Kodansha Comics

Top Publishers of Japanese Manga & Novels Announce Exciting 2019 Titles

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics, Vertical Comics, and Vertical, Inc., three leading imprints for Japanese novels and comics in translation, announced their upcoming slate of new titles, running the gamut from new manga series to re-releases of classics.

Vertical Comics announced the highly anticipated manga adaptation of NISIOISIN’s Bakemonogatari series by creator Oh! great (Air Gear). The series will begin October 2019. Another major announcement was a new novel by the acclaimed Monogatari franchise creator, Hanging High School, the third book in the Zaregoto series, in September 2019. Fans have clamored for the next episode in the series since the release of the second book in 2018, preceded by the first volume in 2017. During the announcement, Vertical revealed new cover art by VOFAN, the illustrator of the Monogatari series, for Makoto Shinkai’s Voices of a Distant Star (novel), to release in July 2019, and for VOFAN’s own full-color artbook previously only published in Taiwan, Colorful Dreams, to release in October 2019. Vertical also added Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose Resurrection at Nineteen, the prequel novels of the manga series for their light novel lineup in December 2019.

The publishers unveiled three new highly anticipated box sets. The Monogatari series will see a “Season 2” box set later in 2019 from Vertical, Inc. To coincide with the work’s 25th anniversary, Kodansha Comics will re-release CLAMP’s Magic Knight Rayearth in two beautiful three-volume hardcover box sets. The first is due Fall 2019, and on top of the three volumes of manga, each will include one full-color art book of rare pieces by the creators and an additional bonus item to be revealed.

Also coming to the box set format is the fantasy epic Fairy Tail, which will see its first 11-volume box set released in Fall 2019, with two per year to follow. Kodansha also announced Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, the sequel to Fairy Tail, which will continue the adventures of Natsu, Lucy, Erza, and the entire magical guild in Summer 2019, with layouts and story by creator Hiro Mashima.

In another addition to a beloved Kodansha Comics series, Cells at Work! CODE BLACK will be released in Summer 2019. Where the original series followed a Red Blood Cell and a White Blood Cell through a (relatively) healthy body, this spin-off is set in one that’s falling apart, with smoking, drinking, fatty liver, gout, and more intimate ailments to deal with. The book will carry a “surgeon-general’s warning” that it’s only for ages 18 and up.

Joining Yuri Is My Job!, Kodansha’s premier yuri (girl-girl romance) manga title that debuted in January 2019, Kodansha will publish If I Could Reach You, a serious yuri title about a teenage girl coming to terms with her own sexuality through her crush on her brother’s wife. Volume 1 is coming in Fall 2019.

Kodansha will publish the manga adaptation of the online game Granblue Fantasy, which featured design work and music by key creative figures from the Final Fantasy series and has proven a global hit. The manga, by cocho and Makoto Fuugetsu, will begin in Fall 2019. Finally, Kodansha will bring to print the digital-first title Drifting Dragons, about a “whaling ship” that floats through the air and hunts dragons. Volume 1 is coming during holiday season 2019.

Kodansha Comics to Add More Manga Digitally in March and April 2019

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics has announced that it will release three new digital-first manga in English in March 2019:

  • Love Massage: Melting Beauty Treatment (Love Momi! Torokeru Esute) by Toki Sunazuka [debuts on March 12, 2019, with new volumes monthly until caught up to Japan]
  • Ran the Peerless Beauty (Takane no Ran-san) by Ammitsu [debuts on March 19, 2019, with new volumes monthly until caught up to Japan]
  • Asahi-sempai’s Favorite (Asahi-Sempai no Okiniiri) by Iroha Machino [debuts on March 26, 2019, with new volumes monthly until caught up to Japan]

Kodansha Comics also announced that it will release two new manga in English in April 2019:

  • Momo’s Iron Will (Inuwashi Momo wa Yuruganai) by Lalako Kojima [debuts on April 2, 2019, with new volumes monthly until caught up to Japan]
  • My Pink Is Overflowing (Atashi no Pink ga Afurechau) by Yuki Monou [debuts on April 9, 2019, with new volumes monthly until caught up to Japan]

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics Adds The Tale of Genji, My Sweet Girl, and World’s End and Apricot Jam Manga Digitally

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics has announced that it will release three new digital-first manga in English during February 2019. The manga titles are as follows:

  • The Tale of Genji: Dreams at Dawn (Asakiyumemishi – The Tale of Genji) by Waki Yamato [the first three volumes will debut on February 26, 2019, with new volumes monthly]
  • My Sweet Girl (Kimi wa Kawaii Onna no Ko) by Rumi Ichinohe [the series will debut on February 12, 2019, with new volumes monthly until caught up to Japan]
  • World’s End and Apricot Jam (Sekai no Hajikko to Anzu Jam) by Rila Kirishima [the series will debut on February 19, 2019, with new volumes monthly]

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics to Celebrate 10 Years of Publishing with Different Spotlight Manga Every Month in 2019

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics has announced that it will be celebrating its 10th anniversary of publishing in English with “10 Years of Kodansha Comics”—where for each month of 2019, starting in January 2019, it will be spotlighting a different classic Kodansha Comics manga series. With each “Manga of the Month,” fans can tune in for series-themed exclusive content, special deals, prizes through sweepstakes, and more.

