Anime Expo and Kodansha will partner for this year’s revival of Kodansha’s wildly popular immersive pop-up fan event, Kodansha House, which will make its West Coast debut this summer in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo neighborhood July 2-12, while Anime Expo runs concurrently July 2-5 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Highlights of this year’s Kodansha House Los Angeles will include guest appearances by the creators of two of the biggest manga hits of the year: Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, the creative team behind the global-hit soccer manga Blue Lock, and Kamome Shirahama, author and artist of the magical fantasy manga Witch Hat Atelier, recently adapted into a highly anticipated anime series. In addition, Kaneshiro-sensei, Nomura-sensei, and Shirahama-sensei will appear as official guests of Anime Expo, where they will hold separate panels and signing events. More details of how to attend these coveted appearances at both Kodansha House and Anime Expo will be announced. Attendees of Anime Expo can also unlock special benefits at Kodansha House with their AX badges—more details forthcoming.
Once again Kodansha will partner with Kinokuniya USA as its official Kodansha House partner for retail operations during the Los Angeles pop-up event. Look for future announcements on exclusive merchandise that can only be purchased at Kodansha House and Kinokuniya bookstores.
More than a manga event, Kodansha House is a vibrant meeting place where the world of manga crosses over into the real world. Fans this year will enter a portal that takes them into a dynamic, interactive space to connect with and celebrate the impossible stories they have come to love. They can then spend their time more leisurely with friends, as well as meeting new ones, while hanging out in a manga gallery, cafe, lounge, and library. With daily programming to include manga creator appearances, anime screenings, panel discussions, and more, Kodansha House is the perfect pop-up for manga enthusiasts, both new and seasoned, to mingle and dive deeper into the magic of manga.
In a world where only witches can cast magic, they must avoid being seen by ordinary people while casting. While Coco does her chores, she daydreams of becoming a witch. When a young witch named Qifrey visits her village, Coco uncovers the “absolute secret,” becomes Qifrey’s apprentice, and begins her studies. This is the story of children who encounter despair, yet reach out toward hope.
Witch Hat Atelieris based on the critically acclaimed manga series created by Kamome Shirahama. The ongoing manga began serialization by Kodansha in 2016 and has sold over seven million copies worldwide, earning numerous international awards including the Eisner Award and Harvey Award.
The anime series is directed by Ayumu Watanabe. Music is composed by Yuka Kitamura. Animation is produced by BUG FILMS.
Witch Hat Atelier premieres April 6, 2026 only on Crunchyroll.
Announced at Comic-Con International San Diego 2025—Kodansha revealed to manga fans in-person and online updates to the Kodansha Print Club program as well as more print manga licenses arriving Spring 2026.
Kodansha kicked off their announcements with a surprise update on the Kodansha Print Club program, where they announced that volumes 2 of Blade Girl, Teppu, and Love, That’s an Understatement will be available for purchase in print starting August 2025.
Then, moving onto the Spring 2026 slate of new print manga licenses, Kodansha unveiled new premium editions of fan-favorite series Witch Hat Atelier and Attack on Titan. Also announced were all-new series, ranging from action-packed apocalypse fighting sagas like DRAGON CIRCUS, to taut thrillers about relationships that are too-good-to-be-true, like Whoever You Are, I Love You, and even a new chapter in the perennial cozy kitten series with Chi’s Sweet France.
See below for details on the full slate of debuts coming soon in print and digital from Kodansha.
Kodansha Print Club Update:
With many thanks to the patience of fans eagerly waiting for more information on this experimental program, Kodansha is proud to announce that volumes 2 of Blade Girl, Teppu, and Love, That’s an Understatement, will be available to purchase online and through select physical retailers on August 5, 2025. Pre-orders will begin as soon as next week, so check with your favorite retailer or bookstore for availability.
Premium Editions:
Witch Hat Atelier: Grimoire Edition
By Kamome Shirahama JP Title: とんがり帽子のアトリエ Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 10+
This deluxe, keepsake-quality hardcover edition includes three volumes of the acclaimed fantasy manga on which the enchanting anime was based. Experience the beautiful tale of a young witch who discovers her creativity and faces down a dangerous and thrilling world with her friends by her side in these extra-large books, printed on premium paper with intricate gold foil covers and exclusive bonus content.
