CyberAgent Enters Marketing Partnership with Leading French Publisher KANA to Strengthen Anime Expansion in France

Joint Marketing Efforts to Promote Anime and Manga in the French Market

IP & Contents ｜June 25, 2025

CyberAgent Inc. today announced its Anime & IP Division has entered into a strategic marketing partnership with KANA, a leading French manga publisher headquartered in Brussels. This partnership is designed to strengthen the expansion of CyberAgent-produced anime titles in the French market.

Established in February 2024, CyberAgent’s Anime & IP Division integrates key functions such as IP development, anime planning and production, advertising, promotion, and merchandise creation. With a comprehensive and globally oriented business structure, it is actively developing marketing strategies for both domestic and international audiences. These efforts include executing localized promotional campaigns and communication planning aimed at expanding the global reach of Japanese anime.

KANA, one of France’s foremost manga publishers, was founded in 1996 by Brussels-based bookseller Yves Schlirf, who recognized the potential of Japanese manga in the French market. The company operates under Dargaud Lombard SA, a subsidiary of the major media conglomerate Média-Participations Group. KANA plays a key role in promoting and popularizing Japanese manga among French-speaking audiences, offering a wide range of titles across various genres for readers of all ages.

About the Partnership with KANA

When executing marketing strategies in the fields of manga and anime, aligning efforts across both areas is essential to maximizing promotional impact by deepening engagement within their respective fan communities. Through this partnership, CyberAgent and KANA plan to launch mutual promotional campaigns via both companies’ official social media channels, as well as co-host events related to manga and anime.

Additionally, the anime-focused global news platform ANIME FREAKS is scheduled to launch a French-language version. As part of this initiative, a dedicated page for KANA will be created to share information about the company’s titles and related content with French-speaking audiences.

Looking ahead, CyberAgent’s Anime & IP Division and KANA will continue to pursue original marketing and promotional initiatives made possible by this unique partnership. By fostering new opportunities for French audiences to discover Japanese manga and anime, both companies aim to further energize and expand fan communities in the region.

Company Overview: KANA, Inc.

Name	KANA, Inc.
Headquarters	Brussels, Belgium
President/CEO	Christel Hoolans
Business Description	French manga publisher

About CyberAgent's Anime & IP Division

CyberAgent’s Anime & IP Division is focused on expanding its intellectual property business through the development of original anime, adaptations of manga into anime, and merchandising of popular franchises. In 2016, with the launch of its video streaming platform ABEMA, CyberAgent introduced a dedicated anime channel. The following year, it jointly established the CA-Cygames Anime Fund with Cygames to invest in anime-related IP. This initiative marked the start of the company’s anime business, including investments in externally produced titles and the acquisition of distribution and game adaptation rights.

Formally established in February 2024, the Anime & IP Division was created to further strengthen CyberAgent’s organizational capabilities in this business area. Centered on IP development and anime production and planning, the division consolidates key functions such as advertising, promotional strategy, and merchandising to be executed in collaboration with ABEMA. Through this integrated approach, CyberAgent aims to build a comprehensive business model that spans from planning to monetization, with a clear focus on the global market.