San Diego Comic-Con is one of the hallmark fandom events of the year that promises new and exciting announcements from just about every industry imaginable, including anime and manga.
This year’s programming was no different, and as the manga industry’s presence has become stronger at Comic-Con, so too have the influx of new series announcements from English manga publishers.
Twilight Out of Focus Box Set – Kodansha USA
Originally created by Jyanome, Twilight Out of Focus is a popular Boys’ Love romance manga Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Otomo, two second-year high school students sharing a dorm. The pair of them have three core rules: Mao can’t tell anyone that Hisashi is gay, Hisashi will never look at Mao as a romantic partner, and that they must always knock before entering – just in case one of them is having a private moment. While their plans seem airtight initially, things slowly fall apart as the two grow more attached to one another over time, developing into a steamy relationship.
The new box set from Kodansha USA will contain all four volumes of the original manga as well as a special U.S.-exclusive art book, a short story that has never been translated in English, and brand-new, full color illustrations.
The POOL – Kodansha USA
From the creator of Ajin: Demi-Human, The POOL is Gamon Sakurai’s next sci-fi thriller that follows Chief Yugi Oishi, who’s tasked with leading her men on an alien planet after finding themselves barricaded in an abandoned mine as alien threats close in around them. While the series only has a handful of chapters currently, each new release has been absolutely spine-tingling.
Plus, Sakurai’s signature artstyle really brings the story to life, with horrific looking alien beasts that add a particular eeriness to the paneling.
Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze – Kodansha USA
From the creator of the classic Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura’s Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze is an award-winning political drama making it to English-speaking bookshelves beginning in 2025. The series follows Bielka, a young woman in a wheelchair, and Schenok, her companion, who must keep their true identities concealed in the harsh political climate of the Soviet Union.
Weaving together events between the Romanovs and Rasputin alongside Hiroaki’s knack for historical fiction, the series is absolutely incredible and something that every fan of manga and comic books should pick up.
Sailor Moon Naoko Takeuchi Collection Manga Box Set – Kodansha USA
Naoko Takeuchi’s Sailor Moon is a hallmark shojo and a magical girl staple whose popularity and influence can still be felt across the industry today. While the series is no stranger to English releases, Kodansha unveiled a special box set edition of the latest print edition of the series, dubbed the “Noako Takeuchi Edition” which is packaged in a special holographic box with 16 art cards and the first 6 volumes of the Sailor Moon manga.
While there’s no updates on when the second box set will release, the box set announced by the publisher will be available for purchase during the Holiday season.
Issak – Kodansha USA
One of the American Manga Award nominees for 2024 that up to this point had only been released digitally, Taking place in 1620, Catholics and Protestants have been in conflict right at the crux of the Thirty Year War. Amid the battlefield is a lone Japanese soldier named Issak, who’s come to Europe in pursuit of the man who killed his master. The physical release of the series will be in a 2-in-1 omnibus format that will begin publishing in Spring 2025, but the series is available digitally through Kodansha right now.
Published: Aug 5, 2024 04:05 pm