Includes Witch Hat Atelier Vols. 1–3.
In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream…until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem!
The new Grimoire Edition is a gold-foiled hardcover of nearly 600 pages each, including color pages and bonus content and presenting this magical epic in a special large size.
Blue Lock Omnibus
Story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro; Art by Yusuke Nomura JP Title: ブルーロック Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 16+
The manga that became a worldwide sports action phenomenon returns in a new 3-in-1 omnibus edition featuring sculpted embossed covers!
A mad young coach gathers soccer players from across the country to compete in a series of bizarre challenges in a high-tech colosseum he calls Blue Lock. It’s a no-balls-barred battle to become Japan’s next top striker, in this Squid Game–meets–World Cup manga, now a global hit anime with two explosive seasons!
Attack on Titan Definitive Hardcover Collection
By Hajime Isayama JP Title: 進撃の巨人 特装合本版 Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 16+
The global manga hit returns in a massive new deluxe edition, including three volumes in one hardcover book featuring faux leather cover, gold foil stamping, library-style binding, and color pages that aren’t even included in the Japanese edition!
For eons, humans ruled the natural world. But a century ago, everything changed when the Titans appeared. Giant, grotesque parodies of the human form, these monsters consumed all but a few thousand human beings, who took refuge behind giant walls. Today, the threat of the Titans is a distant memory, and a boy named Eren yearns to explore the world beyond the wall. But what began as a childish dream will become an all-too-real nightmare when a Titan finally knocks a hole in the wall, and humanity is once again on the brink of extinction.
Action & Adventure:
DRAGON CIRCUS
Story by Eiichi Shimizu, Illustrated by Tomohiro Shimoguchi JP Title: DRAGON CIRCUS Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 13+
DEATH TO ALL DRAGONS!
The sudden appearance of massive monsters known as “Dragons” throws the world into chaos. The New United Nations, created as a response to the threat, puts together a team known as the Dragonslayers, including (among others) a vampire, an android, a witch, the animated remains of the legendary ogre Shuten Doji, and….a little girl?! Ace pilot Momo may still be in grade school, but she just might have the skills to save humankind.
Taut action, propulsive storytelling, and sly humor take this seinen action series to new heights and unexpected places!
On the fateful day the dragons first appeared, Dr. Abe’s beloved died in the initial onslaught. Now he has created an android in his own image: the DS-08 “Shikigami,” part of the NUN (New United Nations)’s top secret project to counter this monstrous invasion. In addition to the Shikigami, this team of “Dragonslayers” is comprised of members of the many races that have up till now lived in obscurity: elves, dwarves, witches, vampires, and more… As the team assembles to fight off the massive and mysterious creatures that now menace humanity, however, one member stands apart from the rest: Momo Agatsuma, the young daughter of an NUN scientist and ace pilot par excellence. Together this motley crew must fend off the greatest threat the world has ever faced…!
Stella Must Die
Story by Yasunori Mitsunaga; Art by Ine Ohtaka JP Title: 絶対死なないステラ姫 Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 16+
From the acclaimed creator of Princess Resurrection and Time Stop Hero comes the darkly comical tale of a princess with a most curious self-defense mechanism… Parasyte meets Cinderella in this zany fantasy manga about a princess who just won’t seem to die!
After losing her father, the king of Hillvalley, Princess Stella is thrown into the middle of a succession crisis. Her stepsister Illusia wastes no time in trying to assassinate Stella and seize the throne, but all her attempts mysteriously go awry. Little does anyone know that the young princess has a hidden protector…in the most unlikely of places!
Magical Karina
By Coyuri Tono JP Title: まじかるカリナ Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 13+
We all know transforming into a magical girl can help destroy the forces of evil. But can it help a high schooler who’s just lost the person who raised her through the stages of grief? A poignant and funny action manga that applies the trappings of Sailor Moon to the universal experience of elder care and decline; death without closure; and finding a will to carry on.
