Manta’s parent company RIDI Corporation, South Korea’s first content unicorn, brings substantial IP advantages through its position as the nation’s leading webnovel publisher – providing Manta with a pipeline of proven stories for adaptation.

Platform Evolution: From Webcomics to All-in-One Story Hub

Manta, the global webcomics platform owned by South Korean storytelling giant RIDI Corporation, has officially launched manga on its platform, marking a significant expansion beyond its core webcomic and webnovel offerings.

Since its global debut in 2020, Manta has accumulated more than 19 million cumulative downloads and established itself as the second-largest paid-user comic platform in the United States.

The platform operates a hybrid business model combining subscription access with pay-per-episode (PPE) options – a notable departure from competitors that rely primarily on in-app currency systems.

Strategic Content Diversification

The manga launch follows Manta’s introduction of serialized webnovels in December 2024, positioning the platform as an “all-in-one story ecosystem” spanning Korean webcomics, webnovels, and Japanese manga.

The initial manga catalogue features high-profile Kodansha titles including WIND BREAKER – a shōnen action series with over 10 million copies in circulation and an anime adaptation by CloverWorks – alongside sports manga Medalist and romantic comedy The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity. Genres at launch span romance, action, and sports, with plans for further publisher partnerships.

Promotional Strategy and Market Positioning

To mark the launch, Manta has partnered with Kodansha – one of Japan’s “Big Three” manga publishers – for a limited-time promotion running 7–20 April 2026. The offer includes up to 90% discounts on first volumes across more than 400 titles, plus platform currency (“Gems”) for all participants.

This partnership represents a significant content acquisition for Manta, which has historically focused on Korean romance and romantasy webcomics.

The platform’s subscription model – priced at $4.99 monthly for unlimited access – distinguishes it from manga-specific competitors such as Kodansha’s own K Manga app and Shueisha’s MANGA Plus.

The View From The Beach

The expansion arrives as digital manga distribution intensifies globally. Kodansha has recently pursued multi-platform strategies, including partnerships with GlobalComix (August 2025) featuring 6,000+ volumes, whilst Shogakukan launched its NOVELUS app for English-language light novels and manga.

Manta’s parent company RIDI Corporation, South Korea’s first content unicorn, brings substantial IP advantages through its position as the nation’s leading webnovel publisher – providing Manta with a pipeline of proven stories for adaptation.

CEO Yupil (Asher) Won stated: “Webcomics, webnovels, and manga each have their own unique identity. Manta will continue to strengthen content competitiveness so that more stories can be enjoyed broadly within a single ecosystem – without having to move between platforms”.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.