Manga artbooks might not be as well-known as manga itself, but they create a lucrative business for the publishing companies that sell them. The artbooks go along with a series or single manga, or sometimes even other forms of entertainment, like movies or video games, offering extra artwork and behind-the-scenes glimpses into their worlds. Because of their nature, they tend to sell with fans of the already-existing merchandise. Because of this, companies are most willing to take on artbooks attached to well-known titles, as with how recently Viz Media launched a new Vampire Knight artbook and Udon Entertainment released Ar Tonelico Visual Book, which is a companion to a Japanese video game.
Not all manga in Japan get their own artbooks, but there are more available there than in America. Still, even if American publishing companies don’t publish or sell as many as Japan does, it’s definitely not a struggling art form.
Viz Media, which has published twenty-one manga artbooks to date, including the recent Vampire Knight release, said that sales have been doing well. “Naruto is a perennial top performer,” said Leyla Aker, v-p of publishing, referring to the two Naruto artbooks they’ve published. “Other top titles include artbooks for classic series such as Bleach, Inuyasha and Fullmetal Alchemist, as well as the companion volumes for the Studio Ghibli movies Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.”
Udon Entertainment, meanwhile, has published a total of 104 books, and twenty-four of them are artbooks. “Our artbook offerings have grown considerably since we started releasing them back in 2005,” said CEO and founder Erik Ko. “Stand out titles include artbooks for Street Fighter, Mega Man, Okami, Monster Hunter, Valkyria Chronicles, Ar Tonelico, and the Atlier series.”
Digital Manga is also in the game for artbook sales. The company has published Robot, Robot 2, Robot 3, Lain, Megami and Flamboyant. “I’d say this one is the best seller—it’s completely sold out,” said sales manager Yoko Tanigaki about Flamboyant. “It’s just as popular as manga.”
Digital Manga was the only company of the three to say its artbooks sold as well as its manga, but it’s clear that artbook sales for Viz Media and Udon aren’t lacking. While none of the companies gave any specific numbers, Viz said sales were “strong” and Ko said, “Compared to top selling manga titles in the industry, they sell a fraction of those numbers, but make up for it with a much higher price point and deluxe format. There have been titles we’ve released in North America that aren’t extremely well known, but they move slowly but surely thanks to beautiful artwork and niche fan excitement.”
Udon also has a different way of bringing out artbooks, besides the licensed ones from Japan. “In addition, we have a unique set of artbooks in our ‘Tribute’ line where fan artists and professionals come together to celebrate classic franchises like Street Fighter, Darkstalkers and Mega Man,” said Ko. “With submissions from artists all over the world, these Tribute books are very popular among video game fans and online art communities. The combination of fan involvement/outreach and worldwide submission contest drums up a lot of interest and pre-orders.”
More artbooks can be expected in the future. “Artbooks are now a solid part of our publishing schedule,” said Ko. “We will continue to expand the line of books in 2012 with Sengoku Basara, Shigenori Soejima (Persona), Valkyria 2, Street Fighter IV and many others coming up in 2012.”
“One Piece: Color Walk Vol. 2 and D.Gray-Man Illustrations: Noche will be out in December,” said Aker, “and The Art of the Secret World of Arriertty, based on the Studio Ghibli film, will be in stores in January. We're always looking at new books to publish for the English-language audience, especially those related to series that are fan favorites.”