Just this morning, Karina was sitting at the breakfast table, cleaning up the miso soup her grandmother dropped on the floor. Now, she’s being called out to class to go to the hospital and see her grandma’s body…with a piece of seaweed still stuck to her uniform. She still finds time to make it to her hourly job at a family restaurant, but on the way home, she sees a glittering, elephant-like creature floating in the sky… And a teenage boy appears to push her out of the way of its attack! Death is stalking Karina’s town in a form that only she can see, and this boy gives her two choices: Die or transform and fight! She can scarcely follow what he’s saying, but her clothes do change, and the staff she finds herself holding has enough heft to do some serious damage… But is there space in Karina’s life for getting revenge for her grandma and fighting magical monsters when she’s already stretched to her limit?
Crime & Drama:
Whoever You Are, I Love You
By Keiku Hagiwara JP Title: きみが誰でも愛してる Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 16+
Evil lurks beneath the most beautiful surfaces…
Temp worker Yuki Sato is ready to settle down with the perfect man she met on a dating app—until she discovers her fiancé may not be who he seems. When the beguiling Shun Majima confronts her with the details of the mysterious death of his brother Kosuke, Yuki finds herself torn between the man she thinks she loves and the handsome stranger whose revelations threaten to upend her life completely.
A world of digital deceit gives way to very real danger in this tense romantic crime thriller.
Despite being unmarried at 32, Yuki Sato is happy—she enjoys temping as a greeter, and more importantly, she’s engaged to a handsome, successful man she met on a dating app…until Shun Majima walks into her life and blows it up.
Does her fiancé seem too good to be true because he is? And was he really involved in the death of Shun’s brother? As Yuki’s life slowly starts to unravel, she finds herself drawn into the seedy underbelly of Tokyo, caught in a web of lies and manipulation. She and Shun join forces to uncover the truth, but will they be able to do so before it’s too late…?
That’s Not Love
By Peko Watanabe JP Title: 恋じゃねえから Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 18+
Two female friends from middle school reunite as adults in this hard-hitting and personal drama manga. What begins as idle reminiscing leads to painful revelations as they heal the reopened wounds of their past in this highly-anticipated first print release from the creator of 1122: For a Happy Marriage.
Drawing on real events and the Japanese #MeToo movement and Watanabe’s own reflections on friendship and womanhood, That’s Not Love won a place on the industry insider poll Kono Manga ga Sugoi! as one of the best manga of the year.
Forty-year-old Akane attends the opening of a new art exhibit by her former cram school teacher, Mr. Imai, who has now become a sculptor. Akane notices that Mr. Imai’s new sculpture bears a striking resemblance to her middle school best friend, Yukari, who she remembers suddenly transferred out of the school. It even has a distinct scar that Yukari shared with Akane privately. Wondering what this could mean, Akane reaches out to her old friend, and learns that there was something else going on when they were children that she only partly understood. Was Yukari just a muse? Or something with more upsetting implications?
Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow
Story by Hajime Inoryu, Illustrated by Shota Ito JP Title: 降り積もれ孤独な死よ Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 16+
The shocking, gritty new seinen crime thriller from the team behind bestselling manga My Dearest Self With Malice Aforethought. A unique blend of cinematic art and realistic storytelling undergirds the terrifying mysteries and wild reversals of this dark police procedural, which will appeal to older readers of crime novels and graphic fiction far beyond the usual manga audience.
A routine call regarding a burglary at an empty mansion leads cocky young police detective Jin Saeki to a gruesome and shocking discovery. The corpses of 13 children, along with the presence of a strange symbol, spur a manhunt for Juzo Haikawa, the mysterious absentee owner of the house. So begins an investigation (and an obsession) that will take Jin all over Japan and into the darkest recesses of both the past and the human soul.
Cozy & Comforting:
Cat-Life Balance
By Akari Otokawa JP Title: 黒根さんはニャーと鳴かない Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 16+
In this office romance manga with a feline twist, a people-pleaser teetering on the edge of burnout discovers his antisocial coworker’s secret: She only smiles when she’s playing with stray cats! Now he’s got a choice: Keep up the façade and keep saying “yes” to every extra task and happy hour, or risk his perfect work image to sneak off for some simple, frisky fun?
