Complete Remake of the Popular Manga Dragon Zakura Scheduled for Indonesia

TG Rights Studio (Shibuya, Tokyo) and M&C, the publishing department of Kompas Gramedia Group (Jakarta, Indonesia) started a joint venture of publishing complete remakes of manga popular in Japan by creating them with Indonesian settings.

The first in line is a manga that became a big hit in Kodansha’s weekly magazine Morning and was also adapted into live-action drama: Dragon Zakura by Norifusa Mita. The story is about failing high school students who want to get into the University of Tokyo and arduously study for one year under teachers with strong personalities. Through cooperation with Cork (Shibuya, Tokyo), manga artist Norifusa Mita’s agency, the manga will be fully remade and localized for Indonesian society and culture by changing the settings. For example, the students will be Indonesian students, and instead of the University of Tokyo, the school will be a local famous university. All of this will be drawn by local manga artists.

The business partner, Kompas Gramedia Group, is a major media company in Indonesia. More than 80% of comics in Indonesia are translations of Japanese manga, almost all of which are handled by Gramedia Group and sold mainly in their affiliated bookstores (the biggest chain in the country). By simultaneously releasing Dragon Zakura both into bookstores and as a digital comic and actively informing fan communities, they aim for the synergy of paper and Internet. After publishing the manga, they are aiming for a drama and movie adaptation, promotional uses, and character-related goods.

After the first release planned for mid-September, they will continue to select Japanese manga suitable for localizing, and release remakes in Indonesia. After solidifying their position in Indonesia, they are planning to extend the business to other Asian countries.

■ About TG Lights Studio
TG Lights Studio is affiliated with Tokyo Gets, a company handling movie and anime character licenses. It was founded in 2011 for overseas expansion. In 2012, they established an Indonesian and a Taiwanese corporate body, and by managing overseas licensing and Japan-related events, they are carrying part of the government-sponsored campaign, “Cool Japan.”

This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article