Manga Artist Nono Shimanaga's Autograph Session a Great Success at Europe's Largest 'Leipzig Book Fair 2026,' Attracting 310,000 Visitors—Positive Response for IP Expansion in the European Market

An autograph session by manga artist Nono Shimanaga, affiliated with Nono Studio Inc. (Headquarters: Taito-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Etsuko Nagai; hereinafter referred to as 'the Company'), was held at the Leipzig Book Fair 2026, Europe's largest book fair, which took place in Leipzig, Germany, from Thursday, March 19 to Sunday, March 22, 2026.

This event commemorated the release of the first volume of the German translated comic 'Mach ihn hart: Mein Chef hält sich nicht zurück!' (Japanese title: 'Ore wo, tatasetemiro yo') by local publisher 'Dokiko,' and all sessions concluded with great success.

The Leipzig Book Fair 2026 is a central event for the publishing and content business in Europe, attracting a record approximately 310,000 visitors and featuring around 2,000 exhibitors from 54 countries worldwide.

We will report on this European event, which was bustling with many visitors, and discuss our future overseas expansion plans.

Fan Creation at European Events and the Potential of the Female-Oriented Romance Manga Market

During the Leipzig Book Fair 2026, Ms. Shimanaga's autograph sessions, held a total of three times over two days, were all fully booked. Long lines of fans waited for Ms. Shimanaga's appearance even before the event began, strongly impressing upon attendees the high popularity of Japanese manga at European events and attracting significant interest as a venue for direct communication with local readers. Ms. Shimanaga also responded to interviews and photo shoots from local media, further demonstrating the high level of interest.

At this event, we not only expanded awareness of the work but also gained a tangible sense of the potential for original works in overseas markets through real interactions with local fans. Furthermore, the sales performance of the translated comics and the high attendance at the autograph sessions proved that the world view and storytelling of the work are accepted across cultural boundaries.

The Leipzig Book Fair 2026 functions not only as a place for creating fans in the B2C domain but also as a venue for generating B2B business opportunities. The Company positions it as one of its important bases for future overseas expansion.

What is the Leipzig Book Fair, Europe's Largest Book Fair?

Official Guest Participation in 'Koibana 2026' Stimulates Reach to Target Audience and High Purchasing Intent

Prior to her participation in the autograph session at the Leipzig Book Fair 2026, Ms. Shimanaga participated as an official guest in 'Koibana 2026,' an event themed around romance and creative culture for adults, held in Mainz, Germany, on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15, 2026.

'Koibana' specializes in the genre of 'romance' and is limited to attendees aged 18 and over, allowing for deeper work explanations and adult-oriented expressions. At 'Koibana 2026,' Ms. Shimanaga held an autograph session and a workshop on the manga production process. This event had high affinity with the Company and Ms. Shimanaga's work genre, and high purchasing intent was observed, with event-exclusive German translated comics and related goods selling out. Many fans and creators attended, fostering deep exchanges centered around the world view of the work.

Through Ms. Shimanaga's official guest participation in 'Koibana 2026,' the Company realized the reach to its target audience and the increase in purchasing intent. Furthermore, the 'romance' genre is highly culturally empathetic and is considered a promising area for future translated publications and overseas expansion.

Accelerating Expansion in the European Market, Building a Local Fan Base, and Expanding Business

Regarding her guest participation in both events, Ms. Shimanaga commented, "This was my first time being invited as an official event guest overseas, and both events attracted far more people than expected. I was greatly inspired by being able to hear feedback directly from overseas readers and interact with them."

[Nono Shimanaga Official SNS Accounts]

X：https://x.com/shimanaganonoch

Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/shimanaganono/

YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/@shimanaganono

Through this initiative, the Company once again realized the demand and growth potential of Japanese IP in the European market. Moving forward, we will continue to exhibit and participate in local events, expand the publication of translated comics, and strengthen cooperation with local partners to build a sustainable fan base. We will also promote the diversified development of IP business, including merchandise and digital content.

From Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31, 2026, we will exhibit at 'Dokomi 2026,' Europe's largest Japanese anime and manga expo, held in Düsseldorf, Germany. 'Dokomi' is a large-scale Japanese culture event that has been growing in size year by year, attracting 215,000 visitors last year.

We will continue to participate in major overseas events to further enhance awareness of our original works and develop new markets. Furthermore, against the backdrop of growing interest in Japanese culture in Europe, we are considering expanding our licensing business not only in Germany but also in other countries outside Japan in the future. We will also accelerate the global expansion of Japanese content and focus on creating opportunities for domestic creators to challenge the overseas market.

Upcoming Overseas Publication and Event Schedule

• Autumn 2026: Release of 'Mach ihn hart: Mein Chef hält sich nicht zurück!' (Volume 2)

• May 29 (Fri) - 31 (Sun), 2026: Booth exhibition at 'Dokomi 2026,' and Nono Shimanaga autograph session at the 'Dokiko' booth.

• July 24 (Fri) - 28 (Tue), 2026: Booth exhibition planned at 'Hong Kong World Doujin Festival 2026.'