Fans of Sweat & Soap and Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You will love this new series from the creator of Cells at Work! Lady.
Everyone at work loves Mamoru, because Mamoru never says no. Replacing lightbulbs, carrying boxes, taking over an impossible client from a retiring colleague… He’ll do it all, and it’s earned him the nickname “Prince of the Office.” This glittering extrovert’s opposite at work is Kurone, a quiet woman in another department who soaks up her boss’s senseless mood swings with a blank stoicism. After one particularly long day, Mamoru is thrilled to be walking home alone, sipping a beer (because all his colleagues went drinking and left him to work overtime), when he encounters something strange: The usually glum Kurone is in the park, gleefully playing with stray cats. This secret seems silly, but it brings Kurone joy. It’s the start of an unlikely relationship that will lead Mamoru to start reflecting on his life and who he really wants to share it with. Is work really all there is, or can he strike a balance with the help of these fluffy new friends–and a human who might become something more?
Hitting Rewind With You
By Hanamaru Kira Debut Date: Spring 2026 Rated: 13+
Two college students desperate to live out the high school glory days they never had fall for each other in this silly and sweet romcom manga! This fun and escapist (non-)age gap romance is brimming with youthful nostalgia and perfect for fans of My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv 999 and In the Clear Moonlit Dusk.
Wakaba Kayano is a 20-year-old college student who was too busy studying in high school to experience the quintessential personal milestones of her teenage years, like going on an afterschool date. In a moment of desperation, she goes out on Halloween in her old high school uniform in an effort to take back some of those heart-fluttering experiences she never had, and in doing encounters Fumito, a boy clad in the quintessential high school boy uniform. Whisked away on the date of her dreams, she panics when forced to reveal her true age–only to find out that Fumito is in college, too!
As announced at New York Comic Con 2024, Kodansha revealed their latest slate of new manga coming to print in Fall 2025, including manga for younger readers like Sheeta’s Little Big World, suspense thrillers like Nezumi’s First Love, an emotional spectrum of BL titles like My Instructor Won’t Yield and Shoot Juliet Down, as well as an upcoming Witch Hat Atelier box set, and new editions of AKIRA.
Not only that, Kodansha also unveiled new publishing initiatives for the soccer-centric hit Blue Lock and the wine-focused drama The Drops of God.
Further, Kodansha announced an upcoming translation of Totto-chan, The Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel, the long-awaited second installment to Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s Guinness World Record-breaking memoir which won over the hearts of more than 25 millions readers worldwide.
And debuting digitally across the next two months: As the Gods Will, a pulse-pounding game-of-death saga (from Blue Lock writer Muneyuki Kaneshiro) and India Calling Me Now, a heart-warming travel and self discovery drama.
Titles announced for print will be available starting Fall 2025 at physical and online book vendors like Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Amazon, and more, while November 2024 digital debuts will be available upon release across all participating vendors.
NEW & NOTABLE PRINT ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Kodansha to publish new volumes of Blue Lock every month starting July 2025
Accelerating toward the goal!
The smash hit soccer action series is going monthly!
Starting in July 2025, Kodansha will release one print volume of Blue Lock every month until Kodansha is caught up with the Japanese release.
Hit wine-focused manga The Drops of God returns to print
Due to popular demand and on the heels of the fan-favorite Apple+ live-action drama, The Drops of God manga by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto returns to store shelves with Kodansha’s original 2-in-1 omnibus editions being reprinted.
A wine critic and his rival brother must compete against each other to determine who will inherit their father’s estate—a wine collection featuring 13 heaven blessed wines.
‘Drops of God’ live action series was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the 2024 International Emmy Awards. Apple TV announced season 2!
Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition of Koji Suzuki’s Ring Arrives November 2024
Perfect for horror fans and aficionados, Barnes & Noble is partnering with Kodansha to release an exclusive variant edition of Koji Suzuki’s chilling hit novel, Ring!
