The word manga translates literally as "whimsical pictures," but there is nothing whimsical about the enormous success that this style of comic strip enjoys in Japan. Loved by children and adults alike, these hand-drawn cartoons can trace their roots to the 18th century and have steadily become a major part of the Japanese publishing industry - in 2006, they made around USD 4.4 billion. Couple this with Japan's enthusiasm for mobile communications and it's not surprising that manga has made the jump from paper to handset downloads.

Atsuhiko Ohkita, Senior Market Analyst with Ericsson North East Asia, says: "The move to mobile manga was an obvious step. It combines the fascination of these stories with the thirst for the latest in technology."

Although most of the stories still appear as drawings, rather than animations, sound tracks and voice-overs have now been added to enhance the experience. Some stories also make the phone buzz at moments of tension or danger.

The market for digital comics delivered to mobile phones in Japan reached USD 74.5 million during 2006, according to research company Impress R&D. Women accounted for more than half the segment, favoring romantic storylines.

The demand for mobile manga and electronic books has also spurred growth in online libraries. Papyless, a Tokyo-based specialist in e-comics and books, made USD 18.6 million during the year, doubling its revenue from the previous year.

Receiving mobile comics is easy, with the user first downloading a Java application, then selecting from a range of titles at the online bookstore. There is a content fee of between USD 3-5 dollars per month and the reader earns about 20 points in a loyalty scheme that can be put towards future downloads.

Mobile manga and comic books can be obtained through all of Japan's main telecom carriers, who are enjoying the rewards of delivering this relatively new media form. The country's mobile data flat rate, with a single fee covering unlimited data downloads, is also helping growth in e-comics and books.

And the market is set to get bigger. At the end of 2006, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced it had plans to roughly triple the amount of comic content available by signing up a range of popular artists to exclusive contracts.