Konami Cross Media NY, Inc’s Vice President of Licensing and Marketing Jennifer Coleman, who oversees the franchise’s licensing program, has confirmed two new publishing agreements for the Yu-GI-Oh! IP.
In a move to bring publishing into the mass market for Yu-Gi-Oh!, Konami Cross Media NY has partnered with Landoll Publishing, a market leader to produce Yu-Gi-Oh! Inspired, high-quality coloring books and storybooks as well as sticker, puzzle and educational activity books. The Yu-Gi-Oh! publishing line is now available across U.S. and Canadian outlets.
“Landoll Publishing’s retail partners expressed a strong interest in Anime-related content for the genre’s growing fanbase,” said Coleman. “Yu-Gi-Oh! – with an expanding global presence on so many platforms- is well poised to attract a Gen Alpha demographic to Landoll Publishing’s products.”
Landoll Publishing’s General Manager Jennifer Denn added: “With nearly 60 years of expertise in the development and publishing of coloring, activity and educational books for children, Landoll Publishing’s goal has always been to surpass consumer expectations by creating engaging and entertaining experiences for youngsters who are discovering the wonder of books and reading. Yu-Gi-Oh! provides us with a limitless number of innovative characters and monsters which can be incorporated into a wide array of activity, coloring, and sticker books.”
With Nelson Publishing, an imprint of Carlsen Publishing, Konami Cross Media NY has secured a licensing agreement that will produce and publish a German language edition of The Official Yu-Gi-Oh! Guidebook, under the Nelson imprint and coming to the market at the end of 2024. A German language edition of The Art of the Cards, a coffee table book that will be published under Carlsen Publishing House imprint will be available in 2025.
“Nelson Publishing has a demonstrated passion for children’s publishing, as evidenced by its work with such franchises as: Harry Potter, Tintin, Son Goku, Peanuts and Naruto,” said Coleman. “We are happy to work with the team at Nelson to make these wonderful books available for our German speaking and reading Yu-Gi-Oh! fan base.”
Nelson Publishing’s Thorben Thoosen added: “We are excited to partner with Konami Cross Media NY to build a publishing program in the German market for Yu-Gi-Oh! We know that Germany has a strong fan base and we look forward to providing a new kind of content that they can enjoy.”
At Licensing Expo, Konami Cross Media NY is located at Q192 on the exhibition floor.