Month: June 2023

Kodansha Presents Makoto Yukimura at San Diego Comic-Con 2023

Posted on | Events

Vinland Saga Creator Makoto Yukimura Makes U.S. Debut Appearance at Comic-Con International 2023

“Far to the west, across the sea there is a place called Vinland” – Vinland Saga, Vol. 1, Ch. 4

Find Kodansha USA & Makoto Yukimura at Comic-Con International San Diego Booth #5542

Kodansha USA is excited to announce that acclaimed manga creator Makoto Yukimura, author of the fan-favorite viking drama and inspiration for the anime, Vinland Saga, will make his U.S. Debut appearance at Comic-Con International San Diego 2023. From July 20 through 23, Kodansha USA will celebrate both Yukimura-sensei and Vinland Saga at booth #5542 with signings, con-exclusive giveaways and additional surprises to be announced closer to the event. Fans can experience the unfolding viking epic Vinland Saga across 13 volumes, available in print & digital, and as two seasons of anime now streaming on Netflix.

Learn about Vinland Saga: Read Chapter 1 of Vinland Saga free at kodansha.localhost/. As a child, Thorfinn sat at the feet of the great Leif Ericson and thrilled to wild tales of a land far to the west. But his youthful fantasies were shattered by a mercenary raid. Raised by the Vikings who murdered his family, Thorfinn became a terrifying warrior, forever seeking to kill the band’s leader, Askeladd, and avenge his father. Sustaining Thorfinn through his ordeal are his pride in his family and his dreams of a fertile westward land, a land without war or slavery…the land Leif called Vinland.

Makoto Yukimura is the winner of the Japan Media Arts Awards Grand Prize for Manga and the prestigious Kodansha Manga Awards.

Makoto Yukimura Autograph Sessions @ Comic-Con

Be one of the lucky fans to meet Makoto Yukimura in-person!

Fill out this entry form for your chance to attend one of these two special autograph sessions hosted by Kodansha USA (Booth #5542) at San Diego Comic-Con 2023!

Makoto Yukimura Autograph Session Entry Form

• Friday, July 21, 2023 at 1pm – 2pm PT
• Saturday, July 22, 2023 at 2pm – 3pm PT

Deadline to submit your entry is July 10, 2023 at 12:00AM PT.

Vinland Saga Viking Contest

Not going to Comic-Con? There’s still a way to win an autograph AND a beautiful sketch by Yukimura-sensei! 

How to Win an Autographed Sketch from Makoto Yukimura:

Step 1. Take a picture, video, or write a comment to express your love for Vinland Saga.

Step 2. Post this special memory on your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok with a hashtag #VinlandSagaVikingContest.

Step 3. Fill out this entry form by July 23, 2023, 5:00PM PT and include the link to your post.

Kodansha USA @ Anime Expo 2023!

Posted on | Events

Discover Kodansha at Anime Expo Booth #3900

It’s that time of the year again, when fans of manga and anime gather IRL and celebrate the fandom at #AnimeExpo (July 1-4, 2023) in Los Angeles, CA! We here at Kodansha are excited to join the biggest party of the year with y’all, and hope to deliver some really cool surprises too. What could it possibly be? Keep on reading to find out…

Be sure to catch us on-site at booth #3900 and online at kodansha.localhost/ or across our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok!

All Eyes on #AX23_Kodansha Announcements

We’re here for one reason only– to find out all the exciting new titles that Kodansha is releasing in the coming seasons! Be one of the first ones to find out by joining our panel – or if you can’t be there in person, follow us on Twitter for live updates.

Kodansha USA New Licenses Revealed!
Saturday, July 1 at 2:30pm PT, Room 402 AB

Kodansha USA, purveyor of some of the most exciting manga published today like, Blue Lock, MF Ghost, Attack on Titan & more, invites manga fans to an exclusive first-look at new manga series coming soon to your collection!