Features all new art with a striking throwback mock VHS cover
Contains sprayed page edges to mimic TV static
Each copy comes with an insert of the original Ring cover with a printed Koji Suzuki signature
Totto-chan The Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel (Novel)
By Tetsuko Kuroyanagi Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 16+
Over forty years ago, Japanese pop culture icon Testuko Kuroyanagi ended her childhood memoir shortly after her beloved school, Tomoe Gakuen, burned down beneath the American air raids of WWII. At last, she returns to continue little Totto’s tale, beginning with her family’s frantic effort to escape Tokyo and the worst of the war. Told with the same disarming charm that enamored over 25 million readers worldwide, this sequel invites us to see the harsh realities of war through the eyes of an ever-curious child who finds wonder in the darkest of places, and trace her path to becoming a trailblazing actress and philanthropist who forever changed the landscape of Japanese entertainment.
NEW & UPCOMING DIGITAL LICENSES:
As the Gods Will
Story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro Art by Akeji Fujimura Debut Date: November 12, 2024 Rated: 18+
Deep down inside, high school student Shun Takahata craves for some excitement in his boring life…but his teacher’s head randomly exploding isn’t exactly what he had in mind. And when some of his classmates suddenly suffer the same fate, he begins to realize he’s been thrust into a series of deadly supernatural children’s games. Shun and fellow survivors are completely in the dark, not knowing who’s responsible, why it’s happening, or when it will end. To have any hope of unraveling the mystery behind the gruesome games, they’ll first have to outlast the games…and each other.
India Calling Me Now
By Terako Shima Debut Date: December 10, 2024 Rated: 13+
After years of struggling to get her work published, 28-year old manga artist Natsume is on the brink of giving up. When her boyfriend gets transferred to India and asks her to come, she takes it as a sign to finally let go of the dreams she’d pursued her whole life. But when she arrives and realizes that he sees her as little more than a dutiful future housewife, she dumps him on the spot and finds herself all alone in an unfamiliar land. Through her encounters with the resilient and radiant women she meets there, Natsume slowly finds the strength to follow her dreams once again.
FALL 2025 NEW PRINT LICENSES:
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun: IruMafia Edition
By Hiroja Original Series by Osamu Nishi Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 13+
Get ready to meet the lovable cast of Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun as you’ve never seen them before!
In this brand-new spinoff of the runaway hit series, Iruma is a dirt-poor but unfailingly cheerful young boy who grows up in a ruthless city slum. One day, Iruma gives an injured old man his last loaf of bread and nurses the stranger back to health—only to find out that the elder gent is none other than Don Sullivan, head of the Babyl Mafia! Soon after, Don Sullivan comes back, whisks Iruma away, and begs the boy to become his grandson. And just like that, Iruma begins his new life as the next in line to lead a gigantic gang of—dare we say—demonic mafiosos!
Sheeta’s Little Big World
By Yuki Kamba Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 8+
Sheeta and Nala live happily inside a hollowed-out log with their fellow “littlefolk,” who stand no taller than a blade of grass. When Nala runs off one day to investigate a mysterious smoke signal, Sheeta must summon all his wit and courage as he sets off in pursuit. Rats, ants, weasels, giants… The wide world is full of dangers, but the plucky Sheeta will stop at nothing to find his friend. A charming new adventure manga for young readers and teens alike.
A Curtain Call for You
Story by Shiho Satou Art by Kiki Emoda Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 13+
Shy, mousy Sakura Akutsu is content to keep her adventures confined to the pages of her notebook—until the brash, outgoing new transfer student Tsubame Hiiragi gets her hands on it, that is. The two secretly share the stories Sakura spins, but soon that secret proves too big to keep, and Tsubame whisks Sakura into a glittering world she could never have imagined!
As Sakura learns to be confident in who she is and ignore what others think, Tsubame learns to go below the surface and dig deep for emotional truths that may have eluded her… Together they’ll learn about art, love, truth, and most of all, the theater…!
This creative and emotionally rich series uses every visual tool available to express the confusion and elation of adolescence.
