Kakao Entertainment's Japanese digital comics platform Piccoma officially launched a dedicated "ANIME" category on May 25, 2026, marking the platform's expansion from manga and web novel distribution into serialized short-form animation production. The move signals a major strategic pivot for the subsidiary, which dominates Japan's digital comics market.

Details

According to an announcement made on April 27, the "ANIME" category entered a pre-launch phase with select users receiving early access to preview titles before the full rollout on May 25. The new service is branded as "Watch Piccoma" and positions the platform as a producer of video content rather than solely a distributor of comics and novels.

The production process incorporates AI technology in certain stages while maintaining human oversight for creative direction and quality control — a detail that has drawn both interest and scrutiny across the industry. Each animated adaptation will follow the same monetization model as Piccoma's existing content: users can purchase individual episode rentals, or access episodes for free through the platform's signature "Wait Until Free" model, which unlocks content after a 23-hour waiting period.

Six webtoons and web novels originally published on Piccoma have been adapted for the initial launch lineup. The official English versions of these titles are available on Tapas:

  • The Viridescent Tiara
  • The Reincarnated Assassin Is a Swordmaster
  • Post-Possession Damage Control
  • Jack Be Invincible
  • Why Yuria Hid Her Wealth
  • Destined to Be an Outcast

With this addition, Piccoma now offers four content formats: manga, webtoons, short-form animation, and web novels.

"Going forward, we will not only connect works and readers but also present roadmaps and execution plans that can make works shine more," a Kakao Piccoma official stated. "Through the establishment of this anime category, we will work so that it contributes to implementing our IP diversification strategy and enhancing the value of works."

Community Reception

The launch has generated mixed reactions across the manga and webtoon community. The use of AI in the animation production process has been the most contentious aspect, drawing criticism from some manga authors and readers who question the quality and ethical implications of AI-assisted animation. On social media, fans expressed concerns about the precedent this sets for the broader industry, with some creators voicing unease on platforms like X/Twitter.

However, others see the initiative as an innovative way to bridge the gap between static comics and full animation, especially for webtoon IP that may not receive traditional studio-backed anime adaptations. The episode-based rental model also mirrors Piccoma's existing successful monetization strategy, which has made it the top-grossing comics app in Japan.

Industry Impact

Piccoma, a subsidiary of South Korea's Kakao Entertainment, has been the dominant digital comics platform in Japan for years, consistently ranking as the country's top-grossing manga app. The launch of an anime production arm — even at the short-form level — represents an ambitious move to create a full One Source Multi Use (OSMU) value chain within Kakao's content ecosystem.

The company has previously participated in traditional animation production committees and produced novel-comics based on web novel IP. Last year's launch of "Piccoma Kuji" (a lottery-based merchandise service) and this year's ANIME category signal that Kakao is aggressively building a vertically integrated content platform where IP can be monetized across formats — from text to image to video to physical goods.