Discover the New Manga Licenses Announced at Anime NYC 2023
Kodansha Reveals New Print & Digital Manga Licenses at Anime NYC
Kodansha announced today at Anime NYC nearly a dozen new print & digital manga licenses, with one new series available to read the same day as announced, and more to come this December and fall 2024.
New Kodansha Portal Series Debuts:
Revealed at the top of Kodansha's industry panel was the magical new Kodansha Reader Portal series The Spellbook Library by Uta Isaki—the mangaka behind the asexual coming-of-age one-shot, Is Love the Answer?. The first episode of this series is available now and free-to-read for Kodansha Readers, with new episodes arriving biweekly exclusively on kodansha.us.
Coming to Print Fall 2024:
Kodansha then gave us a glimpse into 2024 by showcasing their wide-ranging roster of upcoming debuts including Versus, the the epic action fantasy series by the One Punch Man creator ONE; Pupposites Attract, the adorable canine centric rom-com by Hono Natsuna; Snow & Ink, the dramatic road-trip saga about healing from your past; Home Office Romance, the pandemic-era at-home love story from the Kintetsu Yamada, the creator of Sweat and Soap; and much more!
Debuting Digitally in December:
December also sees the English-language premiere of Uta Isaki’s Japanese debut series, the fantastical manga about searching for a place of peace after a time of war, Sayabito: Swords of Destiny, as well as the spicy work-place romance, Don’t Tempt Me, VP!.
The announced print titles will be available fall 2024 at physical and online book vendors like Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Amazon, and more. While December's digital manga series debuts will be available upon release across all our participating digital vendors, including Bookwalker, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play, Nook, Kobo, MyAnimeList, Mangamo and more! Fans can also purchase and read all our digital manga on the new kodansha.us.
Take a look below at the full roster of debuts coming soon in print and digital from Kodansha.
NEW KODANSHA READER PORTAL SERIES:
Read the first episode of Uta Isaki's The Spellbook Library today!
FALL 2024 NEW PRINT LICENSES:
Versus
Story by ONE; Manga by Kyoutarou Azuma; Organized by bose
Centuries ago, humanity’s natural enemy, “Demons,” invaded the world and oppressed humankind. The Great Demon Lord and 47 subordinates known as Demon Lords have since dominated the world, while the human race lives on in fear. In desperation, a last-ditch effort for humanity’s very survival is placed in the hands of 47 people gathered from across the world. These heroes will oppose the demon army and win back humanity’s freedom…or die trying!
Rated: 16+
Pupposites Attract
By Hono Natsuna
Chiharu Kagura is content spending her days with her sweetie of a Rottweiler that probably weighs about as much as she does. Meanwhile, Kiyotaka Tsujii can’t get enough of his fluffy Pomeranian that barely comes up to his knees. When these two mismatched pairs chance upon each other at the park, could it be the start of an unlikely friendship—or maybe something more?
Rated: 16+
The Boy I Loved Became the Jaded Emperor
By Ii Oshikawa; Created by Bekio; Character Designs by Mitsuya Fuji
After witnessing the death of the woman who saved him as a child, Prince Alexei vows revenge and turns bitter and jaded, eventually taking the throne and becoming Emperor. Little does he know, the woman who saved him was reborn as the daughter of a duke, a taciturn young lady with a secret. When fate throws them together, will they recognize each other, or will their jaded pasts keep them apart?
Rated: 13+
Snow & Ink
By Miyuki Unohana
Accused of slaughtering an entire village, a sardonic criminal resigned to his lot in life is mysteriously bought by the daughter of a wealthy family. She too has been shunned by the world, and saw in him a suitable companion for her journey to the barren north. While they both carry a certain darkness in their hearts, that may be what allows them to find solace in each other…
Rated: 16+
Home Office Romance
By Kintetsu Yamada
A one-shot (home) office romance rom-com from the creator of Sweat and Soap!
Nokoru is finally afforded the chance to telework at home due to the pandemic lockdown. Rediscovering old passions and new hobbies, Nokoru is allured by his next-door neighbor, Natsu.
From the creator of Sweat and Soap, this standalone volume showcases two adults building a relationship when most human-to-human interaction was halted, even if it feels like a tall tale to find romance at home.
Rated: 16+
Kusunoki’s Flunking Her High School Glow-Up
By Mitsuki Mii
Keisuke Shizuki and Shizuka Kusunoki are taking high school by storm with their good looks, but they share a dark secret: they were both total outcasts in middle school! While Shizuki has succeeded in making himself over inside and out, clearing the slate of his past life, Kusunoki is still struggling to develop social skills to match her new appearance. She’s eager for Shizuki’s help, if only he could get over his phobia of pretty girls…
Rated: 13+
Spoil Me Plzzz, Hinamori-san!
By tsuke
Ichigo Hinamori has always looked up to her senpai Yaya Suou for her poise, impeccable grades, and kind heart. But that all changes the day Ichigo stumbles upon Yaya wailing like a little kid in the nurse’s office. It turns out everyone’s favorite honor student is desperate to get off her pedestal and be spoiled rotten instead—and now she’s hoping Ichigo will be the one to indulge her!
Rated: 13+
Sheltering Eaves
By Rie Aruga
At the age of ten, Yoru was sent to live in a children’s home due to abuse from her mother. Tenjaku, a boy who is the same age, takes Yoru under his wing. Now in their second year of high school, Yoru and Tenjaku only have a year left before they must leave the children’s home.
From the creator of Perfect World, this story follows a pure romance that has blossomed in an unfair and cruel world as it explores Japanese society’s treatment of those who are most innocent.
Rated: 16+
Your Lie in April Omnibus
By Naoshi Arakawa
Naoshi Arakawa’s beloved romantic drama about relearning to fall in love with music—and life—returns in this brand new omnibus edition!
Kōsei Arima was a piano prodigy until his cruel taskmaster of a mother died suddenly, changing his life forever. Driven by his pain to abandon piano, Kosei now lives in a monotonous, colorless world. Having resigned himself to a bland life, he is surprised when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a violinist with an unorthodox style. Can Kaori teach Kosei not just how to play, but how to start living again?
Rated: 13+
DECEMBER 2022 NEW DIGITAL LICENSES:
Sayabito: Swords of Destiny
By Uta Isaki
Release Date: December 5, 2023
From the creator of Is Love the Answer? and The Spellbook Library comes an exciting new fantasy battle manga—the author’s debut, now available in English!
Constructed solely for war, sayabito are fearsome human weapons who are tightly bonded to those who wield them. In the wake of a great war, fiery and impatient Rivia and her willowy, cautious partner Kuifa roam the land in search of sayabito who lost their wielders in the conflict, in order to register and protect these vulnerable sayabito before they wither away or are exploited. Though Rivia and Kuifa frequently exasperate each other with their clashing approaches, they share one common goal: to carve out a life in the peacetime for which they, and others like them, were never meant.
Rated: 16+
Don't Tempt Me, VP!
By Kana Nakatsuki
Release Date: December 19, 2023
27-year old Maki Enomoto is done with relationships. One year ago, her terrible boyfriend made her the joint guarantor on a loan before promptly ghosting her with a mountain of debt. Now she just wants to be left alone to her quiet otaku life, working her office job to make her ex’s monthly repayments, and devoting what scant little is left to her hobbies. Namely, her virtual boyfriend Allen-kun, who is hot, kind, and dependable in a way that real-life men aren’t—least of all the hotshot young VP that keeps getting on her case about deadlines and deliverables. But when said VP shows up with a rather interesting proposal, Maki must decide if she's ready to roll the dice one last time…
Rated: 18+