For the first month of surprises, the January 2019 spotlight title will be seminal science-fiction epic Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo, the legendary artist who also directed the animated feature film based on his work.

As part of the celebration, Kodansha Comics will post on its website, KodanshaComics.com, an in-depth interview with Otomo, delving into his inspirations and intentions with Akira.

The series was released by Kodansha Comics in its first month of publishing, October 2009, before being remastered into the hardcover Akira 35th Anniversary Edition Box Set, which was the top-selling comics product of 2017 and won in two categories at the Eisner Awards at Comic-Con International last year.

All month long the Kodansha Comics website will also be running an Akira survey sweepstakes for a grand prize including the award-winning Akira box set, the art book Otomo: A Global Tribute, and additional goodies.

Lastly, throughout January 2019, or while supplies last, Kodansha Comics will invite fans to visit online manga and anime retailer Right Stuf, where every purchase of one or more Akira-related books will come with a free, original pin depicting Akira‘s protagonist Kaneda leaning on his iconic motorcycle.

In later months, as part of the “10 Years of Kodansha Comics” campaign, the publisher promises to throw the spotlight onto other classic series that have defined its rise from the new kid on the English-language manga block back in 2009 to the category heavyweight it is today. Each month will bring exclusive online content, exciting contests, and, in some cases, special promotional sales.

The publisher encourages fans to keep up with every month’s new surprises by following its website and social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, where it will be posting on “10 Years of Kodansha Comics”, along with announcements and material for new and ongoing series.

Kodansha Comics to Add the Red Riding Hood’s Wolf Apprentice and Crocodile Baron Manga Digitally in December 2018

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics announced at Anime NYC that it will release Sayaka Mogi’s Red Riding Hood’s Wolf Apprentice (Akazukin no Ōkami Deshi) manga and Takuya Okada’s Crocodile Baron (Wani Danshaku) manga as digital-first manga releases in December 2018. Red Riding Hood’s Wolf Apprentice will debut on December 4, 2018, and Crocodile Baron will debut on December 11, 2018.

Mogi launched her Red Riding Hood’s Wolf Apprentice manga in Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in September 2017, and the manga’s “first part” will end in the January 2019 issue, which will ship on December 9, 2018. Kodansha published the manga’s second volume on July 9, 2018.

Okada launched the Crocodile Baron manga in Kodansha’s Morning magazine as an irregular serialization in 2016. The manga switched to being published regularly in every other issue in mid-2017, and ended in this year’s 23rd issue on May 10, 2018. Kodansha published the manga’s third and final compiled volume on May 23, 2018.

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics Licenses the Cardcaptor Sakura, Tales of Berseria, and Fate/Grand Order Manga

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics announced at Anime NYC that it has licensed CLAMP’s Cardcaptor Sakura, Nobu Aonagi’s Tales of Berseria, and Shiramine’s Fate/Grand Order – mortalis:stella manga. In addition, the company announced that it plans to release a collector’s edition box set for its nine Princess Jellyfish omnibus volumes in Summer 2019.

The publisher will release the first volume of its Cardcaptor Sakura: Collector’s Edition in Spring 2019. The edition will consist of nine hardcover volumes with a newly-revised translation and all the original color pages. Each volume will have new cover art by CLAMP and a “Clow Card.” The publisher teased that those who collect all nine volumes will get a “special treat.”

Kodansha Comics will begin releasing the four-volume Tales of Berseria series in Fall 2019.

The publisher will begin releasing the Fate/Grand Order – mortalis:stella series in Fall 2019.

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics to Release Four New Digital-First Manga in November 2018

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics has announced that it will release four new digital-first manga in English in November 2018:

  • Can I Kiss You Every Day? (Mainichi Kiss shite ii desu ka?) by Hatsuharu [debuts on November 6, 2018]
  • Alicia’s Diet Quest (Alicia-san no Diet Quest) by Aoi Fujiwara [debuts on November 13, 2018]
  • Good Dog, Cerberus! (Meiken Keru-chan) by Moha Arimura [debuts on November 20, 2018]
  • Blissful Land (Tenju no Kuni) by Ichimon Izumi [debuts on November 27, 2018]

Good Dog, Cerberus! and Blissful Land are the first in a line of new all-ages digital manga that Kodansha Comics will debut every week, from November 20 through December 2018.

Source: ANN