You Can’t Bluff the Sharp-Eyed Sister
Story by Natsu Hyuuga Art by Yo Asami Character Designs by Chiho Shinishi Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 13+
In a sleepy countryside church, Chloe plays the part of a prim and naïve novice, studying to become a priestess. But when night falls, she sneaks out in disguise to win big money at cards!
Despite her best efforts, word gets around, and one day a handsome young holy knight named Heraldo—known as a rising star in the capital—arrives to enlist her help. A murder two years ago threatens the stability of the kingdom, and Heraldo thinks this card shark in sister’s clothes can solve it using her Gift—the rare blessing that allows someone to use magic. Little does Heraldo know, there’s nothing supernatural about Chloe’s winning streak. She’s just got a quick wit, and sharp eyes! Will that be enough to survive the den of devils that is the royal palace?
The new fantasy mystery manga from the creator of The Apothecary Diaries!
My Instructor Won’t Yield
By Deme Kingyobachi Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 16+
A quirky, sweet BL romance that’ll have you turning the page at full throttle!
Chiba’s kind manner, clear guidance, and pretty face easily make him the favorite instructor of every female student at the driving school where he works. But, while he’ll play up his charms to get good reviews, Chiba is diligent about politely—but firmly—rejecting any romantic gestures or advances that may come his way. His well-crafted persona is put to the test when he is matched with the mysterious Yaotome, a new student gaining a reputation of his own as the “Sharp-Suited Prince.” Despite his cool looks and demeanor, Yaotome can hardly compose himself when Chiba begins their lesson. Is it just nerves, or is there something more to it…?
Shoot Juliet Down
By Komachi Katsura Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 18+
Love is a brutal battle between vanity and desire.
Amidst the dark glamor of host club Velvet Kiss, Juri—also called Juliet—commands a vice-like grip on the number one position. Impressed by this poker-faced beauty’s supreme reign, newbie and number-two host Akatsuki decides he must learn Juliet’s secrets—and shoot him down from the top of the pack. But Akatsuki’s first up-close taste of Juliet’s intoxicating charm leaves him craving more than he’d expected. And as he may soon learn, some secrets are better left in their bottles, and the bullet that shoots through one heart might take out more than it bargained for…
Nezumi’s First Love
By Riku Oseto Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 16+
Here’s the sweet, bloody yakuza love story we’ve all been waiting for! Nezumi was raised by the mob to be an emotionless killing machine, but a chance encounter in an arcade leads to a romance at total odds with everything she’s known. Equal parts ultraviolence and kawaii, Nezumi’s First Love turns both the hitman and love comedy genres on their heads!
Before You Go Extinct
Story by Takashi Ushiroyato Art by Kanato Abiko Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 16+
A darkly comic look at the meaning and meaninglessness of life, through the eyes of various adorable and occasionally psychopathic species facing extinction.
A humble rock is at the center of this transmigratory tale of two souls who take the form of penguins, otters, crows, and more as they learn about the the value of culture, the beauty of play in the face of capitalist pressure to produce and reproduce, and the power of love in the face of total annihilation.
FALL 2025 BOX SETS & NEW EDITIONS:
Witch Hat Atelier Manga Box Set 1
By Kamome Shirahama Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 13+
Can’t get enough of Witch Hat Atelier? See where the magic began in this manga box set containing the first six volumes of the manga that inspired the hit anime, plus an exclusive set of art cards!
In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows witches are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch…until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling witch. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem…
AKIRA Hardcover Collection
By Katsuhiro Otomo Debut Date: Fall 2025 Rated: 18+
One of the most acclaimed and influential comics of all time, with the original Japanese art and right-to-left reading format, now available in single-volume, collectible hardcovers!
Katsuhiro Otomo’s AKIRA, the dystopian, science fiction epic that changed anime and manga forever, returns in six beautiful hardcover collector’s edition volumes perfect for longtime fans and manga aficionados alike. Whether you’re a cult fan or are looking to dive into the world of Neo-Tokyo for the first time, there’s no better way to experience AKIRA than with these beautiful new hardcover editions, featuring the original Japanese art and right-to-left reading format.
