TOKYOPOP is heading to Kickstarter with a PRINCESS AI 20th anniversary campaign

Manga publisher TOKYOPOP is going crowdfunding, and it's bringing a Y2K-era cult favorite along for the ride. The publisher announced its very first Kickstarter project, set to launch in early 2027 in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Princess Ai.

The announcement, posted to TOKYOPOP's Instagram, promises "Kickstarter exclusives, rare vault material releases, and more," with details to come. Fans can sign up for launch updates via the link in the publisher's bio. The art pairs the Princess Ai logo with a moody black-and-white illustration of the title heroine, a feather and torn-lace look that will ring a bell for anyone who haunted a Borders manga aisle in the mid-2000s.

For the uninitiated, Princess Ai was the TOKYOPOP original manga conceived by Courtney Love and D.J. Milky (also known as TOKYOPOP founder Stu Levy), a glam, rock-and-fashion fairy tale that blurred the line between celebrity vanity project and genuine cult object. It's been out of the spotlight for years, which is exactly what makes the "rare vault material" tease so juicy.

The move is also a notable shift for TOKYOPOP itself. The publisher has spent recent years leaning into nostalgia-forward reissues and direct-to-fan projects, and a crowdfunding campaign anchored by one of its most recognizable Y2K properties fits that strategy neatly. No word yet on funding goals, reward tiers, or what's actually in the vault.