TOON8 Pairs Fuji TV With Four Webtoon Studios
TOON8 brings together four webtoon production studios under Fuji TV's umbrella, each handling a different genre. Whomor leads with battle fantasy, Number Nine covers contemporary action, LOCKER ROOM handles romance, and C-Route takes on romance fantasy. All titles will be distributed exclusively on LINE Manga, one of Japan's largest digital comics platforms. The "8" in the label's name nods to Fuji TV's longtime channel number in Japan.
Whomor, which produced the label's first release, is a Tokyo-based webtoon production house backed by investors including anime studio MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man) and publisher KADOKAWA. The company maintains a network of more than 1,500 manga artists.
The label launched with an event at Fuji TV's Tokyo headquarters on June 5. Ryusei Kainuma of boy group BALLISTIK BOYZ (part of the LDH-managed EXILE TRIBE collective), Zuma of YouTube music duo Nijiiro Zamurai, and voice actress Ai Furihata (Ruby Kurosawa in Love Live! Sunshine!!) took the stage together. Kainuma revealed that a new BALLISTIK BOYZ single, with lyrics penned by Zuma, will serve as TOON8's official support song. Having long admired Zuma's singing voice, Kainuma specifically sought the Nijiiro Zamurai musician for the track. Zuma called it his first-ever lyric commission and said the experience gave him a major confidence boost.
Assassin Doll Leads With Anime Ambitions
The label's debut title, Fukushū no Assassin Doll (報復の暗殺人形), went live on LINE Manga the same day. Produced by Whomor, the revenge fantasy follows Riot, a retired soldier whose forbidden magical creations attract deadly enemies. After Riot and his grandson are killed by those who covet his power, he transfers his soul into his most powerful combat doll and sets out for vengeance.
A Whomor producer outlined three selling points for the series: visceral satisfaction, a protagonist driven by genuine tragedy, and a cast of unhinged antagonists. The producer was blunt about the title's anime ambitions, telling the launch event crowd: "Since this is a Fuji TV project, we'd love to see it become an anime. We've built the drama to hold up to that standard."
The event's centerpiece was a live group reading of Assassin Doll's opening chapters. Furihata kicked off the session with a playful twist on her signature Love Live! Sunshine!! catchphrase, swapping in "watch party" for the usual punchline. All three panelists praised the full-color vertical format, with Kainuma calling the art "incredible" and the group noting the reading experience felt closer to watching animation than flipping through pages.
Looking Ahead
Assassin Doll is available now on LINE Manga in Japan. Three more TOON8 titles have been announced: Tōjin High School (刀神ハイスクール) from Number Nine, Hitojichi Tsuma wa Rikon Shitai (人質妻は離婚したい, roughly "The Hostage Wife Wants a Divorce") from LOCKER ROOM, and Taika wo Harattara Mirai ga Kawarimashita (対価を払ったら未来が変わりました, "I Paid the Price and the Future Changed") from C-Route. Release dates for titles two through four have not been announced.
No international distribution has been confirmed for any TOON8 title. LINE Manga operates across several Asian markets through parent company LY Corporation, but Western availability would require a separate licensing arrangement. The anime adaptation talk for Assassin Doll remains aspirational, with no studio, staff, or timeline attached. Updates on new releases and the BALLISTIK BOYZ support song are being posted to TOON8's official X account.