Mangamo

Mangamo is a digital comics platform headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, offering a mobile subscription service for legally licensed and professionally translated English-language manga. Founded in 2018 by Buddy Marini, Dallas Middaugh, and Yusuke Sasano, the company launched its iOS application in April 2020, followed by an Android version, to address the high demand for manga and combat digital piracy. The founding team brings together extensive experience from the media and entertainment sectors; CEO Buddy Marini previously served as CEO of Hulu Japan and General Manager for game developer Supercell, while co-founder Dallas Middaugh has a long history in manga publishing, including roles at Crunchyroll and Penguin Random House.

The company operates on a subscription-based revenue model, providing unlimited, ad-free access to its content library for a monthly fee of $4.99 USD. This model was designed to offer an affordable and legal alternative to unauthorized scanlation sites that dominate the market. In addition to the subscription, Mangamo utilizes a hybrid model where users can purchase individual manga chapters and volumes using an in-app currency called "Coins," which allows access to content not included in the unlimited tier. Many series also offer a number of free chapters to entice new readers.

Mangamo's service provides access to a large library of over 1,000 titles and 20,000 chapters from more than 20 Japanese publishers, including major players like Kodansha. The catalog spans a wide array of genres, from action and fantasy to romance and horror, featuring popular series such as "Attack on Titan," "My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999," and "Tokyo Revengers." A key feature is the inclusion of titles never before officially released in English, curated by an editorial team. The mobile application is designed for a user-friendly reading experience, offering high-quality images and customizable viewing options, such as horizontal or vertical scrolling.

Financially, Mangamo is a privately held, venture capital-backed company. It secured an early-stage VC (Series A) funding round on June 12, 2020, raising $92.7K. Its investors include Sony Innovation Fund, Bochi Investments, and Septeni Holdings. The service launched initially on iOS devices and later expanded to Android, making it globally available.

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