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Tokyopop, formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor of manga in English, German, and Japanese.The company is incorporated in Tokyo, Japan, with its largest office in Los Angeles, California and branches in the UK and Germany. Tokyopop also licenses and publishes manhwa, anime and translated Japanese novels, and produces "Cine-Manga" (also called "animanga" or Anime-books; a line of graphic novels using still shots taken from animated or live-action television shows and movies) and original manga-style comics in English and German. They sell their products through bookstores and comic stores throughout the USA, Canada, Ireland, the UK, Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Swiss markets.

In May 2004, in a rare move for an American comic book publisher, Tokyopop launched a television advertising campaign, targeting several cable television channels: Cartoon Network, Spike TV, MTV, TechTV and G4.

Tokyopop, when it was formerly known as Mixx, sold MixxZine, a manga magazine. Mixx also sold the shōjo manga anthology Smile. Mixxzine later became Tokyopop before it was discontinued. In 2005 Tokyopop began a new, free publication, called Manga (originally Takuhai), to feature their latest releases.

In March 2006, Tokyopop and HarperCollins Publishers announced a co-publishing agreement in which the sale and distribution rights of all Tokyopop manga and books are transferred to HarperCollins in mid-June 2006. The agreement also enables Tokyopop to produce manga adaptations of HarperCollins' books. Meg Cabot's books will be the first to be adapted into the manga format. The first line of Tokyopop-HarperCollins manga will be released in 2007 with the goal to publish up to 24 titles each year.

As of Spring 2006, Tokyopop is making efforts to reach out to their fans by means of the creation of a message board and, as of April 21, 2006 a MySpace account.

Success and criticism

Many people in the publishing industry credit Tokyopop for transforming the American manga market to its current state of popularity. The company achieved this by first lowering the price of their manga per volume, to a consistent price point of about $10 (US), €10.50 (Ireland) and £7.50 (UK). They achieved this by not translating sound effects (which required much touching up of the original art), and not flipping the pages like was done in most English manga in the 1990s. This was advertised as trying to make English translated manga more "authentic" and indeed was appealing to many fans. The lower price point was also more appealing to bookstores, because lower prices meant better sales. Other manga companies, such as Viz Media have restructured and lowered their prices as a response to this move. The German versions of the Tokyopop mangas cost €6.50; the quality of the paper is lower than the U.S. paper.

In addition to lowering prices of manga, the company licensed a wider variety of titles than other companies had previously. While most translators had concentrated on shōnen manga and titles thought to have "crossover" potential with the male-dominated American comics market, Tokyopop's lineup included many shōjo manga titles that appealed to teenage girls who were not well served by the domestic comics market. The company also eschewed the so-called "direct market" of comic book stores, many of which specialized primarily in superhero titles and had a reputation of being "boy's clubs" uninviting or hostile to casual readers, opting instead to concentrate on sales through bookstores. As a result, the manga section in most mainstream bookstores has increased dramatically. (Nevertheless, they do make their products available to the direct market through distributors such as Diamond Comic Distributors.)

The company has been criticized, most notably by Toren Smith of the competing company Studio Proteus, in a piece published as part of an analysis of the American manga translation industry in The Comics Journal. This critics' main charges are that Tokyopop's quality control is poor and frequently fails to catch typos and other rudimentary errors before books go to print, and that its approach to licensing titles from Japan stresses quantity over quality. Some feel that this would eventually lead to a bubble in the manga industry unless something was done to make the comics less disposable. Additionally, the practice of not flipping pages has been criticized; critics assert that, as the English language is typically read from left to right, printing manga in right-to-left format results in pages that do not flow well to English readers. However, almost every manga released in graphic novel format, including those of other labels such as Dark Horse Comics, Del Rey and Viz Media is translated unflipped at this time; advocates of non-flipping hold the view that this increases authenticity, as original sound effects in katakana and hiragana (if left untranslated, as by Tokyopop) become readable. Also, the number of characters in flipped manga that appeared to be left-handed was amazing.

