Year: 2025

Kodansha @ New York Comic Con 2025! Panels, Anime Premieres & MORE!

Posted on | Events

Kodansha at New York Comic Con 2025 

With the arrival of Autumn, the Big Apple is ablaze with passion as anime and manga enthusiasts across the East Coast prepare for the entertainment extravaganza that is New York Comic Con (October 9–12, 2025, Javits Convention Center.)

But this year, fans will also have something else to get fired up about with the return of Kodansha House in Manhattan—a red-hot celebration of all things manga—taking place October 4–19, 2025 at 210 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012.

So be sure to plan your trip to check out the special exhibit, events, and merch while you’re in NYC.

ICYMI, here’s the #NYCC25_Kodansha new licensing announcement revealed at New York Comic Con for print manga, picture books and box sets debuting Fall 2026!

If you came out to the Human Algorithm: Manga Recommendations for Educators & Librarians panel on October 10th, 2025 you got to experience great manga recs from not only the amazing panelists. To capture all the great manga that was shared, for even folks who weren’t at the panel, we drafted up a shareable document which you can read here: 

Human Algorithm: Manga Recommendations for Educators & Librarians Recommendation Sheet

2025 Harvey Award Nominations from Kodansha

We continue an amazing year of award-nominated manga as we arrive at New York Comic Con with two Best Manga Harvey Award nominations! Two fantastic ongoing series, Witch Hat Atelier and WIND BREAKER, are both in the running at the Harvey Awards, the prestigious comic, manga, and graphic-novel industry event taking place on Friday October 10, 2025.

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

  • Best Manga
    WIND BREAKER by Satoru Nii; translated by Jacqueline Fung
    Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama; translated by Stephen Kohler 

Panels & Events

Crunchyroll Premieres – Round 1

Thursday, October 9, 2025
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM ET
North-Room 405

Programming Link: https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/things-to-do/panels/panel-information.html?gtID=912486&panel-name=Crunchyroll-Premieres-Round-1

Catch a sneak peek at some of the upcoming anime that’s coming to Crunchyroll’s simulcasts! Don’t miss your chance to be among the first to see the latest anime from Japan! 

Fire Force Season 3 – Episode 13
Hana-Kimi – Episode 1

Kodansha’s Upcoming Series Debuts & New Licenses

Friday, October 10, 2025
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM ET
North-Room 406.2

Programming Link: https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/things-to-do/panels/panel-information.html?gtID=905842&panel-name=Kodanshas-Upcoming-Series-Debuts-and-amp-New-Licenses

Kodansha—purveyors of some of the most exciting & heartfelt manga published today like, Blue Lock, Gachiakuta and Witch Hat Atelier and more—invites manga veterans and newbies alike to get a special sneak peek of some of the hottest new series and latest license coming soon to a bookshelf near you! Hear from the manga experts at Kodansha as they detail an upcoming year of huge manga debuts, offer recommendations for soon-to-debut releases and even hand out some special manga giveaways. It’s a panel no manga fan can miss!

Human Algorithm: Manga Recommendations for Educators & Librarians

Friday, October 10, 2025
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
Javits-Level 4 River Pavilion: Pro Stage 2

Programming Link: https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/things-to-do/panels/panel-information.html?gtID=905845&panel-name=Human-Algorithm-Manga-Recommendations-for-Educators-and-amp-Librarians

Interest in anime and manga has exploded over the last 5 years, which is great for fans but makes staying on top of what’s popular and (more importantly) appropriate for libraries and schools difficult to discern. That’s where the manga pros come in! Better than AI, join this panel of manga professionals that will act as your human algorithm to find manga perfect for your school, library, and readers. We’ll be taking questions throughout the panel to help build a list anyone can reference, completely powered by professional manga fans.

How to Start Building a Manga Collection for your School or Library

Saturday, October 11, 2025
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
Javits-Level 4 River Pavilion: Pro Stage 1

Programming Link: https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/things-to-do/panels/panel-information.html?gtID=905844&panel-name=How-to-Start-Building-a-Manga-Collection-for-your-School-or-Library

Are you an educator or librarian struggling to know which manga is right for your readers? Let manga professionals help! Join this panel of publishing professionals and professional fans for a conversation that offers tips on how to get started, popular recommendations, resources to help make informed decisions, giveaways, and more! We’re here to help start or grow your manga library!

