Traditionally, comic-reading in Germany has been less widespread. Unlike other European countries like France and England, Germany fell short in developing an indigenous comics industry in the 20th century. Though there were illustrated stories, such as Max and Moritz by Wilhelm Busch in 1865, none of them paralleled the success of the American Katzenjammer Kids. But decades later, manga in Germany was eventually recognized.

In 1960, comics started to attract readers through the Franco-Belgian tradition. Few comics, such as Hergé’s Tintin and René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo’s Astérix, were stepping stones in developing a comics consumer culture in the country. By the 1980s, indigenous comics artists began to rise to fame. Ralf König, Brösel (Rötger Feldmann), and Walter Moers are some of the humorous cartoonists considered pillars of the industry.

Japanese manga also started to enter Germany but only came out on top in 1991. All thanks to Carlsen Verlag, who issued the first volume of the Akira series by Ōtomo Katsuhiro. And finally, in 1998, TV broadcasts of Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball anime series pushed the wave of manga in Germany. These were after Carlsen licensed and published Takeuchi Naoko’s shōjo (girls’ romance-based) manga Sailor Moon and Egmont for Dragon Ball, Toriyama Akira’s shōnen (boys’ adventure-oriented) manga.

From hereon, manga popularity in Germany pursued, presenting opportunities for manga translation in German and even German manga typesetting. As the number of German manga publishers and readers rises, the more reasons there are to distribute your foreign titles.

We took a peek at the history of manga in Germany. Now, it is worth wondering what the future holds and how you can maximize it. Let us explore the German manga world!

Should you translate your manga from English to German? To answer that, it is crucial to understand how popular manga in the country is. In the early 2000s, manga accounted for 70% of the country’s comics sales. Picking up from the manga wave after Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball, manga became one of the biggest success stories of publishing in Germany. The country started to produce and export its own manga, also giving birth to the leading German manga publishing firms.

The most popular distributor is Tokyopop with licensed titles to Japan, France, Scandinavia, Brazil, and Eastern Europe. Tokyopop was founded in 2004 as an offshoot of Tokyopop, a Los Angeles-based company. Moreover, founded in 2005, Carlsen Manga is a part of the Hamburg-based Carlsen Comics group. It has licensed books to Korea, the U.S., and other European countries.

Apart from Tokyopop and Carlsen Manga, Germany also has Panini and Egmont Manga. The four producers lead the distribution of manga and comic books throughout the country.

Germany produces 3-4,000 new comic book titles per year, along with France, Italy, and Spain. There are between 100 and 400 comics publishers in the country, as well as in France and Italy. Germany also has digital catalogues with a few to several thousand titles!

German comics have also become a tool for language learners. Titles such as Liebe und Monster by Adrian von Bauer make it to many to-read lists by enthusiasts. There are big-hit graphic novels in the country, too, especially popular and helpful to language learners. Berlinoir by Reinhard Kleist and Tobias O. Meißner should never be missed, as well as Asterix 36: Der Papyrus des Cäsar by Jean-Yves Ferris, Didier Conrad, and Klaus Jöken.

How does manga in Germany continue to rise? Well, with quality manga translation in German, more foreign titles have reached the German audience. The same goes for German manga that contributes to the widespread popularity of manga around the globe!

As the country eventually created and produced manga, it identified its own style and welcomed new genres. With numerous manga set in Germany, both the local and foreign audiences get to immerse themselves into German culture and history. Especially in the age of digitalization, when it is way easier to get readers online, manga translation in German and German manga typesetting has become more in demand. And with manga’s current popularity across the globe, more languages need to be catered to.

It is important to highlight the rise of Korean to German webtoon translation as well, following the success of Korean webtoons in other countries. Webtoons are South Korea’s latest export hit, especially this year. More countries have translated webtoons and even had show adaptations. While it can be considered a young concept in Germany, Korean to German webtoon translation can introduce a new platform to German manga enthusiasts.

Basically, manga translation services into German open doors to foreign manga creators, which also means expansion of Germany’s horizon. And in relation to digitalization, manga typesetting into German plays a big part in successfully bringing a title to the German audience.

Yes, it would be best if you go for manga translation in German. There are countless opportunities and possibilities to explore! There are challenges, of course, but CCCI is committed to helping you expand your readership. With quality translation, creativity, and skillful typesetting, and animation it is not difficult to find your way to German communities looking for manga in various styles and genres.

CCCI is an international translation company delivering professional services worldwide. As a top manga translation and webtoon localization company, we offer services in 30 languages in various industries.

Our team is fully aware that media and entertainment are two of the industries that need translation services most. We collaborate with licensed manga distributors and publishers in Japan and other parts of the world, working on translating, localization, and typesetting comic books and manga to different languages.

Manga translation in German and German manga typesetting are challenges that our team is ready to win. Our expertise, skills, and state-of-the-art multilingual communication to our partners and clients can jumpstart your success in your new audience. Are you ready to have your manga in Germany? It is time to count on CCCI. Connect with us!

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