Adoujinshi printer (同人誌印刷所,dōjinshi insatsujo, also同人誌印刷会社,dōjinshi insatsugaisha) is aprinter that specializes indoujinshi, self-published works. They are mostly active inJapan.
Doujinshi printers are companies that specialize in professional printing and binding of the self-published magazines calleddoujinshi.Doujinshi are a popular medium ofself-publishing in Japan, mostly for fan-made manga.Doujinshi printers print not onlydoujinshi, but also fan-made merchandise such as stationery, stickers, posters and mugs. The companies are also involved in the organization ofdoujinshi conventions, and play a role in establishing and enforcing content regulations fordoujinshi.[1] Over a hundreddoujinshi printers are active in Japan today.[2]
Specializeddoujinshi printers emerged in the later half of the 1970s, and they went on to play an important role in the growth ofdoujinshi culture by making printing services more available and affordable for amateur creators.[3] Their activities also included organizingdoujinshi conventions where their customers could sell their works. Throughout the boom indoujinshi culture in the mid-1980s and the expansion of distribution channels such asdoujin shops anddoujinshi conventions, the number ofdoujinshi printers rose as well, and the kinds of services they offered diversified. In 1992, around 52doujinshi printers were operating in Japan.[4] By 2014, this number had at least doubled.
1994 saw the founding of an industry association, the Japan Doujin-shi Printing Group (日本同人誌印刷業組合,Nihon dōjinshi insatsugyō kumiai). The association has 24 members.[5]
Adoujinshi creator compares the manuals of differentdoujinshi printers, which detail the company's prices and submission procedures, and selects a plan that fits with their budget and publication schedule. They agree on a delivery date with the printer, send in their manuscript in analog format via postal mail or in digital format through the printer'sFTP server, and make the required payment. Thedoujinshi are then printed and delivered. In the likely event that the creator wants to sell adoujinshi at an upcomingdoujinshi convention, it is often possible to have the printer deliver the finisheddoujinshi directly to the convention location. In that case, thedoujinshi creator has to submit their manuscript by a strict deadline that cannot usually be extended except by paying more. Somedoujinshi printers also deliver todoujin shops that have agreed to distribute a creator'sdoujinshi.
Doujinshi printers advertise by distributing flyers and sometimes full manuals atdoujinshi conventions anddoujin shops, and sponsoring banners on websites that attract many fans. Somedoujinshi printers still organizedoujinshi conventions,[6] and many take part in conventions with booths.
Some examples ofdoujinshi printers include:
