Mediation

Mediation (メディエイション) is a Japanese publishing division operating inside e-JuneX, the subculture-focused business unit of the art company R-Ban (Art Vivant). It is best known as the publisher of E☆2 (pronounced "Etsu"), a bimonthly magazine devoted to original bishōjo (beautiful-girl) illustration, manga, and related content. The imprint also issues manga tankōbon, light-novel bunko, art books, and BL titles tied to its magazines. Mediation's first publication was E☆2 Vol.1, released on September 21, 2005. The division originally sat inside Art Finance, a financial subsidiary of R-Ban, before moving into JuneX, another R-Ban subsidiary handling the Art Jeuness business, between October 2006 and January 2007. On February 1, 2007, JuneX merged with the mobile-phone subsidiary e-Pictures to form e-JuneX, and Mediation moved with it. On September 8, 2010, e-JuneX was absorbed into R-Ban and became an internal business division, which is the structure under which Mediation operates today. Mediation's flagship magazine E☆2 is unusual among bishōjo magazines for centering on original characters rather than adaptations, featuring work by roughly seventy prominent illustrators, scenario writers, and manga artists, many affiliated with R-Ban's illustration arm Art Jeuness. The magazine has spun off art-book collections such as Girls Girls Girls!, the E☆2 Comics tankōbon label, and the E☆2 Snack Novels light-novel bunko label. A second magazine, the BL anthology Hug, launched on May 12, 2007 as a supplement to Small S; it is currently on hiatus, though its serializations continue via mobile comics and new volumes appear under the Hug Comics label. Mediation also manages the E☆2 mascot characters Etsumin, Eko, and Tsuko, and has overseen media expansions including radio programs and drama CDs. Notably, the colophons of Mediation's books and magazines do not mention R-Ban; they credit only "Mediation," giving the imprint a distinct public identity within its parent group.

Mediation began as a publishing operation inside Art Finance, a financial company and subsidiary of the art company R-Ban (Art Vivant). Its first publication was Vol.1 of the magazine E☆2, released on September 21, 2005, initially as a supplement to the magazine Quarterly S (季刊S) and sold by Asuka Shinsha. Vol.0 of E☆2 had been sold as a dōjinshi at Comic Market 68, held August 12–14, 2005, and was also consigned to Manga no Mori, Animate, and Amazon.co.jp. Between October 1, 2006 and January 31, 2007, Mediation moved from Art Finance into JuneX, an R-Ban subsidiary handling Art Jeuness-related business. On February 1, 2007, JuneX merged with e-Pictures, R-Ban's mobile-phone business subsidiary, forming e-JuneX; Mediation thus changed parent companies again. On May 12, 2007, Mediation launched its second magazine, the BL manga anthology Hug, as a supplement to Small S. E☆2 itself evolved: it began as a quarterly, became bimonthly from Vol.5 (released September 15, 2006), and shifted from being a Quarterly S supplement to an Anemone supplement. From Vol.9 (released May 25, 2007) its release date moved to late in the month. In 2009, when the parent magazine Anemone changed publishers from Asuka Shinsha to Bio Magazine, E☆2's distributor also shifted to Bio Magazine from Vol.21 (released August 29, 2009). On September 8, 2010, e-JuneX was absorbed into R-Ban and converted into an internal business division, which remains Mediation's organizational home. Mediation's book labels also changed distributors over time: the E☆2 Comics tankōbon label began on November 30, 2007 with Asuka Shinsha as distributor, then switched to the publishing division of Kōsaidō Akatsuki from October 30, 2009. The E☆2 Snack Novels light-novel bunko label launched on December 19, 2008, also initially distributed by Asuka Shinsha and later by Kōsaidō Akatsuki from August 30, 2009. From August 2017, credits changed from "Kōsaidō Publishing" to "E☆2 Editorial Department." Mediation's output has centered on manga tankōbon and light novels by artists serialized in E☆2 and Hug, art books by Art Jeuness-affiliated artists, and BL-related books. Hug is currently on hiatus, but its serializations continue through mobile comics and new volumes are issued under the Hug Comics label.

• 2017

  From August, book credits change from "Kōsaidō Publishing" to "E☆2 Editorial Department."

• 2011

  E☆2ぷらす Vol.1 issued on September 3 as an Anemone supplement, replacing the main magazine that August; Vol.2 follows in December.

• 2010

  On September 8, e-JuneX is absorbed into R-Ban and becomes an internal division.

• 2009

  E☆2 distributor changes to Bio Magazine from Vol.21 (August 29) after Anemone changes publishers.

• 2009

  E☆2 Comics and E☆2 Snack Novels switch distributor to Kōsaidō Akatsuki publishing division (October 30 and August 30 respectively).

• 2008

  E☆2 Snack Novels light-novel bunko label launches on December 19.

• 2007

  On February 1, JuneX merges with e-Pictures to form e-JuneX; Mediation becomes part of e-JuneX.

• 2007

  On May 12, Mediation launches the BL manga magazine Hug as a Small S supplement.

• 2007

  E☆2 release date moves to late in the month from Vol.9 (May 25).

• 2007

  E☆2 Comics tankōbon label begins on November 30 with Asuka Shinsha as distributor.

• 2006

  E☆2 becomes bimonthly from Vol.5 (September 15) and shifts from Quarterly S to Anemone supplement.

• 2006

  Between October 1, 2006 and January 31, 2007, Mediation moves from Art Finance to JuneX.

• 2005

  E☆2 Vol.0 sold as a dōjinshi at Comic Market 68 (August 12–14).

• 2005

  E☆2 Vol.1 released on September 21 as Mediation's first publication, a Quarterly S supplement from Asuka Shinsha.

A niche publisher of bishōjo and BL content within R-Ban's subculture division, known for original-character-focused magazines and artist-driven books.

• E☆2

  Bimonthly bishōjo content magazine launched September 21, 2005; focuses on original characters and features about 70 prominent creators.

• Hug

  BL manga magazine launched May 12, 2007 as a Small S supplement; currently on hiatus but continuing via mobile comics and Hug Comics volumes.

• E☆2 Comics

  Tankōbon label collecting serialized works from E☆2, launched November 30, 2007.

• E☆2 Snack Novels

  Light-novel bunko label launched December 19, 2008, with illustrations by E☆2 artists.

• Girls Girls Girls!

  Art-book series reprinting illustrations from E☆2; at least seven volumes published.

• E☆2ぷらす

  Companion publication without manga, issued as an Anemone supplement from 2011, twice a year.

1. 1E☆2 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
2. 2Mediation - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3売り出し中のドメイン名ですetsu.jp