Kodansha USA announced at New York Comic Con on Sunday eight new print and two new digital releases in English.
Additionally, the company announced that it will release new volumes of the Blue Lock manga in print monthly starting in July 2025 until the manga catches up with its release in Japan. Kodansha USA also announced that due to popular demand, The Drops of God manga will return to print as a 2-in-1 collection.
Kodansha USA also announced it is collaborating with Barnes & Noble to release a variant edition of Kōji Suzuki's novel The Ring and will publish Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window: The Sequel by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi in the fall of 2025.
The company will also release Kamome Shirahama's Witch Hat Atelier Manga Box Set 1 and Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Akira Hardcover Collection in fall 2025.
New digital license
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: As the Gods Will
Author: Muneyuki Kaneshiro (story), Akeji Fujimura (art)
Release date: November 12
Summary: Deep inside, high school student Shun Takahata longs for a little excitement in his boring life…but his teacher's head randomly exploding isn't exactly what he had in mind. there. And when several of his classmates suddenly suffer the same fate, he begins to find himself thrust into a series of deadly supernatural children's games. Shun and the survivors are completely in the dark, not knowing who is responsible, why this is happening, or when this will end. To have any hope of unraveling the mystery behind the terrible games, they must first outlast the game…and surpass each other.
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: India is calling me Now
Author: Terako Shima
Release date: December 10
Summary: After years of struggling to get her work published, 28-year-old manga artist Natsme is on the verge of giving up. When her boyfriend gets transferred to India and invites her over, she takes it as a sign to finally give up on the dreams she's been chasing all her life. But when she arrived and realized that he only saw her as a responsible future housewife, she left him on the spot and found herself alone in a strange land. Through her encounters with the resilient and radiant women she meets there, Tsume gradually finds the strength to once again pursue her dreams.
New print license for fall 2025
Images courtesy of Kodansha Publishing USA
Title: Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun: IruMafia version
Author: Osamu Nishi (story), hiroja (art)
Summary: Get ready to meet the adorable cast of Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun like you've never seen before!
In this all-new spin-off of the hit runaway series, Iruma is a poor but cheerful boy who grew up in a cruel city slum. One day, Iruma gives an injured old man his last loaf of bread and nurses the stranger back to health—only to discover that the old man is none other than Don Sullivan, the head Babylon Mafia! Just then, Don Sullivan returned, chased Iruma away, and begged the boy to become his nephew. And just like that, Iruma begins his new life as the next leader of a massive gang of—dare we say—diabolical mafiosos!
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: Sheeta's Little Big World
Author: Yuki Kamba
Summary: Sheeta and Nala live happily inside a hollow log with their fellow “little people,” who stand no taller than a blade of grass. One day, when Nala runs away to investigate a mysterious smoke signal, Sheeta must summon all her wits and courage to begin the pursuit. Rats, ants, weasels, giants… The wide world is full of dangers, but lucky Sheeta will stop at nothing to find her friend. An exciting new adventure manga for young readers and teens alike.
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: A Veil Call to You
Author: Shiho Satou (story), Kiki Emoda (art)
Summary: Shy, timid Sakura Akutsu is content to limit her adventures to the pages of her notebook—until feisty new transfer student Tsubame Hiiragi gets her hands on it. The two secretly share the stories Sakura tells, but soon the secret becomes too big to keep, and Tsubame takes Sakura into a sparkling world she could never have imagined. Okay!
As Sakura learns to be confident in who she is and ignore what others think, Tsubame learns to go below the surface and dig deep for emotional truths that may have eluded her… Together they will learn about art, love, truth and above all, theater…!
This emotional and creative series uses every visual tool available to express the confusion and excitement of adolescence.
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: You Can't Bluff the Sharp-Eyed Sister
Author: Naruto Hyūga (story), Yo Asami (art), Chiho Shinishi (original character design)
Summary: In a sleepy country church, Chloe plays a demure girl and naive novice, studying to become a nun. But when night falls, she sneaks out in disguise to win big money playing cards!
Despite her best efforts, rumors still spread and one day, a handsome young knight named Heraldo—known as a rising star in the capital—arrived to enlist her help. that. A murder two years ago threatens the kingdom's stability, and Heraldo thinks the card shark in his sister's outfit can solve it with her Gift—the rare blessing that allows someone to Use magic. Little did Heraldo know that Chloe's winning streak was nothing supernatural. She has a quick wit and sharp eyes! Will that be enough to survive in the devil's lair that is the royal palace?
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: My instructor won't give in
Author: Deme Kingyobachi
Summary: A quirky, sweet BL romance that will keep you turning the pages!
Chiba's kind manner, clear instructions, and beautiful face easily make him the favorite instructor of every female student at the school. the driving school where he worked. However, while showing off his charm to receive good reviews, Chiba is diligently polite but firmly refuses any romantic gestures or advances that may come his way. His well-honed personality is tested when he teams up with the mysterious Yaotome, a new student famous as the “Sharp Suit Prince.” Despite her cold appearance and demeanor, Yaotome has a hard time calming down when Chiba begins her lesson. Is it just stress or is there something more…?
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: Shoot down Juliet
Author: Komachi Katsura
Summary: Love is a brutal battle between vanity and desire.
Amid the dark seduction of host club Velvet Kiss, Juri—also known as Juliet—commands the number one spot. Impressed by the supremacy of this poker-faced beauty, rookie and number two host Akatsuki decides he must learn Juliet's secret—and shoots him down from the front of the group. But the first time Akatsuki witnessed Juliet's intoxicating charms made him desire more than he expected. And as he may soon learn, some secrets are better left in their bottles, and a bullet through a heart can take more than it bargained for…
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: Nezumi's first love
Author: Riku Ōseto
Summary: This is the sweet, bloody yakuza love story we've all been waiting for! Nezumi was raised by the mob to be an emotionless killing machine, but a chance encounter in a video game leads to a romance that goes against everything she knows. Both incredibly violent and cute, Nezumi's First Love puts both the slasher and romantic comedy genres at their heart!
Images provided by Kodansha USA Publishing
Title: Before You Go Extinct
Author: Takashi Ushiroyato (story), Kanato Abiko (art)
Summary: A darkly humorous look at the meaning and meaninglessness of life, through the eyes of many adorable and sometimes psychotic species facing extinction.
A stony humility is at the heart of this time-travel story about two souls taking the form of penguins, otters, crows, etc. as they learn about the value of culture, the beauty of playing under pressure the production and reproduction of capital, and the power of love in the face of total destruction.
Source: Email correspondence, Kodansha USA panel at New York Comic Con (Marion Peña)