Media Do International, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Tokyo-based Media Do Ltd., has agreed to acquire Seven Seas Entertainment, Inc., one of the largest independently-owned manga publishers in the English-language market. According to Media Do, Seven Seas—which publishes, manga, light novels, webtoons, and danmei—has sales of $50.4 million in 2024 and adjusted profits of $6.6 million.
Both figures are down slightly from pandemic highs, and the company said it expects 2025 results to be in line with 2024. Despite the softer results, Media Do has agreed to acquire Seven Seas for $80 million. The deal is expected to close latter this month.
Founded in 2004 by CEO Jason DeAngelis, Seven Seas has licensed and published more than 1,300 series from Japan, China, South Korea, and beyond. According to the Media Do announcement, “the acquisition reflects continued global momentum in manga, light novels, and international storytelling across print, digital, and audio formats, and positions Seven Seas for long-term growth within an expanding worldwide readership."
Seven Seas will continue to operate under its existing leadership team and editorial direction. There are no changes to distribution, publishing schedules, or core operations as a result of the deal. All Seven Seas print imprints will continue to be distributed worldwide by Penguin Random House Publisher Services.
“For more than 20 years, our focus has been simple: publishing exceptional stories and treating them with care, respect, and the passion of fans who never forget what drew us to these stories in the first place,” said DeAngelis in a statement. “This partnership strengthens our long-term position while preserving the creative independence and publishing mission that define Seven Seas. We remain deeply committed to our creators, partners, and readers.”
Daihei Shiohama, president and CEO of Media Do International, added, “Seven Seas has built a distinctive and highly respected publishing program, with a strong track record and deep connections across the industry. We look forward to supporting their continued success and providing resources that allow the Seven Seas team to do what they do best—champion great stories for readers around the world.”
This is Media Do’s second significant acquisition in the U.S. In 2021, it bought the U.S. publishing tech company, Firebrand Technologies.
The M&A consulting firm Book Advisors, along with longtime U.S. graphic novel and manga executive Kuo-Yu Liang of Ku Worldwide, advised Seven Seas in the deal.