A Larger-than-life Kodansha Library

When was the last time that you got into a new manga? This year, we’re dedicating the Kodansha booth (#3900) to be a perfect place for discovery where fans can get an elevated manga reading experience. Come hang out and read over 1000 chapters of Kodansha titles across various digital devices for FREE! It’s like walking into a magical manga bookshelf.

Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry! We’ll have manga experts onsite to guide you through our vast library of Kodansha manga. Ask for recommendations from the Kodansha team at the booth, or name-drop a few movies or shows that you enjoy, and voila, they’ll offer a perfect manga to match what you’re looking for.

A New Way to Read Manga on kodansha.localhost/

Have you noticed that there’s a new feature on our website? Kodansha is happy to celebrate the grand opening of the Kodansha Reader Portal — where you can preview, read, and buy digital manga the way you want.

Sign up for a Kodansha Reader account at our booth, show us that you’ve logged in and receive limited edition AX23-exclusive gifts, including:

  • A Premiere Kodansha Reader lanyard*
  • Access to read AX23 Spotlight Series**
  • Digital editions of our Discover Kodansha genre-based samplers

*While supplies last
**Availability of Spotlight Series extended previews vary by series

Meet Ichijinsha’s Comic Yuri Hime

Meet Comic Yuri Hime – a one-of-a-kind manga magazine published in Japan from Ichijinsha, which is dedicated to yuri – a genre that focuses on the emotional relationships between female characters.

To celebrate the yuri fandom, we’ve partnered with Ichijinsha to showcase Comic Yuri Hime and its recent hits like Yuri Is My Job! and Whisper Me a Love Song.

Are you a proud yuri fan? Then be sure to snag and support the Comic Yuri Hime AX-exclusive merch only available at the Kinokuniya booth (#3700). Comic Yuri Hime merch will be available while supplies last.

#YURIHIME_AX23 Buttons Giveaway
Take a pic or video at Ichijinsha’s Comic Yuri Hime station inside the Kodansha booth (#3900) and post it on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #YURIHIME_AX23 to receive a special button! Buttons will be available while supplies last.

The Freebie Hunt is ON

Ready for a manga Easter Egg Hunt? See if you can get all the Kodansha freebies while you are at Anime Expo 2023!

Attendee bags will be available at the Anime Expo main entrances while supplies last. All other items will be available at Kodansha booth (#3900) also while supplies last.

Check Out Anime Premieres at Anime Expo

It wouldn’t be a true Anime Expo experience without watching premieres of upcoming anime series with a bunch of cheering fans. Check out these events hosted by our friends at Crunchyroll:

Crunchyroll Premieres: Round 2
Monday, July 3, 12:00-1:30 PM, JW Marriott Diamond Ballroom
Featuring: MF Ghost, My Unique Skill Makes Me OP Even at Level 1

Crunchyroll Premieres: Round 4
Monday, July 3, 6:30-8:00 PM, LACC Room 403
Featuring: Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence, Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange

Keep following for more updates to come!

Vinland Saga Creator Makes U.S. Debut at Comic-Con 2023

Posted on | Creator Spotlight | Events

Vinland Saga Creator Makoto Yukimura Makes U.S. Debut Appearance at Comic-Con International 2023

“Far to the west, across the sea there is a place called Vinland” – Vinland Saga, Vol. 1, Ch. 4

Find Kodansha USA & Makoto Yukimura at Comic-Con International San Diego Booth #5542

Kodansha USA is excited to announce that acclaimed manga creator Makoto Yukimura, author of the fan-favorite viking drama and inspiration for the anime, Vinland Saga, will make his U.S. Debut appearance at Comic-Con International San Diego 2023. From July 20 through 23, Kodansha USA will celebrate both Yukimura-sensei and Vinland Saga at booth #5542 with signings, con-exclusive giveaways and additional surprises to be announced closer to the event. Fans can experience the unfolding viking epic Vinland Saga across 13 volumes, available in print & digital, and as two seasons of anime now streaming on Netflix.

