ALU Inc.

alu Inc. (アル株式会社) is a Tokyo-based company that plans, develops and operates web services in the manga and entertainment space, combining content with technologies such as generative AI and NFTs. Its stated mission is to accelerate creative activity. Products include Comic-Copilot (コミコパ), a ChatGPT-based manga production support AI developed together with Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ editorial team; MANGA Plus Universe, a global manga community that uses AI translation so readers worldwide can discuss Shonen Jump+ works, run with Shueisha; the manga media and community service "Alu"; and FanSpire, a shop-building service for producing and selling IP goods.

The company also develops its own NFT products, including marimo, a "growing" NFT aimed at beginners, and sloth, a dress-up/skin-changeable NFT, plus co-developed NFTs such as World Weather Control Bear, which links to weather and time around the world. A second line of business is community marketing for IP content, where alu designs and executes campaigns that mobilize fan communities; examples include a generator for sharing past Shonen Jump+ one-shot manga on social media and musubi, a community service for building enthusiasm around creative works.

alu operates a joint product development business in which it acts as a partner to other companies wanting to launch new businesses based on their own assets or new technologies, covering planning, development and subsequent operation. Recent work includes collaborations with Lotte on generative-AI consumer campaigns (a Pie no Mi AI four-panel manga maker and a Bikkuriman AI goods maker) and production of the podcast "限界突破ライフハック," articles from which are carried by Asahi Shimbun's withnews.

Business model

Two principal lines: joint product development, in which alu partners with client companies to plan, build and operate new services and businesses using technologies such as NFTs and AI; and community marketing for IP content owners, where alu proposes and executes fan-engagement campaigns end to end. It also runs its own services and NFT products.

Latest developments

In January-February 2025 alu signed a strategic business alliance with Salad Labs, Inc. focused on Web3 solutions for the creator economy. In June 2026 it released the "パイの実AI4コマメーカー" with Lotte, a 64-day limited fan-participation AI campaign, followed in July 2026 by the "ビックリマンAIグッズメーカー," which lets users generate individualized Bikkuriman goods; a 4,400-yen, 100-card business-card trial plan for that service was added in August 2026. In May 2026 Kiyonori Higuchi was appointed as a Podcast advisor, and in July 2026 Asahi Shimbun's withnews began publishing articles based on alu's podcast.