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Elex Media Licenses Mashle, 'Kemari, Kota!' Manga
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
Indonesian publisher Elex Media Komputindo announced on Monday that it has licensed Hajime Kōmoto's Mashle: Magic and Muscles manga and Takashi Murakami's Kemari, Kota! (Kota Oide) manga. It will release the first volumes of both manga on Wednesday.
Both Viz Media's Shonen Jump service and Shueisha's MANGA Plus service are publishing Kōmoto's Mashle: Magic and Muscles manga digitally in English. Viz Media is also releasing the manga in print. Shueisha describes the manga:
This is a world of magic where magic is used for everything. But deep in the forest exists a young man who spends his time training and bulking up. He can't use magic, but he enjoys a peaceful life with his father. But one day, his life is put in danger! Will his muscular body protect him from the magic users who are out to get him? Powerfully trained muscles crush magic as this abnormal magical fantasy begins!
The series launched in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in January 2020. Shueisha published the manga's 13th compiled book volume on October 4. The manga entered its final arc with the 12th volume.
The manga is inspiring a television anime adaptation that will premiere in 2023.
Murakami's Kemari, Kota! manga is an autobiographical manga based on Murakami's experience of actually taking care of a dog after he penned the acclaimed manga series Stargazing Dog. Murakami and his family are shown taking care of the black Shiba inu Kota.
Murakami launched the manga in Futabasha's Manga Action magazine in 2017, and ended it in September 2018. Futabasha published two volumes for the manga.
The American Library Association's Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) division listed the Stargazing Dog manga on its list of the top 10 graphic novels for teens in 2013.
Murakami's Namakemono ga Miteta manga inspired an original video anime in 1988. Murakami also provided the original character designs for the Harimogu Harley television anime that premiered in 1996.
Source: Elex Media's Facebook page via Kaori Nusantara