Seeing Yourself: Queer Representation in Manga

Saturday, October 11, 2025
4:15 PM – 5:15 PM
North-Room 406.1

Programming Link: https://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en-us/things-to-do/panels/panel-information.html?gtID=905843&panel-name=Seeing-Yourself-Queer-Representation-in-Manga

Manga has always been a source for stories for and about all kinds of folks. And it’s through this variety that many queer people have been able to see themselves, not only in popular genres like BL and Yuri but also in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and many other kinds of manga. Join this panel of queer manga experts as they talk about their own experiences seeing themselves and offer recommendations for amazing stories brimming with pride.

Keep your eyes peeled on this blog post and our social media posts with the hashtag #NYCC25_Kodansha for panel reminders, new licensing announcements, and more updates from Kodansha during NYCC. 

 

From NYCC 2025 Kodansha Unveils Their Fall 2026 New Print Manga Licenses

Posted on | Events | Licensing Announcements

Kodansha Announces New Print Manga Licenses for Fall 2026

Just announced at New York Comic Con 2025 — Kodansha revealed to manga fans in-person and online more print manga licenses arriving in Fall 2026.

Kodansha unveils even more details from their Fall 2026 print publishing lineup by revealing a range of upcoming debuts including: a new high quality art book from The Ghost in the Shell creator with Shirow Masamune:
Artworks in the Shell; new all-ages titles like the feline focused Cells at Work! spinoff, Cells at Work! Cat, and the magical creature fantasy adventure, When a Dragon Calls; exciting romance stories like the sci-fi rom-com, My Husband is a Doomsday Weapon; beautiful BL like the K-Pop omegaverse drama, Comeback After Fate; and more!

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.

PREMIUM ART BOOK:

Shirow Masamune:
Artworks in the Shell
By Shirow Masamune

JP Title: 士郎正宗の世界展 公式原画集 SHIROW MASAMUNE ARTWORKS IN THE SHELL (Shirow Masamune no Sekai-ten – Koushiki Genga-shu)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

Artworks in the Shell is the capstone to any collection focused on Shirow Masamune, covering his more than 40-year career from Dominion and The Ghost in the Shell through Appleseed, Intron Depot, and more!

At 288 pages and nearly a foot long, this hardcover collection is the most spectacular presentation ever of the stunning range of Shirow’s color works, tracing his techniques from all-analog through dozens of early digital tools up to the present day. Assembled for a blockbuster career retrospective exhibition in Tokyo last year, this exhaustive collection of color work by Japan’s master of cyberpunk includes dozens of rare, uncollected pieces, including two exquisite double-folded gatefold artworks.

Rated: 18+

ALL – AGES:

Cells at Work! Picture Books
By Kumi Makimura
Original work by Akane Shimizu

JP Title: 絵本 はたらく細胞 (Ehon Hataraku Saibo)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

The mega-hit anime and best-selling manga is now an edutainment picture book series! Red Blood Cell, White Blood Cell (Neutrophil), and their team guide young readers on an exciting behind the scenes exploration of all the hard work going on to keep the human body healthy. Adorable characters, diagrams, and simple language help make the scientific adventure fun.

Titles in the series:

  • Cells at Work! Picture Book 1: The Great Bacteria Vs. White Blood Cell Battle!
  • Cells at Work! Picture Book 2: The Dastardly Duo of Flu and Food Poisoning!
  • Cells at Work! Picture Book 3: I’m Not Scared of Shots!
  • Cells at Work! Picture Book 4: Just a Cold? Just a Bump?
  • Cells at Work! Picture Book 5: Busy, Busy Gut Bug Buddies!

Rated: All Ages 10+

Cells at Work! Cat
Original Story by Choco Aozora
Art by Meku Kaire
Supervised by Akane Shimizu

JP Title: はたらく細胞　猫 (Hataraku Saibo Neko)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

Red Blood Cell, White Blood Cell (Neutrophil), and their team put on their cat ears as they work, day and night to fight the invaders big and small to make sure these feline friends are happy, healthy, purring machines! Explore the action taking place inside a cat’s body, in Cells at Work! style, while also seeing the perspective from the humans who provide a home and tender loving care.


Rated: All Ages 10+

YuM Cat
By Shirimoto

JP Title: ンめねこ (Nmeneko)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

YuM Cat (Nmeneko) is a cat who just wants to enjoy the yummier things in life. But some things that look tasty can be deceiving, and sometimes you need to get a little creative to satiate a craving! Thankfully, YuM Cat’s got a trusty sidekick to help with the trickier slices of life! 

This full-color, mostly wordless manga, based on the popular mascot character created by illustrator Shirimoto, which gained popularity on X (Twitter), was recently adapted into a short-form anime series starring Han Megumi and Hiro Shimono.

