After over 300,000 readers, manga gets free print edition

In a medium inundated with content, it takes something special for a manga to catch readers' attention. This is especially true for web manga series that don't often have the benefit of being carried in a popular magazine. Karin no Mound , a series chronicling the journey of a high school girls' baseball team pursuing their dream of playing at Koshien Stadium, is jumping over these difficult hurdles and has drawn 300,000 readers.

Spurred by the manga's success, publisher Wakasa Seikatsu printed a free 140-page compiled volume to bring the story to even more readers. Wakasa Seikatsu isn't a traditional publisher, its actually a health supplement company. The company teamed up with Japan Women's Baseball League and artist Kimidori to produce the manga.

Lead characters Karin Kiritani and Mirei Hiiragi appeared in a short commercial for Wakasa Seikatsu last month.

Animate Times and Karin no Mound are holding a Twitter campaign until February 6. Five winners will receive a Karin no Mound calendar. Participants need to follow the Anime Times Twitter account and retweet the campaign's tweets before February 6.

Anime series Princess Nine and Taisho Baseball Girls also followed up and coming female baseball teams.

Source: Animate Times