In April 2005, Seven Seas became the first manga publisher to release downloadable manga content for the
PlayStation Portable and, as a result, gained over 12,000 downloads in the first five days.[3] Seven Seas followed the PlayStation Portable announcement with enlisting the
platinum-selling Filipino group the J Brothers to create a theme song for its web OEL manga series Aoi House entitled "Itsumo Futaride". During
Comic-Con 2005, Seven Seas Entertainment premiered the pilot of its No Man's Land flash anime series and later followed it with a flash animation music video based on Aoi House.
In September 2006, Seven Seas announced a project to translate and publish Japanese
light novels, including popular titles such as Strawberry Panic!.[4]
In March 2008, Seven Seas Entertainment began publishing new editions of Rachel Robert's popular children's fantasy novel series Avalon: Web of Magic in conjunction with
Red Sky Entertainment. A three-volume manga
spin-off titled Avalon: The Warlock Diaries followed which started in June 2009.[5] Seven Seas and Red Sky Entertainment also launched a dedicated website for the Avalon novel series in September 2008 at AvalonMagic.com.[6]
On August 1, 2012, Seven Seas Entertainment launched the ad-supported free webcomic portal Zoom Comics in partnership with Pixie Trix Comix. The initial launch titles included Amazing Agent Jennifer, Dracula Everlasting, Paranormal Mystery Squad, and Vampire Cheerleaders.[7]
On January 20, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it had partnered up with online light novel publisher
J-Novel Club to release their licensed properties in print.[8]
On October 11, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced a new manga imprint called Ghost Ship for its mature titles. Manga series licensed under this imprint are distributed through
Diamond Book Distributors.[9]
On November 13, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment announced a new imprint called "Airship" for its light novel and Japanese prose novel licenses.[10]
On November 20, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it would be switching distributors worldwide, with all imprints moving to
Penguin Random House Publisher Services from July 1, 2021.[11]
On December 21, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they would publish Hiveworks webcomics in print.[12]
In early 2021, it was found that Seven Seas Entertainment had been making alteration to their English translations of certain light novels.[13]
On January 26, 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment announced a new imprint called "Steamship" for its shōjo, josei and
teens' love romance manga titles, beginning with GAME: Between the Suits, I'll Never be Your Crown Princess!, Ladies on Top, and Outbride: Beauty and the Beasts.[16]
On May 23, 2022, employees of Seven Seas announced the formation of "United Workers of the Seven Seas", a union working with
Communications Workers of America.[17][18] On May 29, 2022, Seven Seas management announced that it would not voluntarily recognize the union and has requested an election with the
NLRB.[19]
On May 31, 2022, it was revealed that Seven Seas had hired the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart to represent them[21] in their NLRB case with their employees. In response the United Workers of the Seven Seas tweeted out that Seven Seas had hired "the union-busting firm Ogletree Deakins" to counter their union efforts.[22]
On June 24, 2022, the United Workers of the Seven Seas announced that Seven Seas had agreed to voluntarily recognize the union after a majority
card check.[23]
On May 30, 2023, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they would begin publishing
audiobooks under the new "Siren" imprint in the following month.[24]
Controversies
In early 2021, it was found that Seven Seas Entertainment had been making alterations to their English translations of certain light novels. This resulted in multiple lines or paragraphs being altered for the English release. Some of the titles affected were Classroom of the Elite, I'm in Love with the Villainess, and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.[25] Altered sections were made without consulting the original authors and involved controversial issues including sexual assault and homophobia. In the case of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation this involved plot points being rewritten, while in I'm in Love with the Villainess it involved omitting text.[26]
After receiving criticism, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they would be revising these changes, republishing the affected volumes, and making changes to their editing process to "make sure important lines are not lost".[27]
In May 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment released the first volume of I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend into a Girl. Their localization of this was criticized for portraying Hiura – a feminine male character in the original – as a
trans woman and removing the intent of it being a
boys love story;[28][29] Seven Seas Entertainment responded by revising this for future volumes and for reprints of volume 1.[30]
Age Ratings
Seven Seas currently has six different age ratings for their titles (they previously had a single unified "Older Teens" rating for ages 16 and older, but that was changed to have separate "Older Teen (15+)" and "Older Teen (17+)" ratings to better indicate the intensity and frequency of the different types of content):
Appropriate for readers of any age. No swearing or suggestive themes/sexual content. May include mild fantasy action/violence.
Ages 10+
Intended for readers aged 10 years and older. No swearing. May include mild action/comedic violence, mildly crude humor, or mild tobacco/alcohol use.
Teen (13+)
Intended for readers aged 13 years and older. May include mild swearing, mild suggestive themes, moderate violence, and/or tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.
Older Teen (15+)
Intended for readers aged 15 years and older. May include moderate swearing, mild suggestive themes/sexual content, partial nudity, violence, and/or tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.
Older Teen (17+)
Intended for readers aged 17 years and older. May include frequent swearing, intense violence, nudity, sexual content, and/or tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.
Mature
Intended for readers aged 18 years and older. May include intense language, nudity, sexual content, extreme violence, and/or other mature themes.
