katsuhiro otomo Archives - Graphic Policy

Tag Archives: katsuhiro otomo

NYCC 2024: Kodansha Reveals new print and digital manga licenses

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Graphic Policy Team

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!

Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun: IruMafia Edition

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.

Kodansha Announces New Manga, Premium Editions, and Box Sets Coming in Spring 2022

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Graphic Policy Team

Kodansha has given fans a glimpse of all the amazing new print manga, premium editions, box sets, and more coming in Spring 2022.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse

By Nakaba Suzuki

Release Date: Spring 2022

The newest manga from Nakaba Suzuki, which continues the adventures in the world of The Seven Deadly Sins! This series can be read on its own or as part of The Seven Deadly Sins‘ experience!

The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse

Island in a Puddle

By Kei Sanbe

Release Date: Spring 2022

The new manga series from Kei Sanbe, the master of suspense behind Erased, plunges an innocent young boy into Tokyo’s criminal underworld, as he fights to keep his younger sister alive, and to return his soul to his own body!

The tiny apartment where Minato lives may as well be an isolated island in the middle of the ocean. Despite still being in elementary school, it falls on his shoulders to care for his little sister Nagisa, who never stops asking when their mother will make one of her infrequent visits home. On one of those visits, their mother takes them to an amusement park, only to give Minato some cash and leave them on a Ferris wheel… but as the wheel reaches the top, lightning strikes, and, instead of his sister, Minato sees the corpse of a woman… and, reflected in the glass looking back at him, an unfamiliar and menacing face!

A Galaxy Next Door

By Gido Amagakura

Release Date: Spring 2022

The new sweet and wild romantic comedy from the creator of the hit manga and anime about food and family, Sweetness & Lightning! A desperate manga artist, called on to support his two young siblings, meets a new art assistant. But her arrival isn’t just a small step, it’s a giant leap…

Since his parents died, manga artist Ichiro has barely scraped by, forced to support his two younger siblings on just a middle school education. He doesn’t even have time to learn how to use a computer, which forces him to keep wrestling with pen and paper. When his art assistants quit to strike out on their own, on top of juggling deadlines, family, and the constant fear of losing his job, Ichiro feel close to a total breakdown. But then a new assistant pops into Ichiro’s life, and his prospects immediately start to brighten! She’s an incredible artist, she always finishes on time, and she’s beautiful, to boot! But she also seems to know an awful lot about him, and, soon, she makes a confession that bends Ichiro’s mind beyond the confines of Earth…

Phantom of the Idol

By Hijiki Isoflavone

Release Date: Spring 2022

The story of a lazy male idol, ready to quit (or get fired), and the peppy poltergeist who brings him back from the brink, and rocketing to the heights of stardom! This madcap musical comedy is perfect for fans of My Dress-Up Darling, Kiss Him, Not Me! and Horimiya.

Yuuya, one half of the boy pop duo ZINGS, may be the laziest performer in the Japanese music industry. His partner is out there giving 110% every night (and, thankfully, he’s quite popular), but Yuuya’s half-assed, sloppy dancing, and his frankly hostile attitude toward the audience, has the fans hating him and his agent looking for any excuse to cut him loose. The career of a pop idol just isn’t the path of easy leisure and adulation Yuuya expected…

After a particularly lifeless concert appearance, Yuuya meets a girl backstage. She’s dressed to the nines in a colorful outfit, she’s full of vim and vigor, and all she wants from life is to perform. There’s just one problem: She’s been dead for a year. This is the ghost of Asahi Mogami, the beloved singer whose time on the stage was tragically cut short, unless… If ghosts are real, is spirit possession really that much of a stretch?

Wandance

By Coffee

Release Date: Spring 2022

A boy named Kaboku sees a girl named Wanda dance, and suddenly burns with a need to join in. With its thrilling scenes of Japanese hip-hop dance and quirky, charming characters, this is a new, inspirational manga for fans of coming-of-age stories like Blue Period and Your Lie in April. Get up and join the Wandance!

Kaboku has always just gone with the flow, marching in step to the drumbeat of the expectations of those around him: parents, school, plans for the future. It feels predictable, safe, and… empty. But one night, Kaboku’s at school late, and he happens on a girl alone, moving wildly, turning a blank space of concrete into a canvas. This is Hikari Wanda, a member of the hip-hop dance club. Kaboku is immediately smitten, but the road to stepping out of his shell is a long one. The club is almost entirely girls, and they’re all, well, way better than him. What’s ahead is unknown, and that’s terrifying, but it also means, for the first time in Kaboku’s life… a taste of freedom.

Welcome Back, Alice

By Shuzo Oshimi

Release Date: Spring 2022

Yohei, Kei and Yui are childhood friends and things get complicated when Yohei witnesses Kei and Yui in an intimate moment. But when Kei unexpectedly moves away and returns a few years later to reunite in high school, he seems to be a bit different.

