Ex-Chainsaw Man Editor Launches New Independent Manga Platform

Former Shueisha editor Shihei Lin, known for Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, and Dandadan, announced on April 17 that his company Mix Green has established an independent manga platform. The platform, currently unnamed, is now accepting author submissions, marking a significant departure from traditional publisher-dominated manga distribution.

Lin spent 16 years at Shueisha before departing in August 2022. He has continued editing work as a freelancer while serving as Mix Green's Representative Director. Early details about the platform suggest a focus on direct engagement with artists, diverging from the highly structured workflows typical of legacy publishers.

Lin has emphasized that the new venture holds no connections to Shueisha or Shonen Jump+, positioning the platform as a fully independent operation within Japan’s manga industry.

Independent Manga Platform Targets Digital Economy

Lin’s announcement comes at a time when Japan’s manga industry is facing structural pressure from a workforce crisis and a decline in readers. However, the global demand for manga keeps rising as anime’s commercial and cultural popularity drives the manga market.

The global manga market reached $16.3 billion USD in 2025 and is projected to grow to $31.24B by 2034, according to market research firm Polaris. Digital manga is forecast to grow at the highest CAGR, 9.6%, fundamentally restructuring distribution economics that once required costly print infrastructure.

Digitalization of manga distribution has helped expand the manga market, with AI suggestions, multi-lingual availability, and accessibility. As an independent platform, Mix Green’s manga platform is aiming to tap into this growth while bypassing the structural issues consistent with big publishers.

However, Lin's platform enters a crowded landscape, where traditional publishers Shueisha, Kodansha, and Shogakukan have continued expanding digital operations with dominant positions. Lin's portfolio, spanning multiple billion-yen properties and anime adaptations, equips him with substantial industry recognition to oversee the platform’s operations. Nonetheless, creator acquisition and retail relationships will determine viability as established publishers retain vast artist rosters and financial resources.