^"
I, OTAKU "ARE YOU AN OTAKU?" CONTEST." Seven Seas Entertainment. Retrieved on October 25, 2011. "This contest is sponsored by Seven Seas Entertainment LLC, 626 Midvale Ave. #1, Los Angeles, California, 90024"
In April 2005, Seven Seas became the first manga publisher to release downloadable manga content for the
PlayStation Portable and, as a result, gained over 12,000 downloads in the first five days.[3] Seven Seas followed the PlayStation Portable announcement with enlisting the
platinum-selling Filipino group the J Brothers to create a theme song for its web OEL manga series Aoi House entitled "Itsumo Futaride". During
Comic-Con 2005, Seven Seas Entertainment premiered the pilot of its No Man's Land flash anime series and later followed it with a flash animation music video based on Aoi House.
In September 2006, Seven Seas announced a project to translate and publish Japanese
light novels, including popular titles such as Strawberry Panic!.[4]
In March 2008, Seven Seas Entertainment began publishing new editions of Rachel Robert's popular children's fantasy novel series Avalon: Web of Magic in conjunction with
Red Sky Entertainment. A three-volume manga
spin-off titled Avalon: The Warlock Diaries followed which started in June 2009.[5] Seven Seas and Red Sky Entertainment also launched a dedicated website for the Avalon novel series in September 2008 at AvalonMagic.com.[6]
On August 1, 2012, Seven Seas Entertainment launched the ad-supported free webcomic portal Zoom Comics in partnership with Pixie Trix Comix. The initial launch titles included Amazing Agent Jennifer, Dracula Everlasting, Paranormal Mystery Squad, and Vampire Cheerleaders.[7]
On January 20, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it had partnered up with online light novel publisher
J-Novel Club to release their licensed properties in print.[8]
On October 11, 2017, Seven Seas Entertainment announced a new manga imprint called Ghost Ship for its mature titles. Manga series licensed under this imprint are distributed through
Diamond Book Distributors.[9]
On November 13, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment announced a new imprint called "Airship" for its light novel and Japanese prose novel licenses.[10]
On November 20, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that it would be switching distributors worldwide, with all imprints moving to
Penguin Random House Publisher Services from July 1, 2021.[11]
On December 21, 2020, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they would publish Hiveworks webcomics in print.[12]
In early 2021, it was found that Seven Seas Entertainment had been making alteration to their English translations of certain light novels.[13]
On January 26, 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment announced a new imprint called "Steamship" for its shōjo, josei and
teens' love romance manga titles, beginning with GAME: Between the Suits, I'll Never be Your Crown Princess!, Ladies on Top, and Outbride: Beauty and the Beasts.[16]
On May 23, 2022, employees of Seven Seas announced the formation of "United Workers of the Seven Seas", a union working with
Communications Workers of America.[17][18] On May 29, 2022, Seven Seas management announced that it would not voluntarily recognize the union and has requested an election with the
NLRB.[19]
On May 31, 2022, it was revealed that Seven Seas had hired the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart to represent them[21] in their NLRB case with their employees. In response the United Workers of the Seven Seas tweeted out that Seven Seas had hired "the union-busting firm Ogletree Deakins" to counter their union efforts.[22]
On June 24, 2022, the United Workers of the Seven Seas announced that Seven Seas had agreed to voluntarily recognize the union after a majority
card check.[23]
On May 30, 2023, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they would begin publishing
audiobooks under the new "Siren" imprint in the following month.[24]
Controversies
In early 2021, it was found that Seven Seas Entertainment had been making alterations to their English translations of certain light novels. This resulted in multiple lines or paragraphs being altered for the English release. Some of the titles affected were Classroom of the Elite, I'm in Love with the Villainess, and Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.[25] Altered sections were made without consulting the original authors and involved controversial issues including sexual assault and homophobia. In the case of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation this involved plot points being rewritten, while in I'm in Love with the Villainess it involved omitting text.[26]
After receiving criticism, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they would be revising these changes, republishing the affected volumes, and making changes to their editing process to "make sure important lines are not lost".[27]
In May 2022, Seven Seas Entertainment released the first volume of I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend into a Girl. Their localization of this was criticized for portraying Hiura – a feminine male character in the original – as a
trans woman and removing the intent of it being a
boys love story;[28][29] Seven Seas Entertainment responded by revising this for future volumes and for reprints of volume 1.[30]
Age Ratings
Seven Seas currently has six different age ratings for their titles (they previously had a single unified "Older Teens" rating for ages 16 and older, but that was changed to have separate "Older Teen (15+)" and "Older Teen (17+)" ratings to better indicate the intensity and frequency of the different types of content):
Appropriate for readers of any age. No swearing or suggestive themes/sexual content. May include mild fantasy action/violence.
Ages 10+
Intended for readers aged 10 years and older. No swearing. May include mild action/comedic violence, mildly crude humor, or mild tobacco/alcohol use.
Teen (13+)
Intended for readers aged 13 years and older. May include mild swearing, mild suggestive themes, moderate violence, and/or tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.
Older Teen (15+)
Intended for readers aged 15 years and older. May include moderate swearing, mild suggestive themes/sexual content, partial nudity, violence, and/or tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.
Older Teen (17+)
Intended for readers aged 17 years and older. May include frequent swearing, intense violence, nudity, sexual content, and/or tobacco, alcohol, or other substance use.
Mature
Intended for readers aged 18 years and older. May include intense language, nudity, sexual content, extreme violence, and/or other mature themes.
^"
I, OTAKU "ARE YOU AN OTAKU?" CONTEST." Seven Seas Entertainment. Retrieved on October 25, 2011. "This contest is sponsored by Seven Seas Entertainment LLC, 626 Midvale Ave. #1, Los Angeles, California, 90024"