Month: August 2025

From Anime NYC Kodansha Unveils Fall 2026 New Manga Licenses

Posted on | Events | Licensing Announcements

Kodansha Announces New Print Manga Licenses for Fall 2026

Just announced at Anime NYC 2025 — Kodansha revealed to manga fans in-person and online updates, more print manga licenses arriving in Fall 2026.

The first look at Kodansha’s Fall 2025 new print licenses includes a spotlight on the award-winning mangaka Yuna Hirasawa. Two Fall print debuts from Hirasawa will include the Eisner Award-winning memoir manga My Journey to Her, as well as a new all-ages fantasy vet adventure, Luca the Dragon Vet. And in a surprise reveal for long-time fans, the 2000’s indie-rock, coming-of-age saga BECK will return to print in a new 2-in-1 paperback omnibus edition. 

Today’s print title announcements will be available starting Fall 2026 at physical and online book vendors like Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Amazon, and more, while digital editions will be available upon release across all our participating vendors, including Bookwalker, Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play, Nook, Kobo, MyAnimeList, and more! Fans can also purchase and read all Kodansha digital manga directly on kodansha.localhost/.

See below for details on the full slate of debuts coming soon in print and digital from Kodansha.

YUNA HIRASAWA SPOTLIGHT:

My Journey To Her
By Yuna Hirasawa

JP Title: 僕が私になるために

Debut Date: Fall 2026

In this standalone manga, trans author Yuna Hirasawa shares her experience living with gender dysphoria, as well as her trip from Japan to Thailand for her gender-affirming surgery in 2015. She covers topics like coming out to family and the loneliness of traveling to a new place—all while illustrating the legal and medical processes of her own transition.

After graduating from university, Yuna spent several years going through the motions and working an office job. Until one day, while in pursuit of an essential missing piece of her life, she receives a diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which opens up new doors for her. As she takes on medical treatments and tries out new makeup and outfits, she sees just how lonely and difficult the process of transitioning can be. But in 2015, when Yuna travels to Thailand for her gender-affirming surgery, the support of her siblings, new strangers, and documenting her experience through manga helps her begin to heal in more ways than one. Told in an honest and, at times, humorous tone, this memoir is a blend of manga and detailed prose that does not shy away from sensitive topics, such as suicidal ideation, transphobia, and the simultaneously harrowing, yet joyous, experience of gender-affirming surgery.

Read the 1st chapter of the digital edition here.

Rated: 13+

Luca the Dragon Vet
By Yuna Hirasawa

JP Title: 竜医のルカ

Debut Date: Fall 2026

Luca was raised in a world where people can fly—to travel, work, or war—on the backs of dragons, and she knows what she wants to be: a dragon vet! Standing in her way are stringent admissions rules, impossibly difficult classes, and a notorious family name… A magical medical drama full of adventure and intrigue from the creator of My Journey to Her, perfect for younger and older fans of Witch Hat Atelier and The Apothecary Diaries!

Rated: 8+

NEW EDITIONS:

BECK Omnibus
By Harold Sakuishi

JP Title: ＢＥＣＫ　新装版

Debut Date: Fall 2026

The ultimate rock-and-roll shonen manga returns, with an all-new translation, in a premium 2-in-1 paperback omnibus featuring new cover illustrations! Experience the beloved story of a boy who dreams of stardom, a band that won’t stay down, and the music world’s strangest-looking dog. More than 400 pages of manga per volume! 

Fourteen-year-old Yukio Tanaka is one heck of a boring guy. He has no hobbies, weak taste in music, and only a small vestige of a personality. His shy and somewhat neurotic personality makes him his own worst enemy. Little does he know that his life will be forever changed when he meets rocker Ryusuke Minami, an unpredictable sixteen-year-old with a cool dog named Beck. Ryusuke has just returned to Japan from America, and when he inspires Yukio to get into music, the two begin a journey through the world of rock ’n’ roll dreams! Lace up your Docs and head to the mosh pit-Harold Sakuishi’s manga series that spawned the hit anime is back!

Read the 1st chapter of the digital edition here.

Rated: 16+

Celebrate the Special Issue of Young Magazine with volume 1s as low as $0.99 during the Young Magazine Spotlight Sale

Posted on | Sales

Experience series from Young Magazine with digital volume 1s only $0.99 and 50% off additional volumes!

