TOKYOPOP revealed to be working on a Barbie manga for 2026
If we talk about franchises that have become cultural icons and that transcend generations, then we must highlight Barbie. And the beloved Mattel doll has starred in a large number of audiovisual products, so It has a large catalog of animated filmsas well as in Live-action format and even video games that we can find on mobile phones.
However, to everyone’s surprise, it was recently revealed that Barbie will star in her own manga. This is great news for those who are fans of adventures of this popular doll that is multifaceted. And all this is part of an interesting agreement from Mattel. Below, we will tell you more details.
Barbie will star in a manga, thanks to the collaboration between Mattel and TOKYOPOP
Barbie will have her own manga, created by TOKYOPOP
We have always heard the Barbie phrase that says “you can be anything you want to be”, which has served to justify his different facets and professionsboth in movies and toys. However, we never thought that, one day, she would also be the protagonist of her own manga.
This is news that has taken everyone by surprise, but it makes sense, since it is a format that has never been explored by the popular toy franchise. And all This is part of an important agreement between Mattelthe iconic brand, and TOKYOPOP, the popular graphic novel publisher.
This information also represents a new stage for Barbie, since it will publish completely new content starring this iconic character. But that’s not all, since all the details were shared directly by the account @TOKYPOP in X.
We’re excited to share our publishing partnership with Mattel, Inc., a leading global toy and family entertainment company known for its iconic brand portfolio!
With this exciting partnership, we will develop original manga-style graphic novels for children aged 8-12, based on… pic.twitter.com/z0bgVIsDjh
— TOKYOPOP (@TOKYOPOP) January 9, 2025
According to the details of the publisher’s publication, TOKYPOP will be the company in charge of developing and publishing graphic novels with manga style for children between 8 and 12 years old, based on brands such as Barbie and also Hot Wheels. Furthermore, they expect this material to debut in 2026.
They also comment that these projects are part of an agreement between TOKYOPOP and Mattel, which is the world’s leading company when it comes to toys for the whole family. Besides, This has a lot of brands that have become true icons worldwide, like the aforementioned Barbie and Hot Wheels.
It is important to emphasize that the material to be published are graphic novels, but with a manga style. Besides, the content and topics addressed They are aimed directly at a children’s audience no older than 12 years old.
Definitely, this is great news for all fans, both of Barbie and Hot Wheels, because You will be able to enjoy new stories that will further explore the worlds of these franchises and from an approach never seen before for brands. And the manga has a style that is easily distinguishable from other materials and formats, so it is likely to gain even more fans.
Barbie’s adventures will come in manga format
We could intuit, and this would be speculation, that the Barbie graphic novels They will deal with topics such as creativity, friendship, the fight for dreams and other aspects that, for decades, have been defining elements of this girl.
But that’s not all, since, if we take a look at the publication in X, we can read a lot of positive interactions and comments from fans of both brands, both Barbie and Hot Wheelswho express their excitement at receiving new content and in this very peculiar format.
We have to wait all of 2025 and, perhaps, a few months of 2026 to enjoy this new stage of Barbie and Hot Wheels in graphic novel format. Although there is already a lot of expectation regarding the topics that can be addressed and their quality. Definitely, an unexpected collaboration, which is appreciated.
