Manga Productions
Native nameمانجا للإنتاج
FoundationSeptember 10, 2017 (age 8)
FounderMisk Foundation
Location cityRiyadh
Location countrySaudi Arabia
LocationsTokyo, Japan
Key peopleEssam Amanallah Bukhary (CEO)
IndustryAnimation • Comics • Video games
OwnerMisk Foundation

Manga Productions (Arabic: مانجا للإنتاج) is a Saudi Arabian animation and creative content company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Founded in 2017, it is a subsidiary of Misk Foundation. The company produces animated films and series, as well as video games and comic books. In 2019, it opened an office in Tokyo, Japan.[1][2]

Business Activities

Animation

Manga Productions creates original animated works, often in partnership with leading Japanese studios such as Toei Animation.

  • In 2020, the company co-produced the television series Asateer: Future's Folktales, which aired across the Arab world, the United States, and Japan, and surpassed 100 million streams on over 40 platforms.
  • Its sequel, Asateer2: Future's Folktales, premiered in November 2024 on MBC1 in Saudi Arabia and TV Tokyo in Japan.[3][4]
  • In 2021, Manga Productions and Toei Animation released the feature film The Journey, which was distributed across the Middle East, Japan, the United States, and Europe. The film became the first Middle Eastern production to win the Experimental Category Award at the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam.[5][6][7]

Video Games

The company develops and publishes both mobile and console games. In September 2024, it released Future’s Folktales: Hopper Quest, a free-to-play mobile game based on its animated series. Manga Productions also handles localization and distribution of international titles across the Middle East and North Africa, including Dynasty Warriors: Origins (2024) and Nioh 3 (2025).[8]

Comics

Manga Productions has published a number of comic titles, including Bissa, and Mercury Girl, a fantasy adventure series serialized since 2023.[9]

Intellectual Property Management

Manga Productions is active in licensing, localization, and distribution of Japanese intellectual properties across the Arab world.

  • In 2022, it signed a partnership with Dynamic Planning Corporation to manage the Grendizer franchise in the Middle East.[10]
  • In November 2022, it unveiled a 33.7-meter statue of Grendizer in Riyadh, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest metal sculpture of a fictional character.[11]
  • In 2023, Manga Productions acquired global distribution rights for Grendizer U from Dynamic Planning. The Arabic-dubbed version premiered in Saudi Arabia on July 5, 2024, simultaneously with its Japanese release.[12]
  • The company also managed regional distribution of Captain Tsubasa Season 2: Junior Youth (2023) and partnered with TSUBASA Corporation as the official uniform sponsor of Nankatsu SC, a Tokyo-based football club tied to the famous manga series.[13]

Television

No.TitleSeries directorBroadcast network(s)EpisodesYear(s)NotesRef(s)
1Future's FolktalesMasami ShimodaMBC13Jan 24, 2020 – Jul 24, 2022Co-produced with Toei Animation[14]
2Future's Folktales – Season 2Masami ShimodaMBC13Jan 24, 2023 – Jan 24, 2025Co-produced with Toei Animation[15]

Films

Theatrical films

TitleDirector(s)Release dateNote(s)Ref(s)
The JourneyKōbun ShizunoJune 17, 2021Co-produced with Toei Animation.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ Productions, Manga. "Manga Productions". Screen. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  2. ^ "Saudi Arabia's Manga Productions, Toei Preview The Journey Film's Japanese Cast in Trailer". Anime News Network. 2025-12-08. Retrieved 2025-12-08.
  3. ^ hasan, sanaa (2024-11-03). "Saudi Anime 'Legends of the Future 2' Soars Over Tokyo". lucire. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
  4. ^ الرياض, واس- (2020-01-22). ""أساطير في قادم الزمان".. أول مسلسل محلي بأسلوب الرسومات اليابانية" (in Arabic). جريدة المدينة. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
  5. ^ "Promo released for joint Saudi-Japanese anime 'The Journey'". Arab News. 2021-03-02. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
  6. ^ Vivarelli, Nick (2020-02-24). "Saudi Animation Feature 'The Journey' Secures Distribution in MENA and Japan". Variety. Retrieved 2025-12-09.
  7. ^ "Saudi movie ‘The Journey’ wins best experimental film award at Dutch Septimius flick fest". Arab News. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  8. ^ "Manga Productions, stc play launch new anime game". Arab News. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  9. ^ "マンガプロダクションズ | Home" (in Japanese). マンガプロダクションズ. 2025-12-04. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  10. ^ Reporter, Staff (2022-11-18). "Manga Productions signs deal with Dynamic Planning for licensing ‘Grendizer’ IP in Middle East". BroadcastPro ME. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  11. ^ "Largest metal sculpture of a fictional character (supported)". Guinness World Records. Archived 2024-05-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  12. ^ "MBC’s Shahid platform announces premiere of ‘Grendizer U’". Arab News. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  13. ^ "Manga Productions secures exclusive rights to distribute ‘Captain Tsubasa’ in MENA". Arab News. 2023-09-21. Retrieved 2025-12-11.
  14. ^ Tashkandi, Hala (January 22, 2020). "Saudi anime series ready for liftoff on Pan Arab TV Chanel". Arab News Japan. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  15. ^ Moo, William (October 5, 2024). "Future’s Folktales 2 Reveals Broadcast Dates & Newest Trailers Highlighting More Stories". AniTrendz. Retrieved April 3, 2026.
  16. ^ "Promo released for joint Saudi-Japanese anime 'The Journey'". Arab News. 2 March 2021. Archived 13 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2 March 2021.