In March, mahjong tile and strategy guide publisher Mahjong Pros announced its new manga division, which kicks off with four titles debuting this spring. Following the announcement, The Beat spoke with Head of Partnerships Harrison Doan via e-mail about the company’s manga plans and what readers can expect from its titles.
From the jump, Mahjong Pros offers a unique perspective on manga. All four of its launch titles feature mahjong as a core component of the story, though, as Doan teased in our interview, that may not always be the case. However, the publisher is very much interested in expanding cultural interest in mahjong, particularly for English readers.
Here’s what to expect from Mahjong Pros’ manga division.
Samantha Puc for The Beat: What was the inspiration for Mahjong Pros to add a manga publishing division to its business?
Harrison Doan: “Wouldn’t it be hilarious if we published manga?” was my first thought. Mahjong Pros has always been about more than just selling products. Mahjong Pros’ bigger goal is to make mahjong accessible to everyone and help build mahjong culture in English. That means strategy books, rules education, physical products, and also stories.
Manga felt like a natural extension of that. A lot of people first connect with mahjong emotionally through stories and characters way before they ever get deep into the game itself. Publishing manga (and books) lets us support that side of the culture too. It also gives us a way to bring over works that deserve an English readership but might otherwise never get that chance.
Why introduce manga now?
Doan: Honestly, we are not entering this because we think the market is easy. We are doing it because we believe there is room for a publisher with real taste and a real point of view. As long as we can bring unique and interesting stories to English-reading audiences, that’s all we care about. We’re the kind of publisher that wants to bring over works nobody expects, including the ones that make people ask, “Wait, how did that get licensed in English?”
That matters to us because we were never trying to be a generic manga publisher. We want to bring over books that feel specific, memorable, and a little unexpected. Just to let you in on a secret, in the upcoming months we’ll be unveiling something even more interesting with a few of our indie publisher friends, so stay tuned for that.
How does your licensing process work?
Doan: At a high level, we look for titles that are genuinely good, worth owning, and worth doing properly in English. That sounds simple, but it rules a lot out. We are not interested in licensing something just because it technically fits the category. Of course there is plenty of mahjong manga out there, but we do not see ourselves as limited to a single lane for too long. We want books that feel shelf-worthy and that add something to the kind of catalog we are trying to build.
On the licensing side, we work directly with Japanese rights holders, align on territory and format, and make sure expectations are clear on both sides before production begins. We take that part seriously because this is still a very relationship-driven business, and we want to be the kind of partner people trust.
Who else comprises your team in roles for translation and editorial?
Doan: We operate very much like a standard publishing house on the books and manga side of the fence that includes translators, editors, designers, production managers, mahjong consultants, and various partners.
The exact people involved can vary title by title, but the core idea is that we want people who understand not just language, but context. Mahjong material is full of tone, subculture, terminology, and implied knowledge, so it is important to have collaborators who can handle that well.
How did you decide upon your launch titles?
Doan: We wanted the first four titles to do two things at once: feel on-brand for Mahjong Pros, but also make it clear that we were not going to play it too safe.
So part of the thinking was, yes, start with titles that make sense coming from us. But just as important, we wanted range. We wanted books that could show different sides of what this publishing line could be, and show that we are serious about both manga and mahjong.
We also put a lot of thought into accessibility. One thing we added to our mahjong manga is extra material in the back to help explain the game, alongside the usual translation notes. So even if someone comes in curious about the story but does not know mahjong yet, the book still gives them a way in.
How often do you plan to release new books?
Doan: We are aiming for a steady cadence, but not one that comes at the expense of quality. We would rather release fewer books and do them well than rush titles out just to hit an arbitrary number. That isn’t to say we aren’t scaling. We probably have more licenses lined up than we can reasonably announce at once.
So the real answer is: regularly, but carefully. Our intention is to keep building momentum and give readers reasons to keep paying attention, while still making sure each release gets the editorial care and production attention it deserves. This means there is no compromise on quality and we’ll delay books if needed.
What are you most excited about in this new era of Mahjong Pros publishing?
Doan: What excites me most is the chance to help build a real English-language library around mahjong and the culture connected to it.
For a long time, English-speaking fans have had to piece things together from scattered sources. I think there is a real opportunity now to create something more durable: books people keep, reread, recommend, and build their understanding around. That is exciting to me because it feels foundational. It is not just about a single release. It is about helping create the kind of ecosystem the community has been missing.
We’re also announcing plenty of mahjong strategy books in the future so keep an eye out for those.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
Doan: We are dead serious about both mahjong and manga, and we plan to bring over titles that will genuinely surprise people.
We are not entering publishing as a side experiment or as a branding exercise. We care about the material, paper quality, print quality, and translation quality. We care about doing right by creators and rights holders, and we care about earning readers’ trust over time. It’s more about the principles than the money for us.
Pre-orders for Mahjong Pros’ inaugural manga releases are available now. For more information, visit MahjongPros.com.
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