Welcome back, manga fans! Since Previews has a section of the catalog dedicated to manga, we’ll be highlighting that section’s most notable upcoming releases every month. Read on to see what stuck out to us!
10. International Sensation “My Hero Academia!!”
Gotta give a shout-out this month to “My Hero Academia.” The book is an international sensation — look around at the cosplay at any pop culture convention in America and a sizable percentage will be from this property. It’s not uncommon for a Shonen manga to reach 18 volumes, but it has been a while since we’ve had an original property like this pick up such a huge audience. Honestly, it might be the biggest Shonen action series since the Naruto/Bleach/One Piece trifecta in the mid-to-late aughts. May the series have a life as long as those three.
My Hero Academia volume 18
Written and Illustrated by Kohei Horikoshi
Published by Viz Media
Midoriya is in the fight of his life-an all-out battle with Overhaul, who has unleashed his terrifying power. Midoriya is matching it with his own power, pushing One For All to 100 percent. Only by relying on Eri’s restoration Quirk can he hope to take down Overhaul. If Midoriya manages to walk away from this fight, his life will never be the same again…
9. 45 novels later… a new manga!
Every month, I like to highlight at least one property that has made the jump into multiple different mediums. Here we have a new manga story set in the world of fantasy novel/manga/anime “Sorcerous Stabber Orphen.” So far, the property has racked up 45 novels, two other multi-volume manga series, and two separate anime adaptations, with this manga now joining along with a new anime on the way. This one isn’t of much interest to me personally, but as I always say, there’s going to be someone out there who’s ecstatic that this exists.
Sorcerous Stabber Orphen, volume 1: Heed My Call
Written by Yoshinobu Akita
Illustrated by Muraji
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
With spell and sword in hand, the classic fantasy hero returns in an all-new manga series! While studying as a sorcerer at the most prestigious institute for magic in the land, an arcane accident sees Orphen’s oldest friend, Azalie, transformed into a horrifying monster. When the sorcerers’ academy decides to cover up the accident instead of trying to fight the curse, Orphen takes matters into his own hands. He forsakes his position and even his own name, departing on a wanderer’s quest to gather the knowledge and artifacts necessary to make Azalie human again. Adventure and danger await in this brand-new adaptation of the fan-favorite Orphen franchise!
8. Early Miyazaki, always welcome.
Before he started making movies, he made manga. Nausicaa has been in print for a while in a variety of formats, so I’m not sure why all seven volumes are getting resolicited for March, along with an in-print Nausicaa art book and picture book. Is it for the 35th (!) anniversary of the movie in May? Is it for some other secret reason? In any case, now’s a great time to peep this piece of early Miyazaki.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, volume 1
Written and Illustrated by Hayao Miyazaki
Published by Viz Media
Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, based on his own manga, was released in 1984 and has been a cult classic ever since. In a long-ago war, humankind set off a devastating ecological disaster. The earth is slowly submerging beneath the expanding Sea of Decay, an enormous toxic forest that creates mutant insects and poisonous spores. Beyond the sea lies the Valley of the Wind, a kingdom of barely 500 citizens and home to Nausicaä, who risks everything to save her people and bring peace and health to the valley.
7. Great art elevates familiar concepts.
Witch manga are a dime a dozen, so it takes a lot for one to stand out. This one has lush art with character designs and a shading style reminiscent of old storybook illustrations. Sometimes all it takes to make a familiar concept feel new is a particularly unique art style.
Continued belowWitch Hat Atelier
Written and Illustrated by Karmome Shirahama
Published by Kodansha Comics
A beautifully-illustrated story about a girl who longs for magic in her life and learns that, on the inside, she already is what she wishes she could be. In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with the gift for magic. She’s resigned to her un-magical life, until a traveling magician passes through her village, and Coco learns what what everybody “knows” might not be the truth.
6. Liked the movie? Experience the manga.
A few months ago, I spotlighted “Aposimz” for its art. Now it’s time for another Nihei book. This one is being released due to the anime movie that’s now on American Netflix, though I’m not sure how much of the story is going to be covered given that the manga is 10 volumes long. Since this is the “movie edition,” does that mean it’s just a collection of the beginning that the movie adapted? In any case, this is an interesting attempt at cross-promotion that we don’t often see from Seven Seas.
