Getting to Know: Stuart Levy and TOKYOPOP Part 3

Please read Part 2 of the interview before reading Part 3

TOKYOPOP

So, it is time to get into the business of TOKYOPOP. Let’s start with the basics. Most of us probably know that TOKYOPOP is located in the United States of America. However, the company is also in Europe and Japan. TOKYOPOP K.K., which is in Japan, “is a small office that has done licensing activity, manga production and other business development.” However, legally, it is the parent company of TOKYOPOP Inc. (U.S.A), TOKYOPOP GmbH (Germany) and TOKYOPOP Ltd. (UK). Even though TOKYOPOP K.K is the parent company, TOKYOPOP in Los Angeles and Hamburg, Germany have the most staff.

TOKYOPOP’s most well known activity and main business is publishing manga, however, legally, it has the ability to operate any legal business that the company wishes. Here is the thing, Levy never thought of his company as a publishing company, because he did not establish the company to publish products as its only purpose.

The goal had always been to bridge Japan and Asia with Hollywood and the Western world from a pop-culture point-of-view. I personally became fascinated with many cultures especially Japan. When I started the business, my dream was to introduce the wealth of characters and stories (and entertainment) I found in Japan’s manga to American audiences through not only graphic novels but also film, television, the Web and other media. I also wanted to produce creative collaborations between these different cultures. At some point, I also wanted to pursue my personal creative expression which was of course inspired by the same cross-cultural experience.

With these goals in mind, the focus of TOKYOPOP is being a brand, similar to what “Nike, Apple, Disney or other brands do.” Although this is not easy to accomplish, the objective is to develop and keep a “two-way relationship” between the company and their customers, “the “audience” of fans.” Even though TOKYOPOP does not have as much resources as major brands do, it continues to “aspire to a similar level of passionate dialogue between the “brand” and its customers. There are many challenges in executing that vision, but it is something we are always trying to achieve.”

So, what does the representation of the brand mean for the United States business and culture? Why is it important? Well, according to Levy:

A brand is, and should be, a living organism so it is always evolving. We see “Tokyo” as not only an actual city, but also a state of mind where technology meets whimsy. “Pop” of course is the word for “popular” but really has come to mean modern culture. As an American who has always loved other cultures and became infatuated with Japan, my life became multi-cultural and “east-meets-west.” So, this is a key part of the TOKYOPOP brand essence.

© 2010 Linda Thai

Stay tune for Part 4 of the Stuart Levy interview!