Welcome to Neo-Tokyo, a city built on the ashes of a Tokyo annihilated by a blast of unknown origin that triggered World War III, whose streets have been ceded to motorcycle gangs and the rich and powerful run dangerous experiments on destructive, supernatural powers that they cannot control. The lives of two streetwise teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, change forever when paranormal abilities begin to waken in Tetsuo, making him a target for a shadowy agency that will stop at nothing to prevent another catastrophe like the one that leveled Tokyo. At the core of the agency’s motivation is a raw, all-consuming fear of an unthinkable, monstrous power known only as Akira.
This October, Kodansha invites you to experience Kodansha House: Where Manga Meets. Opening October 4th in SoHo, NYC, this fully immersive pop-up will be located at 45 Grand Street.
Through the month of October, it will be open on Wednesdays to Sundays, from 12pm to 9pm.
Kodansha House is not just an event—it’s a vibrant meeting place where the world of manga comes alive. You can explore a gallery, cafe, lounge, and a robust manga library. The month-long programming includes a diverse lineup of activities such as trivia nights and movie screenings featuring fan-favorites like Akira, Blue Lock, Ghost in the Shell, and Blame!.
Four major manga creators will make rare U.S. appearances with Q&A sessions and signings:
During Anime NYC, the inaugural American Manga Awards ceremony was held at the Japan Society in New York City. The awards were launched this year and the focus is to celebrate the best manga published in North America over the past year.
VIZ Media walked away with 3 awards, Kodansha received 2, and Yen Press won 1.
Below is the full list of winners. Congrats to all.
Best New Manga: #DRCL midnight children by Shin’ichi Sakamoto (VIZ Media)
Best Continuing Manga Series: Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui (Yen Press)
Best New Edition of Classic Manga: Neighborhood Story by Ai Yazawa (VIZ Media)
Best Translation: Stephen Kohler for Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama, (Kodansha)
Best Lettering: Lys Blakeslee for Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama (Kodansha)
Best Publication Design: Adam Grano for My Name Is Shingo by Kazuo Umezz (VIZ Media)
Marvel is expanding its manga titles with VIZ Media with three new ones coming in 2023. The trio were announced at New York Comic Con 2022. Next year sees the release of…
WOLVERINE: SNIKT!
Story and Art by Tsutomu Nihei Release Date: June 13, 2023 ISBN-13(s): 978-1-9747-3853-3 Format: Paperback
Tsutomu Nihei takes Wolverine to a desolate new dimension in Wolverine: Snikt!
Wolverine stands as the lone hope of the few remaining humans in a desolate wasteland as they fight to survive against robotic organisms. Will he manage to save the day and keep his own humanity, or will he lose himself to his berserker rage and bring on extinction?
In 2003, fresh off the success of his hit series Blame!, star manga creator Tsutomu Nihei connected with Marvel Comics, writing and drawing the limited series Wolverine: Snikt! Bringing his signature style to bear on the iconic X-Man, Nihei took Wolverine to a darker, more terrifying dimension, presented here in a deluxe edition.
SPIDER-MAN: FAKE RED
Story and Art by Yusuke Osawa Release Date: June 13, 2023 ISBN-13(s): 978-1-9747-3878-6
There’s a new Spider-Man in town! And he’s got a lot to learn about being a hero!
When an awkward teenager puts on Spider-Man’s suit, he quickly learns that being a hero isn’t all photo ops and social media likes.
Yu’s new high school is kind of awful. He’s failing his classes and striking out socially. Everything changes when he finds one of Spider-Man’s costumes abandoned in an alleyway. At first, it’s fun to put on the costume and play hero, but when powerful enemies start to appear, Yu quickly realizes he’s out of his element. Still, with Spider-Man nowhere to be found, the city needs someone to save it…
MARVEL COMICS: A MANGA TRIBUTE
Featured Artists: Akira Himekawa, Chika Ogaki, Gurihiru, Hachi Ishie, Haruhiko Mikimoto, Hiroyuki Imaishi, Kamome Shirahama, Katsuya Terada, Kazuki Takahashi, Ken Niimura, Kia Asamiya, Mizuki Sakakibara, Peach Momoko, Q Hayashida, Sana Takeda, Shigeto Koyama, Shou Tajima, Studio Nadegata Circus, Takashi Okazaki, Yasuhiro Nightow, Yoshitaka Amano, Yūsuke Kozaki, Yusuke Murata. Release Date: July 18, 2023 ISBN-13(s): 978-1-9747-3713-0 Format: Hardcover
Japanese artists celebrate the phenomenon that is the Marvel Universe!