Not translating the Japanese sound effects into English has been an issue with some fans. While most of the manga published by Tokyopop contains the average of 0-2 SFX per page, the other series (such as Love Hina and Initial D) have at least 3-7 SFX per page and these sound effects are usually used to describe the action that's happening in the story, and therefore considered to be important. And due to that, an American reader must be able to read Japanese, in order to completely understand the Japanese SFX. However, other fans believe it is better to have the original Japanese sound effects, and usually the situation is self explainatory for what the sound effects mean, such as explosions, sword fights, and someone falling down.

Tokyopop has also been criticized by anime fans with regards to changes in music and the naming of characters in their published anime. Critics charge that these changes compromise the anime viewing experience, watering down and Americanizing it, making it less "authentic." This has spread to their manga series, with the renaming of Ikki Tousen as Battle Vixens, and Karin as Chibi Vampire, when Karin is nearly equal to the average height of women in Japan eliminating her from being chibi. In addition, the ultra-violent Battle Royale manga was rewritten to be a Reality TV show, when the original novel (published by competitor Viz Media) never made such a distinction.

Most notably, after several well-translated Anime releases, Tokyopop angered many fans of Initial D with an "Americanized" dub of the anime and translation of the manga. The Americanization included adding "street slang" and replacing the Eurobeat soundtrack for the sounds of their in-house DJ (DJ Milky) which at times would be classified as a fusion of hip-hop and Electronica music. Also, TOKYOPOP renamed characters in both the manga and anime to more English sounding alternatives (Takumi became Tak and Mogi became Natalie, for example). Rumors have speculated that Tokyopop was trying to cash in on the Fast and the Furious craze and the growing import scene at the time but a rumored TV deal fell through. Faced with doing a completely (and costly) new dub, Tokyopop released the Americanized dub. Their translation of Initial D in the subtitled version remained intact and free of any Americanization. Its inclusion on the DVDs managed to satisfy fans of Initial D who opt to watch only the subtitled version of the anime.

In a completely different case, Tokyopop released Rave Master on DVD in a dub-only format à la 4Kids Entertainment with Americanization of the music and some of the script. This is probably why the second season of Rave Master had average to poor ratings compared to the first when shown on Cartoon Network's Toonami block and was quietly removed. However, the Rave Master manga usually sells well in the United States. It is usually on the top 100 best selling manga lists.

Tokyopop and HarperCollins have also been both hailed and criticized for their decision to classify as "manga" the comics they are to produce under their new publishing agreement. Critics feel that the word "manga," which means comic (or cartoon) in Japanese, is not the appropriate term for an American-produced, English-language comic. They suggest that the term is being used to exploit the current popularity of Japanese manga in the United States, at the expense of the term "comic." Yet others feel the move to call their original titles "manga" is a conscious step away from the spandex-clad superhero stereotype of the word "comics" and towards a more open, global view of the graphic novel and comics medium. In order to better disguish Japanese manga from their original English-language titles, they now use the term OEL manga. To classify all manga, they use the terms "global manga" or "world manga" which is also used by Seven Seas--one of the other few manga companies in the U.S. producing original, manga-influenced graphic novels.

In July, 2006, Tokyopop launched their new website, featuring the ability for fans to create blogs, post artwork, videos, and manga, and generally create a more user-focused website as an attempt to bridge the gap between publisher and consumer. Art theft has run rampant throughout the site since its launch but Tokyopop has put in measures to help limit this, such as the ability to 'flag' or mark an image at odds with their terms of service. The format of the new website is still in its beta version and continues to undergo changes.

Books published in English by Tokyopop

Manga

At various times in its history, Tokyopop has published books under the Pocket Mixx, Mix Manga Premium Edition, Chix Comix, TOKYOPOP manga, and TOKYOPOP imprints.