Perfect for cute cat fans (and foodies!) of any age!

Rated: 10+

When a Dragon Calls
Original Story by Sachiko Kashiwaba
Art by Renji Asai
Character Design by Miho Satake

JP Title: 竜が呼んだ娘 (Ryu ga Yonda Musume)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

A fantastical adventure based on the hit fantasy novel that will sweep you off your feet! 

Ten-year-old Mia lives with her aunt in the poor, secluded, so-called “Criminals’ Village” where the only way out is to be called by a dragon and carried off to a new life. One day, the unassuming Mia is chosen for this honor and whisked away on dragon-back to the royal palace, a dazzling world filled with witches, dragon-riding knights, and a centuries-long curse she must somehow find a way to lift.

Perfect for young readers and fans of Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away! 

Rated: 10+

ACTION & ADVENTURE:

Erin the Beast Player
Original story by Nahoko Uehashi
Art by Itoe Takemoto

JP Title: 獣の奏者  (Kemono no Souja)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

Coming to print for the first time in all-new omnibus editions!

Erin loves her modest but happy life with her mother, a gifted beast doctor who cares for the fearsome giant serpents that the kingdom’s warriors ride into battle. But their world is turned upside down when the entire stable of the prized serpents dies overnight, and Erin’s mother is saddled with the blame. Before she knows it, ten-year-old Erin is cast off in a faraway land where she must learn to survive with only her mother’s words and the kindness of strangers to guide her. 

A sumptuous manga adaptation of the hit fantasy novel series, perfect for fans of Witch Hat Atelier, Mushishi, and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind!

Rated: 10+

ROMANCE:

My Husband is a Doomsday Weapon.
By Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara

JP Title: 旦那様は終末兵器 (Danna-sama wa Shuumatsu Heiki)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

The first ever post-apocalyptic hard sci-fi human/android romance?!

A young scientist working to restore a civilization destroyed centuries ago by cataclysmic war unearths a devastatingly powerful doomsday weapon—which saves her from a marauding robot, then promptly transforms into human guise, identifying her as its new master. Thanks to the input from a romance novel, this handsome anthropomorphic weapon dedicates itself body and soul to our heroine, who in turn realizes that this may be the answer to her total inability to interact with human men…

Packed with humor and sterling artwork, this series fuses the visual storytelling techniques of shojo manga with effortlessly natural and precise science fiction worldbuilding to create something totally unique—and genuinely romantic!

Rated: 13+

You Might As Well Be the One
By Megumu Seto

JP Title: いっそあなたがトドメを刺して (Isso Anata ga Todome wo Sashite)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

“I want you to never stop smiling.” Ichika, a college student, just wants to have a normal romance for once, yet because of her flashy appearance, she is often misunderstood. Not ready to give up on a romantic encounter, Ichika joins a drinking party and meets a kind boy named Kosei. They immediately click and Ichika has a great time talking to him about their mutual interests and other things, and she finds herself falling for him after he tells her that he likes her for who she is. However, he has a secret…?!

Rated: 16+

BL:

A Love Too Captivating
By Mia Sorahana

JP Title: たまらないのは恋なのか (Tamaranai no wa Koi na no ka)

Debut Date: Fall 2026

The eagerly-awaited BL is finally here!

Misuzu never goes looking for fights—they just always come to him. But when he sees the local punks trying to start trouble with his classmate, honor-student Kitahara, he can’t help himself from stepping in. Ever since, Kitahara has been following Misuzu everywhere, trying to get to know this so-called bully who is actually much sweeter than he seems. All Misuzu wants is to be left alone…at first. But soon, something begins to blossom between the two—something that may just prove too captivating to resist.

A must-read for fans of My Summer of You and Sasaki and Miyano!

Rated: 16+

Comeback After Fate
By Anji Seina

JP Title: カムバック・アフター・フェイト

Debut Date: Fall 2026

The steamy K-Pop omegaverse BL manga you’ve been waiting for!

Eli’s boy band VINKS has just made their big debut—and as the youngest in the group, far from having everything handed to him as an alpha, he has to work twice as hard! One day, he participates in a session with Lee Suyoung from the top-ranked, all-alpha group α-code. For Eli, a longtime fan, it’s a dream come true. But what’s this sweet smell coming from Suyoung? Before he knows it, Eli’s mouth is heading for Suyoung’s nape… It’s only one month until α-code’s big comeback. What will they do, now that Eli knows Suyoung’s secret?