Step into the world of legendary seinen manga publication Young Magazine— that debuted such influential series as AKIRA, Initial D,  Chobits and more—and celebrate some of the magazine’s most recent hits and fan-favorites all on discount during our Young Magazine Spotight digital manga sale! 

For a limited time, find your new favorite seinen series with digital volumes 1s starting at just $0.99, and additional volumes up to 50% off! Save on such hits and fan-favorites as:

MF Ghost: A high-octane racing manga from Shuichi Shigeno, the creator of Initial D, set in a near-future Japan where internal combustion cars are nearly extinct.

The Fable: A dry yet dangerously hilarious series following a prodigy hitman forced to take a sabbatical to lay low and live a normal life for 1 year. All the while forces in the criminal underworld won’t let him be.

Basilisk: A historical fantasy manga about two sworn-enemy ninja clans, the Iga and the Kouga. After a four-hundred-year truce is dissolved, ten of each clan’s best fighters must battle to the death to determine who will be the next Tokugawa Shogun.

Ya Boy Kongming!: At the end of his life legendary General of the Three Kingdoms, Kongming, wishes to be reborn into a peaceful world only to reincarnate to modern day Tokyo where his next battlefield lies in the cutthroat world of pop entertainment.

Starving Anonymous : A brutal and visceral horror manga that follows a high school student named I’a as he and his classmates are abducted and wake up to find the world has been ravaged by a horrifying plague. 

ORIGIN, A spectacular sci-fi action thriller from the creator of Dr. Stone, set in a futuristic Tokyo where humanity is under siege by murderous androids.

Sale Ends Monday, September 1st, 2025! 

Take advantage of these amazing discounts by purchasing on kodansha.localhost/ or by visiting any of our participating digital manga vendors: 

Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble Nook
Bookwalker
Google Play
MyAnimeList
Mangamo
and more! 

Curious to learn more about which series are discounted during the Young Magazine Spotlight digital manga sale? Take a look below for details on five recommended series!

MF Ghost
By Shuichi Shigeno

The author of Initial D has roared back onto the track with another hit! In a near future where cars have mostly switched over to sustainable power, combustion engine racing is a rarity. The MFG is the last major race for this dying breed, and half-Japanese Kanata Rivington has come back to try his luck. But that’s not all he’s come to Japan to do…he’s searching for his father, too. Can even the ambitious Kanata accomplish all he’s set out to do?

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of MF Ghost

 

The Moon on a Rainy Night
By Kuzushiro

A high school girl’s chance encounter with an enigmatic female classmate whose musical aspirations were complicated when an accident almost completely took her hearing leads to the slow blossoming of love. Perfect for fans of yuri series like Whisper Me a Love Song and sweet, sophisticated romances like A Sign of Affection.

One rainy night, Saki is rushing to a piano lesson when she crashes into a beautiful, long-haired girl, dropping her sheet music in the process. Saki stutters an apology, but the girl simply hands back her sheet music and leaves without a word. Saki begins her first day of high school the following morning, only to find the stranger from the night before sitting at the desk next to hers. She learns that the girl’s name is Kanon and that she is not quite completely deaf, but very hard of hearing. Though Kanon needs to be close to people to read their lips, she tends to push people away with her icy demeanor. Through one kind gesture, Saki slowly begins breaking down the walls around Kanon, even as she feels something new blossoming within her.

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of The Moon on a Rainy Night

 

Starving Anonymous 
By Kazu Inabe, CMS Kengo Mizutani and Yuu Kuraishi

It’s a day like any other, and high school students I’e and Kazu are on the bus home from school when, suddenly, it floods with a mysterious gas. The pair pass out and wake up to find themselves aboard a truck packed full of human bodies. They’re surrounded by rows of frozen corpses…and a staff of living human beings sawing them into pieces. Where are they…and how can they escape from this nightmare? In this brand-new hit from the creators of Fort of Apocalypse, mankind finds itself locked in a desperate fight for survival!

