Hakusensha, Inc. (株式会社白泉社, Kabushiki-gaisha Hakusensha) is a Japanese publishing company. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo.[1]
The company mainly publishes manga magazines and is involved in series' productions in their games, original video animation, music, and their animated TV series.
Hakusensha was founded on December 1, 1973, by Shueisha. It is now a separate company although still a part of the Hitotsubashi Group with Shueisha and Shogakukan as one of the major members of the keiretsu.
Hakusensha's headquarters
After setting up the company for five months, the firm published their first magazine, a shōjo manga magazine titled Hana to Yume (花とゆめ). In November that year, they moved from Tōkyō-to, Chiyoda-ku, Kanda-Jinbōchō Ichi-chōme (東京都千代田区神田神保町1丁目) to Kanda-Jinbōchō San-chōme (神田神保町3丁目).
In 1975, the firm changed the frequency of their magazine from monthly to semi-monthly; in March, they created their first imprint, Hana to Yume Comics (花とゆめコミックス). In July 1976, they published their second manga magazine, a shōjo manga magazine named Hana to Yume LaLa (花とゆめ LaLa) as a sister magazine to Hana to Yume that is published bi-monthly. In April 1977, they set up a publication editing department and in July, they began publishing a seasonal magazine titled Bessatsu Hana to Yume (別冊花とゆめ).
In March 1981, they moved to Nishi-Kanda San-chōme (西神田3丁目). In September, they branched out from their usual shōjo manga magazines to a shōnen genre by publishing Shōnen Jets (少年ジェッツ). With that, the company released their series in Shōnen Jets under a new imprint, Jets Comics (ジェッツコミックス) in July 1982. As of January 2009, the magazine was defunct but the imprint is used to publish their seinen manga series serializing in Young Animal and Young Animal Arashi as well as certain series serializing in Melody.
Three years later on August, they published a new magazine, specialising under the josei genre, Silky that is published on even-numbered months. With that, they created an imprint for Silky's series to be published under Ladies' Comics (レディースコミックス). In March 1989, they started publishing a seinen manga magazine called Animal House. Three years after Animal House, they published Moe, a monthly magazine for picture books targeted toward shōjo readers. In May that year, Animal House was renamed to Young Animal and was then published semi-monthly since.
In March 1994, they created another imprint, Hakusensha Bunko (白泉社文庫). This imprint is for publishing manga in the bunkoban format. Moreover, in December 1995, they started publishing another magazine that was published seasonally, Shōsetsu HanaMaru (小説花丸) which is targeted toward josei readers.
In January 1996, they created an imprint for Shōsetsu HanaMaru (小説花丸), HanaMaru Comics (花丸コミックス). In July that year, they created HanaMaru Bunko (花丸文庫). In September, they published Melody which publishes on odd-numbered months. On the same month, they moved to Kanda-Awajichō Ni-chōme・Hakusensha Biru (神田淡路町2丁目・白泉社ビル), their present location.
In April 1996, they published LaLa DX on odd-numbered months. The company also began selling their drama CDs under Hakusensha CD Collection (白泉社CDコレクション), abbreviated as HCD.
In June 2001, they published Candy; as of January 2009, the magazine has been discontinued. In May 2005, they changed their special publication of Young Animal Arashi into a monthly publication. In July 2006, Bessatsu Hana to Yume was made a monthly publication. HanaMaru Black (花丸BLACK), a magazine targeted at readers of yaoi genre started its publication in May 2008.
Le Paradis, a manga anthology published triannually published its first issue on October 29, 2008.[2][3]
Besides publishing, the company releases drama CDs of series under their magazines: Hana to Yume Series (花とゆめシリーズ), Bessatsu Hana to Yume Series (別冊花とゆめシリーズ), LaLa Series (LaLaシリーズ), Young Animal Series (ヤングアニマルシリーズ) and HanaMaru Series (花丸シリーズ).
Moreover, they are involved in the productions of games, TV drama, theatrical movies, musicals, radio shows, TV animation and original video animation.
Series under the company can be read through mobile phones in Japan using the following service portals: Hakusensha e-Comics (白泉社e-コミックス) and Hakusensha HanaMaru Bunko (白泉社花丸文庫). Hakusensha e-Comics was started in September 2005 and is operated by Hakusensha and CharaWeb.[5] This service is available in two variations and customers will have to pay 315 yen and 512 yen respectively to access this service every month.[5]
Hakusensha publishes their books and manga under these imprints.[10]
Hana to Yume Comics
Young Animal Comics (formerly known as Jets Comics until June 2016)[11]
Hakusensha Ladies Comics
HanaMaru Comics
Hakusensha Bunko
HanaMaru Bunko
HanaMaru Novels
HanaMaru Black
Awards
Hakusensha organizes contests to offer aspiring manga artist a professional debut as well to be affiliated with their magazines.
These contests or awards are Hakusensha Athena Shinjin Taishō (白泉社アテナ新人大賞, Hakusensha Athena Newcomers' Awards), Hana to Yume Mangaka Course (HMC), LaLa Mangaka Scout Course (LMS), LaLa Manga Grand Prix (LMG), and Big Challenge Awards (BC).[12]
Radio show
There was a radio show hosted by voice actor Takehito Koyasu and Atsushi Kisaichi called Koyasu☆Kisaichi no HanaYume Check ni LaLa Shimasho (子安☆私市の花ゆめチックにLaLaしましょ) that was broadcast by Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. The show ended in March 2002. It was compiled into two CDs and is sold under Hakusensha's drama CD imprint, Hakusensha CD Collection (HCD).[13][14]
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