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When it comes to making toys for children, there are few names as recognizable as Mattel. And when it comes to publishing manga in English, there are few companiesas well-known as TOKYOPOP. You may not have ever envisaged a collaboration between these two giants of their respective industries, but that is exactly what 2025 is going to give us. Mattel and TOKYOPOP are teaming up to give some of Mattel’s biggest toys a new life through manga.
A press release published by AnimeNewsNetwork dropped the news of this unexpected collaboration last week. Mattel and TOKYOPOP have announced in it that they are coming together to create “manga-style graphic novels” based on two of Mattel’s biggest properties. The toys set to branch into the world of manga are currentlyHot Wheelsand Barbie. The first sets of the manga are slated to be published in 2026.
Mattel Becomes Manga
Barbie and Hot Wheels as They Have Never Been Seen
The collaboration between Mattel and TOKYOPOP comes as part of Mattel’s efforts tobranch more into story-tellingwith their products. The toy company announced its own publishing imprint in 2024, and appears to be continuing to push for this kind of expansion of their brand. Both the Global Head of Publishing at Mattel, Ryan Ferguson, and TOKYOPOP COO and Publisher Marc Visnick have spoken positively about the upcoming collaboration.
Ferguson is quoted in thepress releaseas saying, “Hot Wheels and Barbie have long been symbols of storytelling, creativity and inspiration, engaging audiences across generations. We are thrilled to partner with TOKYOPOP and expand these iconic franchises through captivating stories, bringing new adventures to fans.” Visnick expands on this further by saying,
“Hot Wheels and Barbie are two of the world’s most adored toy and entertainment brands and we are excited to partner with Mattel to develop and publish new original manga-style graphic novels. TOKYOPOP’s catalog is renowned for bestselling titles featuring notable characters for readers of all ages. Adding Barbie and Hot Wheels to our roster brings an exciting dimension, and we look forward to sharing these legendary brands and bold new adventures to our global audience of readers.”
While there have not been any further details released related to the stories that the manga will entail, or what kind of characters we can expect to see, TOKYOPOP and Mattel have announced that the first set of manga will be released some time in 2026.
Manga Becoming Mainstream
From Niche to Normal
In the past decade or so, anime and manga have pushed more and more into the mainstream. Whereas twenty years ago, manga and anime were extremely niche interests for people to have, they have become increasingly normalized. Much of this shift can be attributed to accessibility. Anime and manga are easier than ever to watch and read legally, in your native language, than ever before. Merchandise can be purchased on the high street and in shopping malls.
It has never been easier to be a manga or anime fan. And with huge Japanese titles likeDemon Slayer,Attack on Titan, and more coming to theaters internationally - andStudio Ghibli taking home its first Academy Awardlast year - anime and manga are swiftly becoming normal parts of Western media. That means more than just teens and adults are watching it as well, as children become more accustomed to and exposed to it just from turning on the TV or going to the store.
That is likely what has led to the unexpected collaboration between Mattel and TOKYOPOP. The two mega-companies have identified a new audience that they can reach with their products -namely, 8 to 12-year-old readerswho would be interested in reading manga about the things they are interested in. Hence, Mattel has put forward arguably its two biggest properties, Hot Wheels and Barbie, as the first themes for this new and innovative project.
While we won’t see any Hot Wheels or Barbie manga until sometime in 2026, it is definitely an exciting time. Seeing more and more Western and Japanese companies collaborating together and sharing their ideas and properties keeps things interesting. While the end result may not have the same level ofsuccess as something likeStar Wars: Visions, which brought togetherStar Warsand Japanese anime studios to make something incredible, there is no doubt that what Mattel and TOKYOPOP create will be interesting at the very least.
