service LINE Manga, was listed on the Nasdaq market in the U.S. on June 27 (local time). The initial public offering price was $21.00 per share, with a peak price of $24.00 by 4 PM, resulting in a market capitalization of $2.92259 billion.


Celebrating the Nasdaq Listing of WEBTOON Entertainment

Celebrating the Nasdaq Listing (C) Nasdaq, Inc.


To celebrate the listing, a ceremony was held in New York's Times Square, a mecca of entertainment. Giant display ads in the area showcased popular webtoon titles like "Senpai Is an Otokonoko" and "Savior of Divine Blood ~Draw Out 0.00000001% To Become the Strongest~," both of which are popular in Japan and have anime adaptations starting. Times Square was lit up in the vibrant green theme colors of WEBTOON Entertainment and LINE Manga.


Japanese-Origin Webtoon Takes Over Times Square! (Photo: "Senpai Is an Otokonoko")

Japanese-Origin Webtoon Takes Over Times Square! (Photo: "Senpai Is an Otokonoko")


Fans Gather, Creating a Festive Atmosphere at the Times Square Event

Fans Gather, Creating a Festive Atmosphere at the Times Square Event


Many fans gathered for the event, some even showing off their cosplay. A signing session by popular webtoon artists was also held, making the ceremony a dazzling event befitting an entertainment company.

Masamine Takahashi, CEO of LINE Digital Frontier Inc., who attended the event in New York, remarked, "It was both a listing ceremony and a fan event. Seeing 'My Senpai is Annoying,' which originated as an indie work in Japan, displayed in Times Square was truly gratifying, like something out of a manga. I was deeply moved."

Regarding the funds raised through the Nasdaq listing, Takahashi commented, "In Japan, we will further strengthen our investment in creators. We know that the power of Japanese works can compete globally. We aim to pave the way for further growth and act as a new growth engine." He declared that, through further collaboration with WEBTOON Entertainment, they will support the global expansion of Japanese creators and domestically-produced webtoons.

In recent days, titles like "God's Blood Savior" and "The Reason Why the Reluctant Duchess Dresses as a Man" (currently serialized on LINE Manga) have made it into the top 10 of the US WEBTOON trend rankings. Expectations are high to see how Japan-origin webtoons will expand following the listing.


Source : ORICON NEWS

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