Rated: 18+ 

Read a FREE preview of Starving Anonymous

 

Dragon Head
By Minetaro Mochizuki

The end of everyone was just the beginning…Returning home by train after a class trip, Teru Aoki takes a most frightening ride inside a mountain tunnel. When the train derails, nearly everyone aboard is killed. Amidst the bloody carnage, Teru discovers two survivors–but salvation is far from their grasp. As they try to dig out from the wreck in order to come up with a plan to stay alive, the lack of light and food, combined with the stench of death and decay, will lead one member of the group down a dark and demented path. And with sudden, violent earthquakes shaking the tunnel, escaping to the outside world may lead them to an even greater danger…

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Dragon Head

 

Boys Run the Riot
By Keito Gaku

High schooler Ryo knows he’s transgender, but he doesn’t have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can’t tell his best friend, who he’s secretly got a crush on, and he can’t tell his mom, who’s constantly asking why Ryo “dresses like a boy.” He certainly can’t tell Jin, the new transfer student who looks like just another bully… The only time Ryo feels at ease is when he’s wearing his favorite clothes. Then, and only then, the world melts away, and he can be his true self. One day, while out shopping, Ryo sees someone he didn’t expect: Jin. The kid who looked so tough in class has the same taste in fashion as him! At last, Ryo has someone he can open up to—and the journey ahead might finally give him a way to express himself to the world.

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of Boys Run the Riot

See below for the full list of Young Magazine series on sale now until 09/01/25:

Kodansha at Anime NYC 2025

Posted on | Events

Kodansha at Anime NYC 2025

At this year’s Anime NYC (August 21–24, 2025, Javits Convention Center,) we’re celebrating the deepest and grittiest of Kodansha manga!

Young Magazine—the legendary seinen magazine and home of AKIRA, The Ghost in the Shell, Initial D, and more—will be on the floor, showcasing an exciting special edition of the magazine just for US readers!

Be sure to pick up the special issue of Young Magazine for FREE at the Kinokuniya Booth (#321) and check out panels & signings by special guests like Minetaro Mochizuki (creator of Dragon Head) and Kengo Hanazawa (creator of Under Ninja from Denpa.)

 

Numerous wires connecting to the back of a humanoid character with white, slick-backed hair with a cityscape backdrop
Young Magazine Special Issue is available for FREE at Kinokuniya Booth (#321)

 

Take a bite out of the Big Apple’s largest anime convention with a guide to all our panels at Anime NYC:
 

2025 American Manga Award Nominations from Kodansha

This year, Kodansha is proud to continue seeing award nominations for some of our most legendary classic manga, as well as one of our newest and most heartfelt series, with both Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow and Spacewalking With You being in the running for American Manga Awards. Happening Thursday, August 21, 2025, we’ll find out if these two series win out over other amazing manga nominees. 

See below for the Kodansha titles and creators up for awards: 

  • BEST NEW MANGA
    Spacewalking With You by Inohiko Doronoda
  • BEST NEW EDITION OF CLASSIC MANGA
    Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba
  • BEST LETTERING
    Evan Hayden – Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow

 

The Future is Queer for Manga in Libraries!

August 23, 2025
5:00PM – 5:45PM
Room 1A03
Programming Link: https://animenyc.com/programming/#/event/the-future-is-queer-for-manga-in-libraries

From Meet-Cutes to Self-Discovery, the world of manga has exploded to include a variety of LGBTQIA+ centered stories that highlight a spectrum of lived experiences, and we want to share them with you! Join manga publishers, Kodansha, Square Enix Manga & Books, and Yen Press, as they showcase and discuss their favorite queer-focused manga series, featuring heart-warming romance, will-they-won’t-they tropes, and maybe even a Zaddy or two…

 

Kodansha Manga: Past, Present & Future

August 24, 2025
11:00AM – 12:00PM
Room 1A23
Programing Link: https://animenyc.com/programming/#/event/kodansha-manga-past-present-future

Kodansha—purveyors of some of the most exciting & heartfelt manga published today, like Gachiakuta, Blue Lock, and Witch Hat Atelier—invites fans of manga, anime, and yes, even comics, to get a sneak peek at the future of Kodansha Manga releases! Join the manga experts from Kodansha to get the inside scoop on new manga series, new editions, recommendations, and maybe come away with some surprise giveaways.

 

Now Screaming – Horror Manga Recommendations from Publishers!

