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- 📱 Japan Proves the Model — The U.S. Is Next
📱 Japan Proves the Model — The U.S. Is Next
They conquered the toughest comics market in the world. Now they are taking aim at the home of Marvel and DC.
Matthias Schneider
August 17, 2025
In partnership with
Welcome, Investors!
It is one thing to grow in emerging markets where digital disruption is expected. It is something entirely different to walk into the most entrenched, tradition-bound comics market on the planet… and take the crown.
That is exactly what Webtoon Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: WBTN), the world’s largest digital comics platform with roughly 156 million monthly active users — has just done. A pioneer of the vertical-scroll, mobile-first comic format and a subsidiary of South Korea’s Naver, Webtoon has built a global storytelling ecosystem that spans original series, user-generated content, and blockbuster IP adaptations.
In Japan — a $5+ billion manga stronghold — Webtoon’s LINE Manga didn’t just compete. It dethroned Kakao’s Piccoma to become the #1 grossing app across all iOS and Android categories in H1 2025. That is the equivalent of beating Starbucks in Seattle. Proof that the model doesn’t just work in niche corners, it dominates in mature, hyper-competitive arenas.
The question now is simple: with Japan conquered, can $WBTN ( ▼ 2.36% ) unlock even greater growth in the one market that could rewrite its entire story? Let’s dive in.
Matthias Schneider
Editor at Analytica Investor