Devil Ecstasy

By Shuzo Oshimi

Release Date: Spring 2022

Noboru Kusakabe is an 18-year-old virgin college student who developed a trauma for big breasts. Desperately wanting to lose his virginity, Noboru and his friend discover a mysterious brothel called “Devil Ecstasy”. Although he was nervous about his first experience, Noboru is thrilled by a beautiful girl with small breasts named Meruru who holds a scary secret about the brothel!

Sensei’s Pious Lie

By Akane Torikai

Release Date: Spring 2022

Misuzu Hara is a 24-year-old high school teacher. Her peaceful days of instructing her students begin to change with the advent of her friend Minako’s fiancé, Hayafuji. What happened between them?

A dramatic story about sexual inequalities that lie between men and women.

Blackguard

By Ryo Hanada

Release Date: Spring 2022

A new dark fantasy from the creator of Devils’ Line, Ryo Hanada.

The world is suddenly overrun by monsters called “shojo” and anyone who is bit by one is infected with a mysterious virus, which turns them into the same being. To defeat the shojo, humans live in “aerial cities” and formed units called “guards”. Nanao Minami, also known as the Blackguard, fights but without regard for his own life. What is his motivation and why does he want to die so readily?

Tezuka New Omnibus Editions – Apollo’s Song, Princess Knight, Ode to Kirihito

By Osamu Tezuka

Release Date: Spring 2022

From the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame inductee creator

Classic Osamu Tezuka titles are back in print in an all new format
Each title will now be one volume, complete omnibus editions for the first time ever!
New covers created by renowned designer Peter Mendulsund

Tezuka New Omnibus Editions – Apollo’s Song, Princess Knight, Ode to Kirihito

The Shining Sea

By Koji Suzuki

Release Date: Spring 2022

A young woman who attempted suicide by drowning has lost her memory. Her lover, a young man, is on a pelagic tuna fishing boat. What happened between them? From renowned author Koji Suzuki, the creator of the Ring series.

AKIRA: Art of Wall

By Katsuhiro Otomo

Release Date: Spring 2022

A UNIQUE ARTIFACT: Reproduction of an art project inspired by AKIRA and carried out with the involvement of the original creator.

RARE COLLECTIBLE: AKIRA is one of the most important and popular manga ever published, and official merchandise based on this property is vanishingly rare.

HUGE FRANCHISE: The complete, $200 box set published by Kodansha in 2017 is the #1 best selling ISBN ever published by the imprint by net dollars.

Review: Future State: Gotham #1

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Brett

When it came to DC’s Future State two-month event, the Batman portion is the one that stood out the most. Gotham was now under the protection of a fascist police force called the Magistrate. “Masks” are now outlawed and hunted. Red Hood was now a bounty hunter, having shunned his friends, and now working for the Magistrate. Future State: Gotham #1 takes us back to this possible future and Red Hood’s mission.

Written by Joshua Williamson and Dennis Culver, we head back to the future. Red Hood has gone solo doing what he can to stop the remaining Batman rogues. But, he’s now employed by the Magistrate. The creative team does a solid job of setting things up. Future State: Gotham #1 is a reminder for fans who read the previous releases but also acts as a great way for new readers to catch up with everything. The reveals are for those new readers while acting as a reminder for others. But, those reveals also takes things a bit further than we previously knew.

It’s a solid issue that takes us deeper into the world while also feeling like a continuation of what has already been released. There’s a solid mix of action, mystery, and a little bit of emotions. Williamson and Culver make Jason Todd, aka Red Hood, a little sympathetic in the issue. There are moments I genuinely felt bad for him.

The art by Giannis Milonogiannis is a bit surprising… it’s in black and white! With lettering by Troy Peteri, the comic delivers action with some great sense of motion. There’s something very interesting and different for the issue. It doesn’t feature color, that’s the most obvious, but the “pencils” brings a quality that feels like manga at times. That’s not a bad thing at all as it delivers dynamic moments full of action and excitement. The choice of black and white is interesting as the original Future State’s Gotham was highlighted by its neon colors that lit it up like a futuristic Vegas mixed with Tokyo. Without that, it takes away one of the “characters” that made the original so good.

The issue also features “The Third Mask” by Katsuhiro Otomo. Reprinting the classic story, it’s translated by Jo Duffy and is lettered by Bill Oakley. While there’s aspects I like of the story, it feels a bit choppy in its narrative. There’s some philosophical moments about it that’s really interesting and leaves readers to ponder. Tied into the main story, it makes complete sense as to why it was included. But, the story is 25 years old and its style doesn’t quite hold up. Also in black in white, it’s a compliment to the main story but a flawed one.

