Manga Publishing enters UAE

Pageflip Publishing, an independent Dubai-based manga publishing house, has launched in the UAE during Dubai Summer Surprises 2009 with its debut title Gold Ring.

The novel series provides a unique combination of authentic Japanese manga illustrations and original classical Arabic content in an effort to incentivise reading among young audiences and support Arabic literacy.

One of Japan's greatest cultural exports since the Second World War, manga is a comic style art form with often very complex narratives. Now a $5 billion (Dh 18.3bn) global industry, manga is becoming increasingly popular in the UAE. Since Japanese bookstore Kinokuniya opened in the Dubai Mall last November, it has sold some 50,000 manga books, mostly to Emirati fans. For the founder of Pageflip Publishing, Qais Sedki, this growing enthusiasm represented an opportunity to create original Arabic manga content for the young local audience. Most manga publications sold in the UAE are English translations of Japanese manga.

Sedki, Managing Director of Pageflip Publishing and author of Gold Ring, said: "Through manga, I hope to inspire young Emiratis to read more and bridge the gap that currently exists between early childhood books and heavy Arabic novels."

Keep up with the latest business news from the region with the Emirates Business 24|7 daily newsletter. To subscribe to the newsletter, please click here.