Comico Manga App to End Service in Japan on January 6, 2027
The closure marks the end of a pioneer that helped establish vertical-scroll manga in Japan, but NHN comico is not exiting the industry, instead shifting to a production-focused model.
Key Facts
- Comico will end service on January 6, 2027 at 23:59, after 13 years of operation.
- New chapter distribution, rental updates, coin sales, and new member registration stop on August 31, 2026.
- Sales and rentals of works stop on September 28, 2026, and rental gauges and tickets become unusable.
- Bookshelf transfer to Mecha Comic runs from January 7 to April 30, 2027, for titles approved by publishers.
- Unused paid coins are refundable, with refund procedures announced by January 6, 2027.
Reporting from 4 sources: Anime News Network, KAI-YOU, Denfaminicogamer, Anime Anime.
NHN comico announced on August 17 that the manga app comico will end service on January 6, 2027 at 23:59, after 13 years of operation. The service began in October 2013 under NHN PlayArt and was known for popularizing vertical-scroll, full-color webtoon-style manga in Japan. The shutdown will happen in stages: on August 31, 2026, new chapter distribution, work rental updates, coin sales, and new member registration will stop. On September 28, 2026, sales and rentals of works will end, and rental gauges and tickets will no longer be usable. Until the service ends, users can still view purchased works from their bookshelf. Purchased works will be transferable to the Mecha Comic digital bookstore, with a transfer period from January 7 to April 30, 2027. Only titles available on Mecha Comic and approved by publishers or rights holders are eligible. Unused paid coins will be refunded, with details announced by January 6, 2027. The company said it will continue its webtoon editing and production business, focusing on creating works for multiple platforms.
- PC version launched October 17, 2013; iPhone and Android apps followed October 31, 2013.
- Users can no longer post works to the app after August 31, 2026.
- Bookshelf transfer applies to works registered as "purchased" as of September 28, 2026 at 23:59, and only if the same title is available on Mecha Comic with permission from the publisher or rights holder.
- Transfer application instructions arrive in September 2026; users who do not complete the application during the transfer window lose access to purchased works after the service ends.
- More than 600 original manga were distributed as of 2026, with domestic downloads exceeding 25 million.
- Comico-launched titles with anime adaptations include ReLIFE, How to keep a mummy, Momokuri, and Nanbaka.
- Other media-adapted works from the platform include "変態ストーカーに狙われてます", "和歌ちゃんは今日もあざとい", "転生した異世界で家政婦になりました！", "ワンナイトした男は結婚相手でした", and "どうか私より不幸でいて下さい".
- The editorial department follows a "writer-first" principle, with editors and writers developing works together.
- Ongoing series will continue production after the service ends and reach readers through other platforms, including overseas distribution across more than 20 platforms.
- Pocket Comics ended its English, French, and Korean Comico platforms in October 2025 for "business reasons"; the English app launched in July 2020 with 41 titles in the US, Canada, and Singapore.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 4 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.