Rated: 18+

BOX SET:

Gachiakuta Dumpster Box Set
By Kei Urana
Graffiti Design by Hideyoshi Andou

Debut Date: Fall 2026

Vols. 1-10 of the original manga in a graffiti-covered, dumpster-shaped box set. Bonus item: cotton tote bag made from recycled material.

A young boy is framed for murder and cast off the edge of a floating city into the abyss, where he grapples with the monsters that the elite high above would rather forget. The more the rich glitter, the higher the price paid by the poor…

Now a hit anime running through December 2025!

Rated: 16+

Announcing the Long-Awaited Sequel to Totto-chan: NYC Event Schedule

Posted on | Events

Introducing the Trailblazing Woman behind Totto-chan

Kodansha USA Throws a Celebration for the Little Girl at the Window

By Alexandra McCullough-Garcia, with editorial assistance by Daniel Joseph and Alvin Lu

The train rocked Totto as it chugged along in the dark, bound for Aomori Prefecture. She could see nothing at all through the window. Totto was perched in the middle of a two-seater bench. At her sides were not her mother, Noriaki-chan, or Mari-chan, however, but a middle-aged man and woman, neither of whom she knew. She was all alone. In her right hand, she clutched the train ticket Mother had given her as well as a note that read: Ueno, Fukushima, Sendai, Morioka, Shiriuchi.

It was the middle of March in the year the war would end.

— from Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, translated by Yuki Tejima

 

So begins one of the most thrilling chapters from Japanese postwar-cultural icon Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s recently translated autobiography Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel. The heart-pounding scene picks up exactly where her original, world record-breaking memoir ended, and begins to answer the burning question left in the millions of hearts it captured: What ever happened to Totto-chan?

This year, on November 18, 2025—over four decades after Totto-chan first burst onto the global stage—Kodansha USA brings the world the story of how that little girl became a trailblazing, multifaceted star, internationally renowned philanthropist, celebrated author, and one of the most enduring media presences in Japanese entertainment. 

“I am excited to announce that my memoir, Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel, will soon be released in English. It has been forty years in the making, and I put my whole heart and soul into it,” said author Testuko Kuroyanagi. “I hope you enjoy it!”

In celebration of Ms. Kuroyanagi’s career and legacy, Kodansha USA will also host events in New York City around the date of the book’s publication at the Japan Society, the New York Public Library, and Kinokuniya Bookstore (see Event Details below).

A Special Message from Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

 

Discover your new favorite manga with the volume 1s only $0.99 during the Like this? Try that! Sale!

Posted on | Sales
 

Get recommendations on new manga to binge during the Like this? Try That! sale with Volume 1s starting at $0.99

Looking for your next binge-worthy read? Now’s the perfect chance to explore series that capture the same vibes, themes, and thrills of beloved series enjoyed by fans around the world during our Like this? Try that! manga sale. 

Sale Ends Monday, October 6th, 2025! 

For a limited time, get volume 1s for just $0.99 and additional volumes up to 50% off. Dive into these favorites and recommendations:

IF YOU LIKE: Land of the Lustrous: A visually stunning and deeply philosophical manga that blends action, beauty, and fragility. Where humanity’s distant descendants live on in a small group of sexless crystalline beings who must fight off an invasion from the Moon.

THEN YOU SHOULD TRY: 

IF YOU LIKE: Sweat and Soap: A refreshingly sweet and grown-up romance that blends humor, vulnerability, and a touch of spice. With its quirky premise and heartfelt character dynamics, it celebrates love, trust, and intimacy in the most unexpected of places

THEN YOU SHOULD TRY: 

IF YOU LIKE: Witch Hat Atelier: a breathtakingly illustrated fantasy that captures the wonder of magic and the dangers that come with it. With its intricate worldbuilding and fairytale-like charm, it tells a spellbinding story of curiosity, creativity, and discovery.

THEN YOU SHOULD TRY: 

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

Amazon Kindle
BookWalker
Barnes and Noble Nook
Apple Books
Kobo
Google Play
MyAnimeList
Mangamo
and more! 

