Tokyo International News Agency

The veteran printing company "Akatsuki Printing" (Uonuma City, Niigata Prefecture), which has supported doujinshi production for many years, has announced its closure. On the social media platform "X" (formerly Twitter), many creators and fans have expressed their surprise and regret. The company, which began handling doujinshi printing around 1989, had garnered strong support for its high quality, reasonable pricing, and courteous service. Users have voiced their gratitude, saying things like, "They helped me with my first doujinshi print," "They were always kind and meticulous," and "The delicious new rice was also a welcome bonus." The closure of Akatsuki Printing has once again highlighted the severe challenges facing the entire doujinshi printing industry. One user commented, "Doujinshi printing orders are extremely small-lot from a printing industry perspective, and to accept such troublesome requests from individuals – we tr...

Akatsuki Printing, a long-established printing company that has supported doujinshi production for many years, announced its closure and de facto bankruptcy on March 20, 2026. This news has led to an outpouring of sorrow and regret from doujinshi artists and fans on X (formerly Twitter). On March 20, the company posted on its official X account: "This is a sudden announcement, but Akatsuki Printing will cease operations on March 20. To put it simply, we are going bankrupt. Thank you for your long-standing patronage. Everyone, stay well! Goodbye!" This abrupt announcement quickly spread, eliciting cries of surprise and dismay such as "Seriously?!" and "This is too shocking..." Akatsuki Printing was cherished by many creators for its high-quality printing technology and warm customer service. It was particularly renowned for the beauty of its bookbinding and its capabilities in handling special papers and multi-color printing. Comments like "Whenever I ...