Fuji TV, one of Japan's biggest television stations, has launched a new webtoon label by the name of TOON8. With the help of several key partners, it hopes to tap into the growing market.

Although webtoons originally began in Korea, they have now spread to Japan and enjoy overwhelming popularity among younger readers. Buoyed by the vertical format perfect for consuming on smartphones and generally free access, its market share surpassed 10% of all digital book sales domestically for the first time in 2022. Other players such as Shueisha and Kodansha have also pivoted heavily towards webtoon production in recent years, making Fuji TV's entry into the business not all that surprising.

That being said, Fuji TV has no interest in producing a platform of their own. Instead, TOON8 will focus on distributing new works through LINE Manga, one of the most popular vertical manga platforms in Japan. Helping them in this endeavor are four webtoon studios: Number Nine, Whomor, LOCKER ROOM, and C-Route.

Each one of the above studios will produce a new series for TOON8, with the first being Houfuku no Ansatsu Ningyou by Whomor (pictured above). This will be followed by Toushin High School by Number Nine, Hitojichi Tsuma to Kekkon shitai by LOCKER ROOM, and Taika wo Harattara Mirai ga Kawarimashita by C-Route. Any further additions have yet to be confirmed.

Speaking to the press, Marin Sakagami from the IP Business Division of Fuji TV explained that "TOON8 isn't just another webtoon label. It's a project that aims to deliver stories in a multitude of different ways, including music, television, events, and manga."

Just how TOON8 will slot in next to Fuji TV's other business endeavors remains to be seen, but it's certainly an exciting prospect.