Curious to learn more about manga currently on sale during the Like this? Try that! digital manga sale? Take a look below for details on some of the recommended series to try:

Liked Land of the Lustrious? Try:

Apple Children of Aeon
By Kengo Matsumoto

Yukinojo doesn’t know his past, but he knows his future—a marriage to Asahi, heir to an apple farm in Aomori. But what should have been a quiet, pastoral life is interrupted one snowy day…and what should have laid dormant was awoken by his naïve hands…

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of Apple Children of Aeon

 Liked Sweat and Soap? Try:

Matcha Made in Heaven
By Umebachi Yamanaka

Chako Hananoki thought she’d found happiness in a handsome fiancé, but when she realized a marriage to him would mean a total erasure of herself, she broke it off and moved back into her childhood home in the country—only to find a strange man and young woman living there? She finds a way to coexist with them, but when her stalker fiancé follows her home, she declares to him (and accidentally to the whole village as well) that this new man in her life is her husband?! A dramatic fake-marriage, found-family story for the ages, by the illustrator of the Ossan’s Love manga adaptation!

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Matcha Made in Heaven

Liked Witch Hat Atelier? Try:

Mushishi
By Yuki Urushibara

Some live in the deep darkness behind your eyelids. Some eat silence. Some thoughtlessly kill. Some simply drive men mad. They are known as mushi—creatures that came into being shortly after life emerged from the primordial ooze. They still exist parallel to our own lives and can only be seen by a select few. As a mushishi, Ginko is one of the few who are aware of their existence, and this young man with a sardonic smile roams from place to place with the knowledge and skill to aid those unwittingly affected by mushi.

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Mushishi

See below for the full list of Kodansha Manga Starter Packs series on sale now until 10/6/25: 

Save up to 50% off series like Ajin: Demi-Human, Go! Go! Loser Ranger!, No. 6, & more during the Worlds at War Sale!

Posted on | Sales

For a limited time, get up to 50% off series featuring warring factions and brutal battles like Ajin: Demi-Human, No. 6, Battle Angel Alita: Last Order & more!

Prepare for epic conflicts and intense rivalries as we spotlight (and discount) manga that perfectly chronicle the heat of battle during our Worlds at War digital manga sale. 

For a limited time, get up to 50% off hard hitting action, sci-fi and survival manga like:

Ajin: Demi-Human: A dark, supernatural thriller following a high school student named Kei, who learns he is an “Ajin”—an immortal being who regenerates instantly after death.

No. 6: A suspenseful dystopian sci-fi manga that follows Shion, a privileged resident of the seemingly utopian city-state No. 6. who meets and harbors a fugutive on the run.

Battle Angel Alita: Last Order: A thrilling cyberpunk action sequel to the iconic Battle Angel Alita, following the cyborg warrior Alita after her consciousness is revived in a new body.

Go! Go! Loser Ranger!: A dark action-comedy that deconstructs the superhero genre. A low-level villainous foot soldier named “D” gets tired of staging his team’s weekly defeat and decides to secretly infiltrate the heroes’ ranks to expose the corruption behind their phony heroics.

The Darwin Incident, A powerful sci-fi thriller centered on Charlie, a brilliant human-chimpanzee hybrid. His existence becomes a global debate, forcing him to confront a world that isn’t ready for him while becoming a target for extremist groups.

Sale Ends Monday, September 29th, 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 Worlds at War digital manga sale? Take a look below for details on five recommended series!

Ajin: Demi-Human
Story by Tsuina Miura, Art by Gamon Sakurai

High school student Kei Nagai is struck dead in a grizzly traffic accident, but immediately revives to learn that he may not be like every other human. Instead, he may be a mysterious, almost immortal being granted not only the powers of rejuvenation but also the ability to see supernatural beings. Scared, he runs away and is aided in his escape from society by his friend. Unfortunately for Kei, the manhunt is on, and he will soon be caught in a conflict between mankind and others like him as they prepare to fight a new war based on terror.

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Ajin: Demi-Human

 

No. 6
By Hinoki Kino and Atsuko Asano

For Shion, an elite student in the technologically sophisticated city No. 6, life is carefully choreographed. School, study, and the occasional visit with his friend and classmate, Safu. One fateful day, however, he takes a misstep, sheltering an injured boy his age from a typhoon. Known only as Rat, this boy is a VC, a fugitive living outside the computerized tapestry of city control, and helping him will throw Shion’s life into chaos and start him down a path to discovering the appalling secrets behind the superficial perfection of No. 6.