August 24, 2025
11:00AM – 11:45PM
Room 1A03
Programing Link: https://animenyc.com/programming/#/event/now-screaming-horror-manga-recommendations-from-publishers

Spooky SZN is upon us, and what’s more terrifying than not having a fresh stack of horror manga on your TBR pile? Join the masters of fright from Kodansha, Square Enix Manga & Books, and Yen Press as they do their best Crypt Keeper impressions (please, don’t laugh at us!) and introduce you to their favorite horror manga series. This Book Buzz style panel is a bloody good time for librarians and educators in search of horror and horror-adjacent titles appropriate for a spectrum of age ranges!

 

Do You Have This Manga? An Anime Tie-In Library Book Buzz!

August 24, 2025
1:00PM – 1:45PM
Room 1A03
Programing Link: https://animenyc.com/programming/#/event/do-you-have-this-manga-an-anime-tie-in-library-book-buzz

Staying on top of the anime news and trends can be tough, especially for busy libraries! Manga publishers Kodansha, Square Enix Manga & Books, and Yen Press are here to help with a primer on what the hot titles with anime adaptations are right now, what’s headed to streaming in the future, and recommended resources for how your library can stay ahead of the curve!

 

Panel Session by Minetaro Mochizuki, the author of Dragon Head

August 24, 2025
2:00PM – 2:45PM
Room 1A23
Programing Link: https://animenyc.com/programming/#/event/panel-session-by-minetaro-mochizuki-the-author-of-dragon-head

Minetaro Mochizuki has been creating manga for “Young Magazine” since 1985, and to celebrate the magazine’s 45th anniversary, he will talk about the label’s history and future.

 

Stay tuned to this blog and use the hashtag #ANYC25_Kodansha on our social media for more updates from Kodansha during Anime NYC (August 21–24, 2025).  

Get 50% off series like Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai, A Girl & Her Guard Dog, Lovely Muco! & more during the Dog & Cat Days of Summer Sale!

Posted on | Sales

For a limited time, get 50% off digital volumes of pet friendly and critter friend-focused series like Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai, My Master Has No Tail, Heaven’s Design Team, Lovely Muco! & more!

Summer is nearly over, so sit back and relax with furry friends, critter companions, and folks with a little bit of animal inside them! Whether you’re a dog person, a cat person, or love them all, there are charming, exciting, and heartfelt series waiting for you with our Days of Summer Digital Manga Sale! 

For a limited time, get 50% off digital volumes from series to help you recover with titles like:

Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai: a gritty samurai adventure following Norachiyo, a wandering ronin cat who fights for the weak in a feudal Japan populated entirely by felines.

A Girl & Her Guard Dog: A charming shoujo romantic comedy about Isaku, the granddaughter of a yakuza boss, who just wants a normal high school life and a chance at finding love.

Lovely Muco! : A heartwarming and hilarious slice-of-life comedy centered on the daily adventures of a lovable Shiba Inu named Muco and her owner, Komatsu-san, a glassblower. 

With a Dog AND a Cat, Every Day is Fun: A hilarious collection of 4-koma comedy strips that anthropomorphizes dogs and cats, chronicling their daily lives and mischievous adventures from their own unique perspectives.

Drifting Dragons, a visually stunning fantasy adventure that mixes high-flying airship action with mouthwatering culinary detail. Set in a world where sky-faring crews hunt massive dragons

Sale Ends Monday, August 18th, 2025! 

Take advantage of these amazing discounts by purchasing on kodansha.localhost/ or by visiting any of our participating digital manga vendors: 

Amazon Kindle
Barnes and Noble Nook
Bookwalker
Google Play
MyAnimeList
Mangamo
and more! 

Curious to learn more about which series are discounted during the Dog & Cat Days of Summer digital manga sale? Take a look below for details on five recommended series!

Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai
By Hiroyuki Takei

In medieval Japan, it’s a hard life for a stray cat. Every day is filled with struggles and prejudice, from oppression by fellow cats working for cruel masters to extortion by catnip druglords. But being a stray also means incredible pride and independence. The wandering samurai Norachiyo has no master, though he still wears the telltale bell of a cat who has a “person.” This rogue warrior travels across Japan, protecting the weak and cutting down those who have forgotten the virtues of being a stray—all with unrivaled swordsmanship. Although Norachiyo leaves little trace but his fearsome reputation, this enigmatic warrior has made plenty of enemies who are more than willing to get their claws on his head. Will Norachiyo’s past catch up with him, or can he spend his nine lives in freedom?