Popular shōnen manga series

A.I. Love You
A midnight opera
Beck
Cowboy Bebop
GetBackers
GTO
Initial D
Love Hina
Rave Master
Samurai Deeper Kyo
Sgt. Frog
Gatcha gacha
Ultra Cute

Popular shōjo manga series

Cardcaptor Sakura
D•N•Angel
Fruits Basket
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijō)
Marmalade Boy
Gravitation
Peach Girl
Peach Girl: Sae's story
Sailor Moon
Tokyo Mew Mew
pearl pink

Popular seinen manga series

Ai Yori Aoshi
Battle Royale
BLAME!
Bus Gamer
Chobits
Lupin III
Mobile Suit Gundam titles
Planetes

Popular josei manga series

Happy Mania
Tramps Like Us (Kimi wa Pet)

Manhwa

Arcana
Blazin' Barrels
Blade of Heaven
Chronicles of the Cursed sword
Chrono Code (Riverside)
Crazy Love Story
Demon Diary
Dragon Hunter
Faeries' Landing
Heaven Above Heaven
Honey Mustard
iD eNTITY
In Dream World
I.N.V.U.
Island
Kill Me, Kiss Me
King of Hell
Les Bijoux
Lights Out
Model
One
PhD: Phantasy Degree
Priest
The Queen's Knight
Ragnarok
Rebirth
Snow Drop
Under the Glass Moon
Visitor
Warcraft

Manhua

Digimon

Original English-language manga

@Large
Afterlife
A Midnight Opera
Bizenghast
Dogby Walks Alone
Dramacon
Fool's Gold
Idiotz!
I Luv Halloween
Mark of the Succubus
MBQ
My Cat Loki
Off*beat
Peach Fuzz
Psy-Comm
RE razz lay
Rising Stars of Manga
Roadsong
Sea Princess Azuri
ShutterBox
Sokora Refugees
Sorcerers & Secretaries
Steady Beat
The Dreaming
Van Von Hunter
Work Bites
World of Hartz

Original German-language manga

Plastic Chew
Yonen Buzz

Novels

.hack//AI buster
.hack//Another Birth
The Adventures of Duan Surk
Clamp School Paranormal Investigators
Chain Mail
Crest of the Stars
Gravitation
Gundam Seed
Kino no Tabi
Love Hina
Magic Moon
Sailor Moon
Scrapped Princess
Slayers
Trinity Blood
Twelve Kingdoms

Cine-Manga

Akira
Aladdin
All Grown Up
The Amanda Show
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Bambi
Breaking the Habit
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Cardcaptors
Fairly OddParents
Family Guy
Finding Nemo
Greatest Stars of the NBA
Jackie Chan Adventures
Jimmy Neutron
Kim Possible
Lilo & Stitch: The Series
Lizzie McGuire
Madagascar
Malcolm in the Middle
Power Rangers
Rave Master
Shrek 2
The Simple Life
SpongeBob SquarePants
Spy Kids
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
That's So Raven
Totally Spies

Picture books

Stray Sheep

Books published in German by Tokyopop

Manga

+Anima
Azumanga Daioh
Beck
Bleach
Cromartie High School
Death Note
Ibara no Ō (as König der Dornen)
Maria-sama ga Miteru (as Rosen unter Marias Obhut)
Prince of Tennis
Rozen Maiden
Fruits Basket
Negima

Manhwa

Ami, Queen of Hearts
Crazy Love Story
Faeries' Landing

Manhua

Bye Bye Baby!
Comic Schule
The Flower Ring
Sweet As Candy
White Night Melody

Original English-language manga

@Large
Dramacon
Peach Fuzz
ShutterBox
Sokora Refugees

Original German-language manga

Gothic Sports
Iscel
In The end
Manga-Fieber
Sketchbook Berlin
Yonen Buzz

Part of Tokyopop

-
-FAKE-

1
12 Days (manga)

A
A.I. Love You
Ai Yori Aoshi
Alichino
Angelic Layer
+Anima
ArchLord
Arm of Kannon

B
B't X
BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad
Baby Birth
Banner of the Stars
Battle Royale (manga)
Bizenghast
Blade of Heaven (manga)
Blame!
Boys Be...
Brain Powerd
Brigadoon: Marin & Melan

