Vertical translates the best contemporary Japanese books. They select their popular novels, graphic novels, and quality nonfiction from a rich, variegated stock: Japan's huge and vibrant book market.

In fields like animation and video games, Japanese entertainment thrills people worldwide. The Japanese book world's offerings are equally entertaining. Until now, however, most Japanese books translated into English have been either literary classics or introductions to traditional culture meant for a limited circle of Japanophiles. Vertical publishes exciting titles that require no prior knowledge of Japanese culture and are not intended primarily to familiarize readers with it; they choose good reads with universal themes.