Learn about Vinland Saga: Read Chapter 1 of Vinland Saga free at kodansha.localhost/. As a child, Thorfinn sat at the feet of the great Leif Ericson and thrilled to wild tales of a land far to the west. But his youthful fantasies were shattered by a mercenary raid. Raised by the Vikings who murdered his family, Thorfinn became a terrifying warrior, forever seeking to kill the band’s leader, Askeladd, and avenge his father. Sustaining Thorfinn through his ordeal are his pride in his family and his dreams of a fertile westward land, a land without war or slavery&#8230the land Leif called Vinland.

Makoto Yukimura is the winner of the Japan Media Arts Awards Grand Prize for Manga and the prestigious Kodansha Manga Awards.

Get Over $1400 in Hiro Mashima Manga with New Humble Bundle

Posted on | Partners | Sales

Kodansha USA Unveils Massive Hiro Mashima Universe Humble Bundle

Get over $1400 worth of Hiro Mashima manga like EDENS ZERO, FAIRY TAIL, Rave Master & more for only $30!

A portion of the proceeds for this Humble Bundle to go towards supporting BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation

Kodnsha USA & Humble Bundle are teaming up once again, this time to bring one of the most complete collections of Hiro Mashima digital manga in one career-spanning bundle worth over $1400 with the Hiro Mashima Universe Humble Bundle. Starting now until June 22, newbie and veteran manga fans alike can take advantage of this bundle to get all 63 volumes of FAIRY TAIL, all 35 volumes of Rave Master, 17 volumes of EDENS ZERO & much more for just $30. See why Hiro Mashima is one of the most prolific, anime-inspiring, manga creators working today with this limited time Humble Bundle, and beef up your digital manga library with more than 130 volumes today.

Read &#8217em anywhere: All the exciting, hilarious, and action-packed manga featured as part of the Hiro Mashima Universe Humble Bundle will be delivered digitally upon purchase in multiple formats including CBZ, PDF, ePub, and FLAC so fans can read these titles across their computer, e-readers, tablets, cell phones, and a wide array of mobile devices!

Support charity: Kodansha will be leveraging the purchasing power of each bundle sold – whether it’s at the $5 or the $30 tier – to donate a portion of the proceeds to a worthy cause! This Humble Bundle supports BINC, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation – an organization helping bookstore owners, booksellers, and comic store employees and owners with unforeseen emergency financial needs. Pay what you want and choose how much of your purchase supports BINC or you can also choose a charity of your preference via the PayPal Giving Fund.

See below for details on all the the amazing titles fans can expect to get at each tier of the Hiro Mashima Universe Humble Bundle:

Pay $5 or more to get:
FAIRY TAIL, Vols. 1 – 10
EDENS ZERO, Vols. 1 – 2
Rave Master, Vols. 1 – 3

Pay $18 or more to get:
FAIRY TAIL, Vols. 11 – 30
EDENS ZERO, Vols. 3 – 4
Hiro Mashima&#8217s Playground, Vol. 1
Rave Master, Vols. 4 – 12
FAIRY TAIL S, Vol. 1
FAIRY TAIL ZERO, Vol. 1

Pay $25 or more to get:
FAIRY TAIL, Vols. 31 – 50
EDENS ZERO, Vols. 5 – 6
Rave Master, Vols. 13 – 25
Monster Soul, Vols. 1 – 2
Fairy Girls, Vol. 1

Pay $30 or more to get:
FAIRY TAIL, Vols. 51 – 63
EDENS ZERO, Vols. 7 – 17
Rave Master, Vols. 26 – 35
Fairy Tail: Happy’s Heroic Adventure, Vols. 1 – 2
FAIRY TAIL: 100 Years Quest, Vols. 1 – 2
FAIRY TAIL: Ice Trail, Vols. 1 – 2
Fairy Girls, Vol. 2
FAIRY TAIL S, Vol. 2
FAIRY TAIL: Blue Mistral, Vols. 1 – 2