C
The Candidate for Goddess
Cardcaptor Sakura
Chobits
Chronicles of the Cursed sword
Clamp School Detectives
Clamp School Paranormal Investigators
Clamp no Kiseki
Clover (manga)
Comic Party
Confidential Confessions
Corrector Yui
Cowboy Bebop
Crescent Moon (manga)
Crest of the Stars
Cromartie High School
Cross (manga)
Culdcept
Cyborg 009

D
D.N.Angel
Dead End (manga)
DearS
Demon Diary
The Demon Ororon
Deus Vitae
Devil May Cry 3 (manga)
Dogby Walks Alone
Dragon Hunter
Dragon Knights
Dragon Voice
Dramacon
Dream Saga
The Dreaming (manga)
Duklyon: Clamp School Defenders

E
East Coast Rising
Et Cetera

F
FLCL
Faeries' Landing
Fool's Gold (manga)
Fruits Basket

G
Gatcha gacha
Gate Keepers
GetBackers
Girl Got Game
Girls Bravo
Gravitation (manga)
Great Teacher Onizuka
Grenadier - The Senshi of Smiles

H
.hack//AI buster
.hack//Another Birth
.hack//Legend of the Twilight
Hands Off!
Happy Mania
Harlem Beat
Heat Guy J
Hyper Police
Hyper Rune

I
I Luv Halloween
ID eNTITY
I.N.V.U.
Ice Blade
Ikki Tousen
Immortal Rain
Initial D
Instant Teen: Just Add Nuts

J
Judas (manga)

K
Kamichama Karin
Kanpai!
Kare Kano
Karin (manga)
Kill Me, Kiss Me
Kindaichi Case Files
King of Bandit Jing
King of Hell
Kodocha

L
Lagoon Engine
Lament of the Lamb
Legal Drug
Legend of Chun Hyang
Les Bijoux
Love Hina
Loveless (manga)
Lupin III

M
MBQ
Magic Knight Rayearth
Magical☆Shopping Arcade Abenobashi
Mahoromatic
Man of Many Faces
Manga Studio
Mark of the Succubus
Marmalade Boy
Mink (manga)
Miracle Girls
Miyuki-chan in Wonderland
Model (manhwa)
Monsters, Inc.
Mouryou Kiden
My Cat Loki
My Dead Girlfriend

N
Never Give Up!

O
Off*beat
The One I Love (manga)

P
Paradise Kiss
Parasyte
Peach Fuzz
Peach Girl
Pet Shop of Horrors
Pita-Ten
Planet Ladder
Planetes
Priest (manhwa)
Princess Ai
Psychic Academy

Q
The Queen's Knight
Qwan

R
RE razz lay
RG Veda
Ragnarok (manhwa)
Rave Master
Rebirth (manhwa)
Reign (anime)
Remote (manga)
Rising Stars of Manga
Rizelmine
Roadsong

S
S-CRY-ed
Saber Marionette J
Sailor Moon
Saint Tail
Saiyuki (manga)
Saiyuki Gunlock
Saiyuki Reload
Samurai Champloo
Samurai Deeper Kyo
Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School
Satisfaction Guaranteed (manga)
Scrapped Princess
Sea Princess Azuri
Sgt. Frog
Shirahime-Syo: Snow Goddess Tales
Skull Man
Sokora Refugees
Sorcerer Hunters
Spring and Chaos
Star Trek: The Manga
Suki: A Like Story

T
Threads of Time
Tokyo Babylon
Tokyo Mew Mew
Tokyo Mew Mew à la Mode
Tramps Like Us
Tsukuyomi -Moon Phase-

V
Vampire Game
Vampire Princess Miyu
Van Von Hunter
The Vision of Escaflowne

W
Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy
Warriors of Tao
Wish (manga)
Work Bites

X
X-Day (manga)

Y
Yonen Buzz
Yubisaki Milk Tea

Z
Zodiac P.I.
Zyword