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of No. 6

 

Inuyashiki
By Hiroya Oku

Ichiro Inuyashiki is down on his luck. While only 58 years old, his geriatric looks often have him written off as a pathetic old man by the world around him and he’s constantly ignored and disrespected by his family despite all that he’s done to support them. On top of everything else, his doctor has revealed that he has cancer, and it appears that he has little time left in this world. But just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse, a blinding light in the night sky strikes the earth where Ichiro stands. He later wakes up to find himself unscathed, but he soon starts to notice that there’s something…different about himself. However, it turns out that these strange, new changes are just what Ichiro needs to take a new lease on life, and now it seems like there’s nothing to stop him from being a hero worthy of the respect that he never had before…unless, that is, there was someone else out there with these same “changes”…

Rated: 16+ 

Read a FREE preview of Inuyashiki

 

Knights of Sidonia
By Tsutomu Nihei

Outer space, the far future. A lone seed ship, the Sidonia, plies the void, ten centuries since the obliteration of the solar system. The massive, nearly indestructible, yet barely sentient alien life forms that destroyed humanity’s home world continue to pose an existential threat. Nagate Tanikaze has only known life in the vessel’s bowels deep below the sparkling strata where humans have achieved photosynthesis and new genders. Not long after he emerges from the Underground, however, the youth is bequeathed a treasured legacy by the spaceship’s coolheaded female captain.

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of Knights of Sidonia

 

Tokyo Revengers
By Ken Wakui

Watching the news, Takemichi Hanagaki learns that his girlfriend from way back in middle school, Hinata Tachibana, has died. The only girlfriend he ever had was just killed by a villainous group known as the Tokyo Manji Gang. He lives in a crappy apartment with thin walls, and his six-year-younger boss treats him like an idiot. Plus, he’s a complete and total virgin… At the height of his rock-bottom life, he suddenly time-leaps 12 years back to his middle school days!! To save Hinata, and change the life he spent running away, hopeless part-timer Takemichi must aim for the top of Kanto’s most sinister delinquent gang!!

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Tokyo Revengers

See below for the full list of Worlds at War series on sale now until 9/29/25: 

 

Save up to 50% off series like Ajin: Demi-Human, Go! Go! Loser Ranger!, No. 6, & more during the Worlds at War Sale!

Posted on | Sales

For a limited time, get up to 50% off series featuring warring factions and brutal battles like Ajin: Demi-Human, No. 6, Battle Angel Alita: Last Order & more!

Prepare for epic conflicts and intense rivalries as we spotlight (and discount) manga that perfectly chroncle the heat of battle during our Worlds at War digital manga sale. 

For a limited time, get up to 50% off hard hitting action, sci-fi and survival manga like:

Ajin: Demi-Human: A dark, supernatural thriller following a high school student named Kei, who learns he is an “Ajin”—an immortal being who regenerates instantly after death.

No. 6: A suspenseful dystopian sci-fi manga that follows Shion, a privileged resident of the seemingly utopian city-state No. 6. who meets and harbors a fugutive on the run

Battle Angel Alita: Last Order: A thrilling cyberpunk action sequel to the iconic Battle Angel Alita, following the cyborg warrior Alita after her consciousness is revived in a new body.

Go! Go! Loser Ranger!: A dark action-comedy that deconstructs the superhero genre. A low-level villainous foot soldier named “D” gets tired of staging his team’s weekly defeat and decides to secretly infiltrate the heroes’ ranks to expose the corruption behind their phony heroics.

The Darwin Incident, A powerful sci-fi thriller centered on Charlie, a brilliant human-chimpanzee hybrid. His existence becomes a global debate, forcing him to confront a world that isn’t ready for him while becoming a target for extremist groups.

Sale Ends Monday, September 29th, 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 Worlds at War digital manga sale? Take a look below for details on five recommended series!

Ajin: Demi-Human
By Gamon Sakurai

High school student Kei Nagai is struck dead in a grizzly traffic accident, but immediately revives to learn that he may not be like every other human. Instead, he may be a mysterious, almost immortal being granted not only the powers of rejuvenation but also the ability to see supernatural beings. Scared, he runs away and is aided in his escape from society by his friend. Unfortunately for Kei, the manhunt is on, and he will soon be caught in a conflict between mankind and others like him as they prepare to fight a new war based on terror.

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Ajin: Demi-Human

 

No. 6
By Hinoki Kino, Hinoki Kino, and Atsuko Asano

For Shion, an elite student in the technologically sophisticated city No. 6, life is carefully choreographed. School, study, and the occasional visit with his friend and classmate, Safu. One fateful day, however, he takes a misstep, sheltering an injured boy his age from a typhoon. Known only as Rat, this boy is a VC, a fugitive living outside the computerized tapestry of city control, and helping him will throw Shion’s life into chaos and start him down a path to discovering the appalling secrets behind the superficial perfection of No. 6.