Experience a fresh take on the Marvel Universe with this collection of stunning illustrations from over twenty exceptional Japanese artists, including Yasuhiro Nightow, Akira Himekawa, Peach Momoko, Yusuke Murata, and Yoshida Amano.
Marvel Comics: A Tribute explores Marvel’s rich and enduring legacy as a pop-culture phenomenon by paying homage to its most iconic characters and beloved stories. The book features a range of unique artwork, collected for the first time, celebrating characters from across the multiverse. A must-have for fans of Marvel Comics and Japanese art alike!
Ahead of the official ceremony later this week, the winners for the 2020 Harvey Awards have been announced. The award ceremony has gone virtual this year with the initial group of nominees announced in August and then the winners chosen by vote.
The 2020 winners are:
Book of the Year: Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang (First Second) Digital Book of the Year: The Nib edited by Matt Bors (thenib.com) Best Children or Young Adult Book: Superman Smashes the Klan by Gene Luen Yang and Gurihiru (DC Comics) Best Manga: Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama (Kodansha Comics) Best International Book: Grass by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, translated by Janet Hong (Drawn and Quarterly) Best Adaptation from a Comic Book/Graphic Novel: Watchmen by HBO, based on Watchmen (DC Comics)
The Harveys will also be inducting Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy), Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother), and the founding members of Milestone Media which includes Denys Cowan, Derek T. Dingle, Michael Davis, and the late Dwayne McDuffie into this year’s Harvey Awards Hall of Fame.
The virtual ceremony will be broadcast on October 9 at 4:50 pm as part of New York Comic Con’s Metaverse. The ceremony will be hosted by Vivek Tiwary and will feature Gene Luen Yang, Neil Gaiman, Jill Thompson, and Damon Lindelof.
At their industry panel at New York Comic Con, top-ranking graphic novel publisher Kodansha Comics announced two exciting upcoming all-ages manga, perfect for teen and adult readers as well as parents introducing kids to manga for the first time.
Beginning in April 2019, Kodansha will release Kamome Shirahama’s Witch Hat Atelier. The lushly-illustrated story of a girl who longs to be a witch in a magical society that keep telling her she doesn’t have what it takes placed No. 6 in a prestigious manga industry poll in Japan last year, and it is likely to be one of the most-anticipated new series in the English-speaking market, appealing to fans of Studio Ghibli and Disney films. Shirahama is known in the United States for her exquisitely-detailed variant covers featuring on comics from DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and other publishers.
July will bring Vol. 1 of Magus of the Library, a story about a poor boy swept away by a kind library mage and the (literal) magic of reading. In a lushly-detailed fantasy world reminiscent of Arabian Nights, the Great Library is the center of learning in the world, and its librarians are capable of magnificent feats of magic. In a small village far from the main Library, a poor little elf boy struggles against bullies who call him “Knife-Ears.” His only solace: the books that he sneaks out of the village’s tiny branch library. When a librarian from the Great Library arrives, he’s dazzled by her knowledge and glamor. Their meeting will change his life and begin the adventure he’s always dreamed of.
Written by: Shawna Benson, Julie Benson
Art by: Roge Antonio
Cover by: Yanick Paquette
Variant cover by: Kamome Shirahama
“Who Is Oracle” part five! Batgirl, Black Canary, and Huntress come face-to-face at last with the new Oracle…and unlock a mystery they never saw coming!
At their industry panel at New York Comic Con, top-ranking graphic novel publisher Kodansha Comics announced two exciting upcoming all-ages manga, perfect for teen and adult readers as well as parents introducing kids to manga for the first time.