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of Nekogahara: Stray Cat Samurai

 

Heaven’s Design Team
By Hebi-zou, Hebi Zou, Tarako and Tsuta Suzuki

In heaven’s Animal Design Department, designers create a variety of new animals daily while contending with the unreasonable requests of their client: God. Funny, interesting, and full of useful information, this series answers questions such as,“Why can’t unicorns exist?”,“What makes an animal taste delicious?”,“What’s the most powerful creature in the ocean?”, and,“Bird versus snake: who would win?” You won’t believe it’s a manga series when you read up on the featured animals in the included encyclopedia entries. Heavenly Design Team will make your next trip to the zoo or aquarium 100 times more fun!

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Heaven’s Design Team

 

My Master Has No Tail
By Mitsu Izumi

Mameda is a tanuki who was born in the wrong era – all she wants is to trick humans, but that age of tanuki shenanigans is over. But one woman, a rakugo master named Bunko, shows Mameda it’s still possible to cast magic on humans…only with words, not illusions. Mameda is determined to become Bunko’s apprentice, but can she convince the stoic master to take her on…?

Rated: 13+ 

Read a FREE preview of My Master Has No Tail

 

A Girl & Her Guard Dog
By Hatsuharu

Isaku never asked to be the daughter of a yakuza boss, but when her parents died in a car accident when she was 5, her gangster grandfather took her in and raised her as part of the clan. After years of being avoided by her schoolmates because of her family ties, Isaku is finally ready to make her high-school debut, live a normal life, and maybe even find love…until loyal family servant and Isaku’s dedicated guardian, 26-year-old Keiya, enters high school right alongside her and vows to protect her from all of the above! Now she’s got a chain-smoking, pistol-wielding knight-in-shining(?)-armor to deal with, and navigating high school besides? What’s a young lady to do?!

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of A Girl & Her Guard Dog

 

Good Dog, Cerberus!
By Moha Arimura

Cerberus—the guard dog of the underworld—is a clumsy puppy who can’t do his job. Although Cerberus is constantly causing trouble for his master, Hades, he is always forgiven for being just so darn cute. So goes this wonderfully fluffy tale of life in the underworld. This heartwarming full-color comic is a must-see for all the dog-lovers out there!

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of Good Dog, Cerberus!

See below for the full list of Dog & Cat Days of Summer series on sale now until 08/18/25:

 

Kodansha House Returns to NYC in October 2025

Posted on | Events

KODANSHA HOUSE RETURNS TO NYC IN OCTOBER 2025

NEW YORK, NY – July 25, 2025 – Kodansha House 2025, the highly anticipated return of Kodansha’s immersive fan experience, is set to return to SoHo this October. Kodansha, Japan’s largest publisher and the creative force behind iconic stories like Akira, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Attack on Titan, and Blue Lock, invites fans to discover an even bigger and more expansive experience with the world of manga. Opening October 4th at 210 Lafayette Street in SoHo, the pop-up will be open from Tuesdays to Sundays, 12pm-9pm, through October 19th.

This year, Kodansha House unlocks a new chapter of immersive fan experiences with expanded space, more interactive exhibits and fresh programming designed to celebrate the manga community. Kodansha House offers a dynamic space for fans to connect, create, and celebrate the stories they love. From interactive exhibits and hands-on workshops to date nights and movie screenings, this experiential event is the perfect spot for manga lovers and culture vultures to meet, mingle, and dive deeper into the magic of manga like never before.

Kodansha is also thrilled to announce KODANSHA Mochikomi Fresh Ink 2025, a rare opportunity for aspiring creators who are planning to visit Kodansha House to engage with Japan’s legendary editorial team. Selected Mochikomi finalists will have the chance to sit down with one of Kodansha’s editors at Kodansha House for a 1:1 portfolio review. Submissions are open from August 1st to August 15th at 11:59PM EST.

The month-long programming includes a diverse lineup of exhibits featuring fan favorites like Attack on Titan, Ghost in The Shell, Blue Lock and many more! Three major manga creators, to be announced, will make rare U.S. appearances with Q&A sessions and signings.

For more information, visit https://www.kodanshahouse.com. Sign up for exclusive updates including early access to House sneak peaks, ticket drops, and find out about other exciting RSVP-only events at Kodansha House to be announced in the coming weeks.

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