The problem
When I took on branding for Rebound at TOKYOPOP, the company was surging—you could feel it. By 2004, TOKYOPOP held roughly a 3 % share of the U.S. graphic‑novel/ manga market. CBR Their presence fast‑growing, the challenge for Rebound was to match that momentum with branding that felt dynamic, sporty, and placed the title front‑and‑center.
The objective
Craft an identity that could stand out on shelf, capture the energy of a basketball manga, and align with TOKYOPOP’s rapid growth. The visual had to reflect motion, youth, action—and signal that Rebound was a serious contender in the manga market.
The result
The branding landed at a moment when TOKYOPOP was publishing 500+ titles a year and capturing significant attention. Encyclopedia.com By aligning the visual identity of Rebound with the publisher’s upward trajectory, the title received a bold new look that reinforced its place in a booming market where TOKYOPOP was leading international manga expansion.
