Square Enix, the game and publishing company, has entered China's digital comic market. They partnered with NetEase, one of China's four major portals. Starting late October this year, simplified Chinese versions of popular titles like "Fullmetal Alchemist" and "Black Butler" are being released sequentially on NetEase's dedicated comic app "NetEase Comics," launched in July 2015. This was reported by NNA, which distributes Asian economic news.
The lineup includes 63 titles, the largest number of works provided by a Japanese comic publisher. Among these, 61 titles are being translated into Chinese for the first time and released as official versions. Additionally, 16 titles currently serialized in magazines will be distributed in sync with their release in Japan.
The titles will be offered free for two years from launch to boost recognition and promote the official versions. Square Enix noted that NetEase operates services including free email, online games, and video news, boasting approximately 600 million users in China. Its e-book distribution service, "NetEase Cloud Reading," reportedly has China's largest mobile app user base at 80 million.
