Kodansha @ San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Booth #5542

Jul 21, 2025
Kodansha @ San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Booth #5542

Kodansha Booth #5542 @ SDCC 2025 

San Diego, Prepare to Dive! This summer, Kodansha is bringing you the ultimate shopping experience and a chance to discover featured manga like The Ghost in the Shell, Mushishi, and Witch Hat Atelier at the biggest pop culture event of the year, San Diego Comic-Con (July 24-27, 2025 at San Diego Convention Center)

With the support of Kinokuniya USA, the Kodansha booth will feature unique offerings, including pre-release sales of the hottest manga of the summer and an exclusive gift with preorders of upcoming products.

SDCC25 Exclusive: The Ghost in the Shell Legacy Edition Manga Box Set with a tote bag

SDCC25 Exclusive: Mushishi Collector's Edition and Tote Bag

SDCC25 Exclusive: Witch Hat Atelier Manga Box Set 1 with Sketch Book

On a tight budget? Not a problem! Sign up for a Kodansha Reader account (or show us that you already have an account, and we’ll send you home with an exclusive Kodansha sticker pack, totally free! 

Laptop with Kodansha Stickers

And don’t forget to check out the mini-gallery featuring sketches and messages from legendary Kodansha creators like Masamune Shirow (The Ghost in the Shell), Tetsuya Chiba (Ashita no Joe), and Saka Mikami (The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity). You can even get a miniature replica of these pieces when you purchase a copy of these manga at the booth.

Shikishi by Masamune Shirow (The Ghost in the Shell), Tetsuya Chiba (Ashita no Joe), and Saka Mikami (The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity)

So come and check out the Kodansha Booth #5542 at SDCC Exhibitor Hall (near Entrance C).  

 


2025 Eisner Nominations from Kodansha

This year, Kodansha is excited to have the legendary and culturally relevant manga series in the running for the prestigious Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. Happening Friday, July 25, 2025, starting at 8:00 PM PDT in the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Indigo Ballroom, fans and professionals can get the chance to attend the event as long as they have a Comic-Con International badge. 

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

 


Kodansha Panels @ SDCC 2025

Come and check out the programming by Kodansha at this year's Comic-Con!

New & Upcoming Kodansha Manga Revealed!
Thursday, July 24, 2025 
2:00PM - 3:00PM PDT
Room: 28DE
Programing link:
https://sched.co/26whp

Kodansha—purveyors of some of the most exciting & heartfelt manga published today like Blue Lock, Gachiakuta, Witch Hat Atelier and A Sign of Affection— invites new and veteran fans of manga to an exclusive sneak peek of new and upcoming manga licenses! From print books, to digital manga, premium editions, box sets and more, get a glimpse of amazing manga series coming soon to a bookshelf near you! Join Kodansha manga experts and super fans Ivan Salazar (Sr. Marketing Director, Kodansha), Haruko Hashimoto(Sr. Digital Editor, Kodansha), Ben Applegate (Penguin Random House Director Publishing Services), Misaki Kido (Kodansha Events Director), and Tomo Tran (Sales Director, Kodansha) for an exciting look at new and upcoming releases, and even a few surprises.

 

Manga Publishing Industry Roundtable
Thursday, July 24, 2025 
5:00PM - 6:00PM PDT
Room: 29AB
Programing link:
https://sched.co/26wlV

Manga is one of the top-selling book categories in North America. Today, there are more manga and webtoons available in print and digital than ever, and more companies are entering the scene. But what are the opportunities and obstacles facing publishers today? Get a taste of what’s hot, what’s not, and what’s next from top publishing industry pros, including Hope Donovan (editorial director, VIZ Media), Sullivan Rouaud (founder, Mangetsu), Shuichi Mochida (COAMIX, Silent Manga Audition), Ben Applegate (director, publishing services, Penguin Random House), Morgan Perry (marketing manager, book publishing, Square Enix America), Ed Chavez (president and editor-in-chief, Denpa Books), and Michael Gombos (senior director of licensed publications, Dark Horse). Moderated by Deb Aoki (Mangasplaining).

 

Timeless and Built to Last: Conserving Comics & Manga Through High Quality Editions
Friday, July 25, 2025
7:00PM - 8:00PM PDT
Room: 4
Programing link: https://sched.co/26zF1

Collectible editions of manga—from Berserk and Vinland Saga to Gundam and Vagabond—are among the top-selling comics in English, and most are international collaborations with no equivalent in Japan. Hear from the minds behind these deluxe artifacts as Ben Applegate (Penguin Random House Director Publishing Services), Michael Gombos (Dark Horse, Sr. Director of Licensed Publications at Dark Horse), and Ed Chavez (Denpa Publisher), engage in an in-depth, behind-the-scenes discussion. Learn about the challenges of introducing authors like Shirow Masamune, Moto Hagio, and Shintaro Kago to new audiences, ask your questions, and see copies of the latest premium manga coming in English before they go on sale—and maybe even go home with a copy! Hosted by Ivan Salazar (Sr. Marketing Director, Kodansha)

 

Manga Remix: How Manga Draws from History, Biography, Classic Lit., and More!
Saturday, July 26, 2025
11:00AM - 12:00PM PDT
Room: 9
Programing link: https://sched.co/271S7

It's well known that manga often adapts anime, and vice versa. But today's manga actually draws from a wide range of other sources - including the real world, or even the works of Shakespeare! - contemporizing source material with the storytelling style and visual vocabulary of the world's most popular graphic medium. Join this panel of manga experts including, Brigid Alverson (Writer for Publishers Weekly / The Comics Journal), Ben Applegate (Penguin Random House Director Publishing Services), and Marshall Dillon (Director of Operations, Udon & Manga Classics), as they discuss the wide range of these manga "remixes" available today, including how they connect not only with readers, but also with curricula or other institutional objectives. Hosted by Ivan Salazar (Sr. Marketing Director, Kodansha).

 

Manga Are Comics! The Comic Shop Retailer’s Guide 
Sunday, July 27, 2025
2:00PM - 3:00PM PDT
Room: 4
Programing link: https://sched.co/27353

Manga is one of the fastest-growing and top-selling categories in the North American comics market, but with such a wide variety of titles, trends, and news to keep track of, it can be a difficult product line to bring in and sell effectively in any comic shop. Ivan Salazar (senior marketing manager, Kodansha), Morgan Perry (marketing manager, Square Enix Manga & Books), and Shannon Live and Matt Live (owners, Bat City Comic Professionals) discuss how to craft a successful manga section and build a lasting community in your store with tips, tricks, and easy-to-find resources.


Stay tuned to this blog and use the hashtag #SDCC25_Kodansha on our social media for more updates from Kodansha during San Diego Comic-Con (July 24-27, 2025).