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Kadokawa is one of the largest Japanese publishers in the world, with dozens of manga and light novel titles flying off its presses every month. Earlier this year, they announced that they were looking to create a “leaner” workforce by asking employees over 45 years old to accept early retirement.

The move was announced in May this year with the aim of pushing an undisclosed number of employees out of their positions by the end of July 2026. Employees aged 45 and older who have been with Kadokawa for at least five years are eligible. According to an announcement, it comes as the company wants to “build a leaner, more efficient organizational structure” and manage rising costs in the publishing business. Employees who opt to take early retirement will receive additional severance pay and optional re-employment support to help them re-enter the job market.

Meanwhile, Kadokawa has announced its intention to expand its North American footprint by increasing the number of its Manga Spot bookstores across the US. Since 2025, Kadokawa has been partially owned by Sony, which also owns anime streaming company Crunchyroll. 

Although they are best known for publishing a vast amount of manga and light novels, Kadokawa is actively involved in the various anime and video game adaptations of their titles, such as Re: Zero, Classroom of the Elite, and, surprisingly, Kiki's Delivery Service.

It is unclear at this time how extensive the early retirement plans at Kadokawa will be or how they will reshape the company into a “leaner” company. 

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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