ByteDance (TikTok) launches a Duanju comic book app

We previously demonstrated in an article that comics originated in a short, serialized format: first in Le Journal de Mickey (1934), then in Pilote (launched in 1959), where the adventures of Asterix, Lucky Luke, or Tanguy and Laverdure appeared weekly. This serial rhythm shaped a genuine culture of anticipation and suspense, a direct ancestor of the duanju model and its digital variations. A parallel with webtoons was also explored in another article.

Today, the story seems to come full circle: ByteDance, parent company of TikTok and Douyin, has just launched in China a free application dedicated to illustrated Duanju, a hybrid format between webtoon and short series.

Named "漫剧岛" ( Manju Dao , literally "Draw Drama Island"), the platform combines vertical reading with the logic of ultra-short episodes, designed for quick viewing on smartphones. Each page incorporates motion, sound, and voice-over effects, blurring the line between animated comics and serial fiction.

For ByteDance, already a leader in duanju with Douyin, this initiative aims to extend short storytelling to all visual formats. In China, the goal is clear: to win over a generation accustomed to Korean webtoons but now seeking more immersive narratives.

For creators, the benefit is strategic: producing a "duanju webtoon manga" is much cheaper than a filmed mini-series while perfectly fitting the model of quick reading, interaction, and sharing. This format could eventually have an international impact.

This connection between comics and mobile fiction has also been explored in France with King Gandolfi, a Duanju-format series featuring actors from the Asterix and Obelix films.

Source :

• WeChat 漫剧岛发布, November 2, 2025