Media Do International, a subsidiary of the Media Do Group, has announced that it is in agreement to acquire American independent manga publisher Seven Seas Entertainment.
According to a press release from the publisher, the acquisition “reflects continued global momentum in manga, light novels, and international storytelling across print, digital, and audio formats” and will position the company for “long-term growth within an expanding worldwide readership.”
Seven Seas also states that it will continue to operate under its existing leadership team and “editorial direction.” No changes are planned to be made to distribution, publishing schedules, or core operations, and all of its print imprints will continue to be distributed worldwide by Penguin Random House.
Seven Seas CEO Jason DeAngelis, who founded the publishing company in 2004, said the following about the acquisition:
For more than twenty 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… 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.
Both companies state that they will collaborate to strengthen and support global distribution and the “continued growth of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean storytelling” in the English-language market.
Twitter/X account MangaAlerts, citing Nikkei, shared that the expected sales price is 12.4 billion yen (US$80 million).
San Diego-based Media Do International is part of the MEDIA DO group — a Japanese eBook distribution company based in Tokyo, Japan. The company previously acquired MyAnimeList from mobile and web developer DeNA in 2019, and later sold its shares to Web3 and AI startup company Gaudiy last April.
Update (3/1/2026): Danmei News cites the Nikkei report as claiming that Media Do will use its own artificial intelligence technology to “assist translators in translating manga into English” to shorten the translation time to “about two months” per volume compared to the current “five to six months.” The company wants to increase its output of titles to ” around 2000 books a year.” Seven Seas has yet to comment on this matter, as of the time of writing.
MangaAlerts also adds in their Twitter/X thread that some current Seven Seas employees were unaware of the acquisition agreement prior to their online panel at Citrus Con 2026, and learned of the news at the same time as the public.
Update (3/2/2026): Seven Seas issued a statement on its Twitter/X account regarding the potential usage of AI translation after the acquisition. The company says that it “remains committed to human translators” and the “high editorial standards” of its readership. It adds that the process of how it translates its books will remain unchanged, and more information will be announced at a later date.
Many have asked about AI and translation following the acquisition announcement. Seven Seas remains committed to human translators and the high editorial standards our readers & creators expect. Nothing about the acquisition changes how we translate our books. More info shortly.
— Seven Seas Entertainment (@gomanga) March 2, 2026
Update (3/3/2026): Seven Seas posted an updated document from Media Do, via its social media accounts, regarding its acquisition of the publishing company, as well as its translation and publication structure.
In the document, Media Do notes that it has received inquiries “expressing concern that AI might be used to translate Seven Seas manga and other works.” The company clarifies that there are no plans to incorporate such technology and says the following about its current “MDTS” (MediaDo Translation System) and Seven Seas’ operations:
Furthermore, the “MDTS” system developed by the Company is an AI assisted tool designed to help Japanese translators manage their translated text when working on Japanese literature. It is not intended for implementation in Seven Seas translation operations. All specific operational details will remain compliant with the existing translation standards of Seven Seas.
Additionally, Media Do states that its acquisition of Seven Seas “does not include operational or staffing changes” and its existing leadership and team will remain unchanged.
This article will be updated with more information as it arrives.
Sources: press release, Nikkei (via MangaAlerts Official Twitter)