Future State: Gotham #1 is a nice start to the return to the future. It’s a world and story that I wanted to see more of. While it doesn’t have the colorful pop of its basis, it brings something new and different as well. It digs its roots into the manga that clearly influenced the previous stories and does it well. Here’s hoping we can get more than this one series exploring this world, there’s that much to dive in to.

Story: Joshua Williamson, Dennis Culver, Katsuhiro Otomo Art: Giannis Milonogiannis, Katsuhiro Otomo
Letterer: Troy Peteri, Bill Oakley Translation: Jo Duffy
Story: 8.15 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics – TFAW

DC Delivers a First Look at Future State: Gotham #1

Posted on April 17, 2021 by Graphic Policy Team

Although the DC Future State event was only during January and February, that doesn’t mean there aren’t more stories to tell about those possible futures of the DC Universe. And on May 11, fans will find out that the end of DC Future State was just the beginning, especially for Jason Todd, a.k.a. Red Hood.

Forsaking his friends, Red Hood is now a gun-for-hire for The Magistrate, using his role as a costumed vigilante to hunt down other heroes as part of Gotham City mayor Christopher Nakano’s “zero tolerance” policy on masked heroes. Red Hood continues his hero hunting at the top of the food chain, with Tim (Jace) Fox, The Next Batman, in his crosshairs!

Co-written by Joshua Williamson and Dennis Culver, this new ongoing series features art by Giannis Milonogiannis, whose black and white artwork provides anime/noirish atmosphere to this series. For fans of both anime and DC, issue #1 includes a special treat: a bonus story, reprinting “The Third Mask,” written and drawn by Katsuhiro Otomo, legendary creator of the iconic manga and anime AKIRA. The story was originally released in issue #4 of Batman: Black and White, on July 10, 1996.

NYCC 2018: Kodansha Announces new Printing of Akira Plus New Titles for 2019

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Graphic Policy Team

At New York Comic Con 2018, Kodansha Comics announced the return of the top-selling manga release of 2017, the Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set, along with an exciting slate of new series for release in the coming fall and 2019.

Since becoming one of the top-ticket comics releases during last year’s holiday shopping and winning two Eisner Awards at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, the new box set release of Katsuhiro Otomo’s seminal Akira had become widely unavailable. But the publisher announced that, as of this week, the set is back in stock and available for purchase again, just in time for this year’s gift-buying season. December 2017 marked the 35th anniversary of the debut of the manga, while this year is the 30th anniversary of the influential anime film.

One of the largest English-language graphic novel publishers in the world, Kodansha also presented some of its new releases for 2019, starting with O Maidens in Your Savage Season, the manga debut of the award-winning screenwriter and director Mari Okada (anohana, Maquia, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans). In collaboration with acclaimed manga artist and illustrator Nao Emoto (Forget Me Not), Okada crafts a funny, dramatic, and deeply resonant coming-of-age story about a girls’ high school literature club confronting the terrifying specter of puberty.

The imprint also announced the print release of I’m Standing on a Million Lives, which had been a digital-first release. Ninth-grader Yusuke Yotsuya is a loner and he likes it that way. But one day, he and two female classmates are suddenly sent to another world, where they must work together to battle for their lives. But he’s been reincarnated as a farmer! How is someone who’s only ever wanted to be left alone supposed to be a hero? This original fantasy manga features a story by Naoki Yamakawa and art by Akinari Nao.

The publisher then presented several manga that tie into current or upcoming anime series.Boarding School Juliet by Yousuke Kaneda, an action romance about star-crossed lovers from two boarding schools that are bitter rivals, will see its first volume released in print this month, the same month its anime adaptation will premiere. It was previously released in digital formats. The Seven Deadly Sins: Seven Days, a two-volume prequel to the manga that became a Netflix Original Series, saw its first volume released this month and will conclude with Vol. 2 in November.

Joining these anime tie-ins is a broad variety of strong standalone titles. From Yoko Nogiri, the author of the bestselling shojo That Wolf-Boy Is Mine!, comes Love in Focus, about a teenage girl who moves away to a high school where she can nurture her talent for photography, learn to grow past personal loss, and build new relationships in her dorm. Like Wolf-Boy, the series is four volumes long, with the first debuting in March 2019.

The harem comedy Quintessential Quintuplets, about a super-smart student called upon to tutor five rambunctious, identical quintuplets, will debut in print in January 2019 after an initial digital release.

Finally, Kodansha Comics also previewed Gleipnir, the debut series by artist Sun Takeda, a compelling, sexy, and brutal action sci-fi series about a teenage girl searching for a sister who became a monster, and a boy with the strange power to turn into a ragged beast with a zipper down his back and a compartment on the inside just big enough for her body. With devilishly incongruous cute and violent art, Gleipnir will appeal to fans of the cute horror aesthetic of Five Nights at Freddy’s and the work of Jhonen Vasquez. Vol. 1 is coming March 2019.