East Press

East Press Co., Ltd. (株式会社イースト・プレス) is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Kanda Nishikicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. It was established on April 5, 1989, by Shigeru Kobayashi, who had previously worked on the editorial team of Kobunsha's Kappa Books, a line credited with sparking Japan's first paperback boom. The company is privately held, with stated capital of 22.2 million yen and 32 employees as of September 30, 2025. Its representative director and president is Izumi Nagata, who took office in March 2014 and is the eldest daughter of founder Shigeru Kobayashi. In its early decades, East Press was known among niche audiences as a publisher of manga and subculture, particularly through its magazine COMIC CUE. From the 2000s onward, it broadened its catalogue to include general books, business titles, translated works, comics, children's books, and novel series. It has also been active in digital publishing, e-books, and audiobooks. The company describes itself as aiming to develop as a broad content maker. East Press operates several imprints and labels, including East Shinsho, East Shinsho Q, Comic Essay no Mori, Splush Comics (boys' love manga), Sonya Bunko (teen's love novels) with its Sonya Comics spin-off, and Etsu Bunko (erotic novels). Past labels include As Novels, East Press Nonfiction, Yorimichi Pan!se, Sugar LOVE Bunko, Regalo Series, Chiteki Hakken! BOOKS, Manga de Dokuha, CUE COMICS, Splush Bunko, Kodomo Press, and Bunko Gingado. It has also published magazines such as Koiunreki, Kaiunjo, Gong Kakutogi, SAMURAI FOOTBALL, Comic Medama, COMIC CUE, Nekodama, and Hamuspe/Anispe, some of which were transferred to Appli Style in 2014. Its web media include Matogrosso, COMIC Porta, and Splush. Several East Press titles have been adapted into television dramas, films, and anime, including "Gakeppuchi no Eri," "Going My Home," "Saeko Sensei, Kekkon Suru tte Hontou desu ka?," "OL desu ga, Kyabajo Hajimemashita," "Saba no Kanzume, Uchu e Iku," "Mustard Chocolate," and "Tonari no Yokai-san." The company continues to release new titles across categories such as history, geography, business, lifestyle, and comics, and maintains an active release schedule.

East Press was founded on April 5, 1989, by Shigeru Kobayashi, who had previously been part of the editorial team behind Kobunsha's Kappa Books, a line often credited with igniting Japan's first paperback boom. The new company set up its base in Tokyo and initially made its name in manga and subculture, notably through the magazine COMIC CUE, which became a cult favourite in the 1990s. During that decade, East Press was known as a niche publisher with a distinct editorial voice. In the 2000s and 2010s, the company expanded its output into general books, business titles, translated works, comics, children's books, and novel series. It launched several imprints, including East Shinsho, East Shinsho Q, Comic Essay no Mori, Splush Comics, Sonya Bunko, and Etsu Bunko. It also experimented with web media such as Matogrosso, which began in 2010 as a free web literary magazine on Amazon.co.jp before moving to an independent site in 2013, and later COMIC Porta in 2024. In March 2014, Izumi Nagata, the eldest daughter of founder Shigeru Kobayashi, became president. Around the same time, in May 2014, the company transferred two magazine businesses—Appli Style and NHK G-Media Ozumo Journal—to Appli Style Co., Ltd. East Press has actively pursued digital publishing, e-books, and audiobooks. Its catalogue has also served as source material for adaptations: several titles became television dramas, films, and anime. Notable adaptations include "Gakeppuchi no Eri" (TV drama, 2010), "Going My Home" (TV drama, 2012), "Saeko Sensei, Kekkon Suru tte Hontou desu ka?" (TV drama, 2016), "OL desu ga, Kyabajo Hajimemashita" (TV drama, 2016), "Saba no Kanzume, Uchu e Iku" (TV drama, 2026), "Mustard Chocolate" (film, 2017), and "Tonari no Yokai-san" (TV anime). The company continues to publish across history, geography, business, lifestyle, and comics, with a steady release schedule and a stated ambition to grow as a broad content maker.

• East Press founded by Shigeru Kobayashi.

• Known for manga and subculture, particularly through COMIC CUE.

• Launched web media Matogrosso as a free web literary magazine on Amazon.co.jp.

• Matogrosso moved to an independent website.

• Izumi Nagata became president.

• Transferred Appli Style and NHK G-Media Ozumo Journal magazine businesses to Appli Style Co., Ltd.

• Splush shifted from electronic magazine format to free web serialization.

• Launched web comic site COMIC Porta.

Independent publisher with a broad catalogue spanning subculture, manga, self-help, translated works, and digital content.

• COMIC CUE

• East Shinsho

• East Shinsho Q

• Comic Essay no Mori

• Splush Comics

• Sonya Bunko

• Etsu Bunko

• Manga de Dokuha

• Matogrosso

• COMIC Porta

1. 1イースト・プレス official websiteeastpress.co.jp
2. 2歴史・地理｜イースト・プレスeastpress.co.jp
3. 3会社案内・地図｜イースト・プレスeastpress.co.jp
4. 4East Press - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5イースト・プレス - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org