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Kodansha USA Reveals English-First Manga The Spellbook Library; Licenses Versus, Pupposites Attract, 8 More Manga
posted on by Anita Tai
ANN's coverage of Anime NYC 2023 sponsored by Yen Press and Ize Press!
Kodansha USA Publishing announced during its Anime NYC panel on Saturday that it will publish Is Love the Answer? creator Uta Isaki's The Spellbook Library manga in an English-first release.
The publisher has also licensed ONE and Kyoutarou Azuma's Versus; Hono Natsuna's Pupposites Attract; Ii Oshikawa and Bekio's The Boy I Loved Became the Jaded Emperor; Miyuki Unohana's Snow & Ink; Kintetsu Yamada's Telework Yotabanashi (Telework Gossip) as Home Office Romance; Mitsuki Mii's Kusunoki's Flunking Her High School Glow-Up; tsuke's Spoil Me Plzzz, Hinamori-san!; and Rie Aruga's Koboreru Yoru ni (Shelter of Love) manga as Sheltering Eaves for print in fall 2024.
In addition, the company will release Uta Isaki's Sayabito: Swords of Destiny and Kana Nakatsuki's Don't Tempt Me, VP! manga for digital release in December.
Kodansha USA will also release Naoshi Arakawa's Your Lie in April manga in omnibus format starting in fall 2024.
The following manga are the newly announced print releases:
Title: The Spellbook Library
Author: Uta Isaki
Print Release: Fall 2024 (available digitally now)
Summary: In the world of The Spellbook Library, Spellbook librarians protect townsfolk from dangerous spellbeasts, sealing them in spellbooks that hold more than just magic. When he was a child, troublemaker Yan was attacked by a ferocious spellbeast—until he was rescued by a group of Spellbook librarians. Inspired by the librarians' heroic efforts, Yan vows to turn over a new leaf and become a Spellbook librarian to repay their kindness. On the day of his employment exam, he meets Tohru, a mysterious young boy who has his own reasons for wanting to work at the library. Together, Yan and Tohru set off and join the ranks of the Spellbook Library, and begin the long journey to learn just what it takes to become a Spellbook Librarian!
The series debuts in English-first on the Kodansha Reader Portal series digitally every other Wednesday, with the first episode available now. The episodes will be free for Kodansha Readers until the first print volume ships in fall 2024.
Title: Versus
Authors: Story by ONE; Manga by Kyoutarou Azuma; Organized by bose
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: Centuries ago, humanity's natural enemy, “Demons,” invaded the world and oppressed humankind. The Great Demon Lord and 47 subordinates known as Demon Lords have since dominated the world, while the human race lives on in fear. In desperation, a last-ditch effort for humanity's very survival is placed in the hands of 47 people gathered from across the world. These heroes will oppose the demon army and win back humanity's freedom…or die trying!
One-Punch Man creator ONE and Kyōtarō Azuma launched the manga in November 2022. Kodansha shipped volume 2 on November 9. K Manga will also publish the series digitally, beginning on November 25.
Title: Pupposites Attract
Author: Hono Natsuna
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: Chiharu Kagura is content spending her days with her sweetie of a Rottweiler that probably weighs about as much as she does. Meanwhile, Kiyotaka Tsujii can't get enough of his fluffy Pomeranian that barely comes up to his knees. When these two mismatched pairs chance upon each other at the park, could it be the start of an unlikely friendship—or maybe something more?
Natsuna launched the series on the Japanese art site Pixiv in February 2022, before moving to the PIxiv Comic portal in October 2022. Ichijinsha shipped volume 1 on April 25.
Title: The Boy I Loved Became the Jaded Emperor
Authors: Ii Oshikawa; Created by Bekio; Character Designs by Mitsuya Fuji
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: After witnessing the death of the woman who saved him as a child, Prince Alexei vows revenge and turns bitter and jaded, eventually taking the throne and becoming Emperor. Little does he know, the woman who saved him was reborn as the daughter of a duke, a taciturn young lady with a secret. When fate throws them together, will they recognize each other, or will their jaded pasts keep them apart?
Bekio originally published the story on the ncode syosetsu website in August 2020. Oshikawa later adapted the series into a manga in April 2022 on the Pixiv Comic website. Ichijinsha shipped volume 2 on March 31.
Title: Snow & Ink
Author: Miyuki Unohana
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: Accused of slaughtering an entire village, a sardonic criminal resigned to his lot in life is mysteriously bought by the daughter of a wealthy family. She too has been shunned by the world, and saw in him a suitable companion for her journey to the barren north. While they both carry a certain darkness in their hearts, that may be what allows them to find solace in each other…
Unohana first launched the series on Pixiv in January 2022. The manga eventually moved to Kodansha's Comic Days for digital serialization. Kodansha shipped volume 3 on October 19.
Title: Home Office Romance
Author: Kintetsu Yamada
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: A one-shot (home) office romance rom-com from the creator of Sweat and Soap!
Nokoru is finally afforded the chance to telework at home due to the pandemic lockdown. Rediscovering old passions and new hobbies, Nokoru is allured by his next-door neighbor, Natsu.