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of No. 6

 

Inuyashiki
By Mitsu Izumi

Ichiro Inuyashiki is down on his luck. While only 58 years old, his geriatric looks often have him written off as a pathetic old man by the world around him and he’s constantly ignored and disrespected by his family despite all that he’s done to support them. On top of everything else, his doctor has revealed that he has cancer, and it appears that he has little time left in this world. But just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse, a blinding light in the night sky strikes the earth where Ichiro stands. He later wakes up to find himself unscathed, but he soon starts to notice that there’s something…different about himself. However, it turns out that these strange, new changes are just what Ichiro needs to take a new lease on life, and now it seems like there’s nothing to stop him from being a hero worthy of the respect that he never had before…unless, that is, there was someone else out there with these same “changes”…

Rated: 16+ 

Read a FREE preview of Inuyashiki

 

Knights of Sidonia
By Tsutomu Nihei

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 Knights of Sidonia

 

Tokyo Revengers
By Moha Arimura

Watching the news, Takemichi Hanagaki learns that his girlfriend from way back in middle school, Hinata Tachibana, has died. The only girlfriend he ever had was just killed by a villainous group known as the Tokyo Manji Gang. He lives in a crappy apartment with thin walls, and his six-year-younger boss treats him like an idiot. Plus, he’s a complete and total virgin… At the height of his rock-bottom life, he suddenly time-leaps 12 years back to his middle school days!! To save Hinata, and change the life he spent running away, hopeless part-timer Takemichi must aim for the top of Kanto’s most sinister delinquent gang!!

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Tokyo Revengers

See below for the full list of Worlds at War series on sale now until 9/29/25: 

 

Fall in Love With Shojo With A New Humble Bundle

Posted on | Partners | Sales

The Fall in Love with Shojo Humble Bundle Celebrates Kodansha Shojo by Offering Fans Full Series at Deep Discounts

Kodansha and Humble celebrate new and modern classic shojo manga series with the Fall in Love with Shojo Humble Bundle—offering fans more than 80 digital volumes and over $900 worth of fan-favorite shojo series for just $30. Not only does this special bundle collect digital volumes of modern shojo classic series like the provocative romance MARS, the magical adventure, Shugo Chara!, the dramatically enticing Peach Girl and more, but also catch up on the ongoing heartwarming love story, A Condition Called Love all in one bundle!

Fall in Love with Shojo Humble Bundle ends October 2, 2025 @ 11AM PT

Want to know how much digital manga you’ll get at each tier of the Fall in Love with Shojo Humble Bundle? Take a look below:

Pay $1 or more to unlock:
A Condition Called Love, volume 1
MARS, volume 1
Peach Girl, volume 1 
Say I Love You, volume 1
Shugo Chara!, volume 1
Shugo Chara Chan!, volume 1

Pay $10 or more to unlock:
A Condition Called Love, volumes 1-6
MARS, volumes 1-5
Peach Girl, volumes 1-6
Say I Love You, volumes 1-6
Shugo Chara!, volumes 1-4
Shugo Chara Chan!, volumes 1-2

Pay $20 or more to unlock:
A Condition Called Love, volumes 1-11
MARS, volumes 1-10
Peach Girl, volumes 1-12
Say I Love You, volumes 1-12
Shugo Chara!, volumes 1-8
Shugo Chara Chan!, volumes 1-3

Pay $30 or more to unlock:
A Condition Called Love, volumes 1-16
MARS, volumes 1-15
Peach Girl, volumes 1-18
Say I Love You, volumes 1-18
Shugo Chara!, volumes 1-12
Shugo Chara Chan!, volumes 1-4

What charity does this Humble Bundle support?: Kodansha will be leveraging the purchasing power of each bundle sold – whether it’s at the $1 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 choose a charity of your preference via the PayPal Giving Fund.

How will you get your purchased digital volumes?: All the thrilling, heartfelt, and action-packed anime-inspiring manga featured as part of the Kodansha’s Fall in Love with Shojo 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!

Curious about this Humble Bundle but aren’t sure if these series are right for you? Read FREE chapters of each of the featured series by clicking on the links below!:

Catch Up on A Condition Called Love then read the latest volume!

A Condition Called Love, Volume 17
By Megumi Morino

Hotaru and Hananoi-kun, each trying to do what’s best for the other, decide to split up. And with Hananoi-kun gone to England, the two of them fall out of contact and there is little hope they’ll reconcile. But when Hotaru realizes she can’t bring herself to forget Hananoi-kun and move on, she hatches a plan with the help of her friends to fly to England herself and win him back!

Rated: 16+

Read the latest volume digitally now:

Grab your books & manga with 50% off school days seies during the Back to School Sale!

