Kodansha Comics

Vertical and Kodansha Advanced Media Consolidate Under Kodansha Comics

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Publishing news magazine and website Publishers Weekly has reported that Kodansha USA Publishing, the company that handles the Kodansha Comics label, will consolidate manga publisher Vertical and digital distribution company Kodansha Advanced Media under its management. As part of the restructuring, Kodansha Advanced Media general manager Alvin Lu is now the CEO and president of Kodansha USA Publishing.

Takashi Sakuda is now chief operating officer of Kodansha USA Publishing, and Kiichiro Sugawara has been named publisher. Ivan Salazar, who was a former PR and events specialist under Comixology, is the new senior marketing editor for Kodansha USA Publishing.

Japanese publisher Kodansha founded its New York-based subsidiary Kodansha USA Publishing in 2008, and Kodansha and Dai Nippon Printing acquired a controlling stake in Vertical in 2011.

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics Releases the New Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Manga Chapter Before the Chapter Releases in Japan

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics has announced that it has released the latest chapter (chapter 40) of CLAMP’s Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card manga ahead of the manga’s release in Kodansha’s Nakayoshi magazine in Japan. The chapter is available to purchase on Comixology and Kindle for US$1.99. The chapter will launch in Japan in the magazine’s February 2020 issue, which ships on December 28, 2019.

CLAMP launched the Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card sequel manga in Kodansha’s Nakayoshi magazine in June 2016. Kodansha Comics is releasing the manga digitally and in print in English, and it released the sixth volume on November 26, 2019.

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics’ and Vertical Comics’ Announcements at Anime NYC

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics and Vertical Comics announced new manga licenses during their Anime NYC panel.

Kodansha announced that it will release the following manga digitally:

  • Aki Amasawa’s To Write Your Words (Kuchiutsusu) Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on December 3, 2019]
  • Yukari Takinami’s Ex-Enshusiasts: Motokare Mania (Motokare Mania) Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on December 1, 2019]
  • Naru Narumi’s Watari-kun’s ***** is About to Collapse (Watari-kun no xx ga Hōkaisunzen) Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on December 17, 2019]
  • Akiko Higashimura’s Tokyo Tarareba Girls Returns (Tokyo Tareba Musume Returns) Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on December 24, 2019]
  • Atsuko Nanba’s To Be Next to you (Tonari no Atashi) Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on December 31, 2019]
  • Atsuko Nanba’s That Blue Summer (Ao-Natsu) Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on January 7, 2020]
  • Kei Sasuga’s GE – Good Ending Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on January 14, 2020]
  • Nanase’s MabuSasa Volume 1 [scheduled to be released on January 21, 2020]
  • Uri Sagata’s Let’s Kiss in Secret Tomorrow (Ashita, Naisho no Kiss Shiyо̄) [scheduled to begin release on February 4, 2020]
  • Nikki Asada’s The Dorm of Love and Secrets (Koi to Himitsu no Gakuseiryо̄) [scheduled to begin release on February 11, 2020]
  • Shin Shinmoto’s I’ll Win You Over, Senpai! (Senpai! Ima Kara Kokurimasu!) [scheduled to begin release on February 18, 2020]
  • Haruki Mitsui’s I Fell in Love After School (Hо̄kago, Koi Shita) [scheduled to begin release on February 25, 2020]

Kodansha announced that it will release the following manga in print:

  • Eku Takeshima’s Whisper Me a Love Song (Sasayaku yō ni Koi wo Utau) [scheduled to be released in Fall 2020]
  • Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s Blue Period [scheduled to be released in Fall 2020]
  • Gaku Kuze’s Life Lessons of Uramichi-Oniisan (Uramichi Oniisan) [scheduled to be released in Fall 2020]
  • Hebi-Zou, Tsuta Suzuki, and TARAKO’s Heaven’s Design Team (Tenchi Sōzō Design-bu) [scheduled to be released in Fall 2020]

Vertical announced the following manga releases:

  • Complete box set of Kanata Konami’s Chi’s Sweet Home manga that includes four volumes, a box set case, and a “cute Chi bonus item” [scheduled to be released in June 2020]
  • NisiOisin and Suzuka Oda’s Bishōnen Tanteidan (Pretty Boy Detective Club) manga [scheduled to be released in Fall 2020]

Source: ANN

ComiXology and Kodansha Comics to Complete the English Release of The Drops of God Manga

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Comixology has announced that it and Kodansha Comics will complete Tadashi Agi and Shū Okimoto’s The Drops of God (Kami no Shizuku) manga in English for the first time. The companies released volumes 1-8 re-edited with new cover art and debuted volumes 9-11 in English on October 14, 2019. More volumes will be added at a later date.

The first 11 volumes are available digitally as part of the Comixology Originals line of content at no additional cost for members of Amazon Prime via Prime Reading, Kindle Unlimited, and Comixology Unlimited. The manga is also available for purchase through Kindle and Comixology.

Only 10 of the manga’s 44 volumes have been published previously in English. Vertical announced its license of the series in 2011 and released part of the manga in North America.

Agi launched The Drops of God manga with artist Shū Okimoto in Kodansha’s Morning magazine 2004.

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics’ Announcements at New York Comic Con

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics has announced new manga licenses for both print and digital at its panel at New York Comic Con.

The company will publish The Witch and the Beast in print in 2020. The company will also digitally publish My Boss’ Kitten (October 15, 2019 release), 1122: For a Happy Marriage (October 22, 2019 release), Guilty (October 29, 2019 release), and Our Fake Marriage (November 5, 2019).

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics’ Announcements at Comic-Con International

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics announced at its panel at Comic-Con International: San Diego that it has released volumes 39 through 48 of Shuuichi Shigeno’s Initial D manga digitally in English. Comixology and Kodansha Comics released volumes 1-38 of the manga in April 2019. The volumes are available for purchase through Comixology and Kindle, and Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and Comixology Unlimited subscribers can read the volumes at no additional cost.

The publisher also announced it will release four more shōjo manga digitally starting in August 2019:

  • Vampire Dormitory by Ema Toyama [debut date: August 20, 2019]
  • Atsumori-kun’s Bride-to-be (Atsumori-kun no Oyome-san [←Mitei]) by Taamo [debut date: August 27, 2019]
  • Smile Down the Runway (Runway de Waratte) by Kotoba Inoya [debut date: September 3, 2019]
  • Queen Bee (Seishun Otome Banchou!) by Shizuru Seino [debut date: September 10, 2019]

Source: ANN

Kodansha Comics’ Announcements at Anime Expo

Posted on by Lesley Aeschliman

Kodansha Comics announced at it and Vertical’s Anime Expo panel that it has licensed the Knights of the Ice, Rent-A-Girlfriend, Sue and Tai-chan, Sweat and Soap, Something’s Wrong With Us, Yuzu the Pet Vet, and Saiyuki manga. All of these titles will be released in English in 2020.

The company also announced that it will publish CLAMP’s Chobits and Clover manga to its Kodansha Classics line. Additionally, Kodansha Comics announced that it will debut the Saint Young Men, Farewell, My Dear Cramer, Living-Room Matsunaga-san, and Perfect World manga in print. Saint Young Men will debut in print “just in time for Christmas.” Farewell, My Dear Cramer, Living-Room Matsunaga-san, and Perfect World will debut in print in 2020.

Source: ANN