From the creator of Sweat and Soap, this standalone volume showcases two adults building a relationship when most human-to-human interaction was halted, even if it feels like a tall tale to find romance at home.
Yamada launched the series in Kodansha's Morning magazine in November 2022. The series ended in April. The manga's one compiled volume shipped on May 23.
Title: Kusunoki's Flunking Her High School Glow-Up
Author: Mitsuki Mii
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: Keisuke Shizuki and Shizuka Kusunoki are taking high school by storm with their good looks, but they share a dark secret: they were both total outcasts in middle school! While Shizuki has succeeded in making himself over inside and out, clearing the slate of his past life, Kusunoki is still struggling to develop social skills to match her new appearance. She's eager for Shizuki's help, if only he could get over his phobia of pretty girls...
Mii launched the series on Pixiv Comics in October 2022. Ichijinsha shipped volume 2 on August 28.
Title: Spoil Me Plzzz, Hinamori-san!
Author: tsuke
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: Ichigo Hinamori has always looked up to her senpai Yaya Suou for her poise, impeccable grades, and kind heart. But that all changes the day Ichigo stumbles upon Yaya wailing like a little kid in the nurse's office. It turns out everyone's favorite honor student is desperate to get off her pedestal and be spoiled rotten instead—and now she's hoping Ichigo will be the one to indulge her!
Tsuke debuted the series on Pixiv in April 2022. Ichijinsha shipped volume 3 on May 17.
Title: Sheltering Eaves
Author: Rie Aruga
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: At the age of ten, Yoru was sent to live in a children's home due to abuse from her mother. Tenjaku, a boy who is the same age, takes Yoru under his wing. Now in their second year of high school, Yoru and Tenjaku only have a year left before they must leave the children's home.
From the creator of Perfect World, this story follows a pure romance that has blossomed in an unfair and cruel world as it explores Japanese society's treatment of those who are most innocent.
Aruga launched the manga in Kodansha's Kiss magazine in September 2022. Kodansha shipped volume 2 on August 10.
Title: Your Lie in April Omnibus
Author: Naoshi Arakawa
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: Naoshi Arakawa's beloved romantic drama about relearning to fall in love with music—and life—returns in this brand new omnibus edition!
Kōsei Arima was a piano prodigy until his cruel taskmaster of a mother died suddenly, changing his life forever. Driven by his pain to abandon piano, Kosei now lives in a monotonous, colorless world. Having resigned himself to a bland life, he is surprised when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a violinist with an unorthodox style. Can Kaori teach Kosei not just how to play, but how to start living again?
Arakawa's Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso) manga debuted in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in 2011, and ended in February 2015. Kodansha published the 11th and final compiled volume in Japan in May 2015. The manga inspired a 22-episode television anime series that premiered in October 2014, and Aniplex of America released the series on home video. The manga also inspired a live-action film that opened in September 2016. Kodansha Comics released the original manga in English.
The following manga are the newly announced digital releases for December:
Title: Sayabito: Swords of Destiny
Author: Uta Isaki
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: From the creator of Is Love the Answer? and The Spellbook Library comes an exciting new fantasy battle manga—the author's debut, now available in English!
Constructed solely for war, sayabito are fearsome human weapons who are tightly bonded to those who wield them. In the wake of a great war, fiery and impatient Rivia and her willowy, cautious partner Kuifa roam the land in search of sayabito who lost their wielders in the conflict, in order to register and protect these vulnerable sayabito before they wither away or are exploited. Though Rivia and Kuifa frequently exasperate each other with their clashing approaches, they share one common goal: to carve out a life in the peacetime for which they, and others like them, were never meant.
Isaki debuted the series in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon magazine in September 2009. Kodansha shipped the eighth and final volume in April 2013. The battle fantasy magna is Isaki's debut series.
Title: Don't Tempt Me, VP!
Author: Kana Nakatsuki
Print Release: Fall 2024
Summary: 27-year old Maki Enomoto is done with relationships. One year ago, her terrible boyfriend made her the joint guarantor on a loan before promptly ghosting her with a mountain of debt. Now she just wants to be left alone to her quiet otaku life, working her office job to make her ex's monthly repayments, and devoting what scant little is left to her hobbies. Namely, her virtual boyfriend Allen-kun, who is hot, kind, and dependable in a way that real-life men aren't—least of all the hotshot young VP that keeps getting on her case about deadlines and deliverables. But when said VP shows up with a rather interesting proposal, Maki must decide if she's ready to roll the dice one last time…
Nakatsuki launched the series in Kodansha's Anefure magazine in 2019. Kodansha shipped the fifth and final volume in February 2022.
The staff at the panel also commented on how Kodansha USA gets these "English-first" releases (first with Oma Sei's Blood Blade and now with Uta Isaki's The Spellbook Library). The staff stated that while there's a lot of amazing talent in Japan, there might not be as many opportunities for that talent to get their works in print, and editors have relationships with all kinds of creators. Kodansha USA stated its editors have access to a lot of different talents, and are able to choose new talents and give them a chance to reach readers overseas.
Source: Email correspondence, Kodansha USA panel at Anime NYC (Deb Aoki)
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