Posted on | Sales

For a limited time, get 50% off digital volumes of thougtful, charming, and exciting series like Blue Period, Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms, Wandance & more!

Ready to hit the books? Kodansha is offering the perfect opportunity to stock your digital library and add some fun reading for the new school year. Whether you’re looking for a new series to obsess over, or are aleady done with classes forever but want to return to the days of school-themed drama, now you can during our Back to School digital manga sale! 

For a limited time, get 50% off digital volumes of series like:

Blue Period: A powerful coming-of-age drama centered on Yatora Yaguchi, a high school student who feels hollow and unfulfilled despite his academic success, until he discovers his true passion, art!

Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms: A hilarious romantic comedy centered on Mona Kawaii, a popular high school girl whose charms work on everyone—except for one boy: Medaka Kuroiwa.

Blade Girl: A powerful and inspiring sports drama centered on Rin Nanami, a high school runner whose dreams are shattered after a tragic accident changes her forever.

Genshiken Omnibus: A charming and insightful slice-of-life comedy that offers a grounded look into the world of otaku culture through the eyes of a group of college students. 

Sayonara, Football, a compelling and emotional sports drama, chronicles Nozomi Onda’s passionate final year of middle school as she strives to overcome the limitations of her body and her gender, proving her talent on the field.

Sale Ends Monday, September 15th, 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 Back to School digital manga sale? Take a look below for details on five recommended series!

Blue Period
By Tsubasa Yamaguchi

Yatora is the perfect high school student, with good grades and lots of friends. It’s an effortless performance, and, ultimately…a dull one. But he wanders into the art room one day, and a lone painting captures his eye, awakening him to a kind of beauty he never knew. Compelled and consumed, he dives in headfirst — and he’s about to learn how savage and unforgiving art can be!

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Blue Period

 

Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms
By Ran Kuze

Mona is the cutest girl in school, and she knows it. In fact, she has everyone wrapped around her pretty little finger—everyone, that is, except Medaka Kuroiwa, a recent transfer student. Determined to win him over and solidify her reign as unchallenged queen bee, Mona rolls out the red carpet for her newest would-be subject, only for the stone-cold stoic to glare her down at every turn! Just how far will she go to prove her charms are truly irresistible and win over the last unclaimed heart in school? And why is it that her chest keeps getting tighter the harder he proves to conquer?

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms

 

Aho-Girl: A Clueless Girl
By Hiroyuki

Equal parts cute, silly, and subversive, the four-panel comedy manga Ahogaru was a surprise hit in Japan. Fans of anarchic slice-of-life gag manga like Azumanga Daioh – these are the new laughs you’ve been waiting for! Yoshiko is a hopefully clueless high school girl. Her rock-paper-scissors strategy is “rock.” She somehow gets zeroes on multiple-choice tests. And she has an often-nearly-fatal weakness for bananas. Her devoted friends have no choice but to hang around and make sure nobody takes advantage of her. (Of course, the entertainment value might have something to do with it, too.) Cute characters, weird gags, and lots and lots of bananas!

Rated: 13+ 

Read a FREE preview of Aho-Girl: A Clueless Girl

 

Wandance
By Coffee

A SHY TEENAGER HAPPENS ON A CLASSMATE DANCING ALONE, AND HER JOY TURNS A KEY, UNLOCKING SOMETHING IN HIS HEART… Kaboku Kotani is starting high school, and he plans to do what he’s always done: go along with his friends, keep quiet, and not draw too much attention to himself. After all, it’s hard enough to get by with a stutter like his— why make things worse by standing out from the crowd? But then he sees another first-year, Hikari Wanda, dancing like no one is watching—or like she doesn’t care who sees her. It makes Kaboku wonder: Could he reach that same freedom? To find his way to Wanda, he does something he never thought he could: He joins the dance club. After all, every routine begins with a single step, right? Join Kaboku and Wanda as they freestyle their way to life and love!

Rated: 13+

Read a FREE preview of Wandance

 

Ran the Peerless Beauty
By Ammitsu

Ran is beautiful and stylish, with leading scores in her class. No boy on Earth would have the gall to try their hand with her, and no one would think that she’s so entirely innocent…except Akira. Join us in this innocent love story about Rin the “mountaintop flower” and Akira, whose parents own a floweshop. This pure love blooms in volume 1 of Ran the Peerless Beauty.

Rated: 16+

Read a FREE preview of Ran the Peerless Beauty

See below for the full list of Back to School series on sale now until 9/15/25:

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+

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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+ 

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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+

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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+

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