Blame! Movie Edition
Written and Illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
One of the manga world’s most intriguing artists comes the manga version of the Netflix movie, BLAME! In a dystopian future, a complex network of machines has pushed humanity to the brink. Robots known as the “Builders” continued to build a meaningless civilization with no one to reside in it. Soon these cities reach out to the outer planets and another breed of life form emerges.
5. The outside world’s a dangerous place…
I feel like there have been a lot of high-profile stories with this same sort of concept recently: “We’re stuck inside a world meant to pacify us while strange beings exist outside the walls.” At least, “Attack on Titan” and “The Promised Neverland” immediately come to mind. I do like the sparser style and what seems to be a bigger focus on slow human moments, so hopefully this book will deliver that to set it apart.
Heavenly Delusion, volume 1
Written and Illustrated by Masakazu Ishiguro
Published by Denpa
Masakazu Ishiguro returns to the science-fiction genre with a compelling tale of contrasting and potentially colliding worlds filled with their own unique horrors. Within the safety of the walls, youths are raised in a nursery setting by robots. Outside is a hellscape with powerful technology and equally powerful supernatural beings.
4. Nice move, Dark Horse.
Dark Horse made a great call picking up this series. “One-Punch Man” has been a hit, so it makes sense that One’s previous series would also hold interest to fans. Add in the fact that Adult Swim has been airing the anime and now’s the perfect time for them to cash in on this creator’s success. 3 volumes down, 13 to go!
Mob Psycho 1000, volume 3
Written and Illustrated by One
Published by Dark Horse
In a showdown with Black Vinegar Middle School’s shadow gang leader, Teru, Mob sticks to his policy of nonviolence and refrains from using his powers-and gets knocked out! The fight seems over for Mob . . . but something then awakens in Mob, beyond the confines of his conscious mind! And in the aftermath, a new story develops with Ritsu, Mob’s conflicted younger brother who enjoys the social success Mob desires . . . yet still longs for what Mob has that Ritsu lacks-psychic power!
3. Make it bigger!
I didn’t intend to have two Nihei comics on this list, but here we are. I guess the dude’s having a moment in American manga publishing! This is his most well-known series, now being reprinted in larger, thicker volumes for the die-hard fans. We don’t see huge special editions of manga stateside very often — books are typically either standard manga size or a single inch larger — so congrats to Nihei on this.
Continued belowKnights of Sidonia: Master Edition, volume 1
Written and Illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei
Published by Vertical Comics
One of the manga world’s most intriguing artist returns with a science-fiction tour de force which combines post apocolyptic action, modern sci-fi video game tropes and a traditional Japanese aesthetic in The Knights of Sidonia. Knights of Sidonia has been complied into a Master Edition featuring larger print, colored inserts and omibused volumes. Each Master’s Edition volume compiles 2 1/2 volumes of the original Knights of Sidonia volumes.
2. Add it to the collection.
Speaking of creators who are having a moment in America, we have yet another Junji Ito collection this month. He’s known as a master of horror, and Viz seems intent on reprinting all of his works. In the last year or two, we’ve gotten over a half-dozen Ito volumes. I still have yet to check any of them out, so maybe this short story collection will be the one to pull me in.
Smashed: A Junji Ito Story Collection
Written and Illustrated by Junji Ito
Published by Viz Media
Try not to be noticed when you eat the secret nectar, otherwise you’ll get smashed… What horrific events happened to create the earthbound-people tied to a certain place for the rest of their short lives? Then, a strange haunted house comes to town, but no one expects it to lead to a real hell… Welcome to Junji Ito’s world, a world with no escape from endless nightmares.
1. The best kind of memoir.
Memoirs can range from informative to insightful to downright self-indulgent. This five-volume story of Higashimura’s journey looks to be an honest look back at her too-idealistic self and the gradual disillusionment and embracing of reality that comes with pursuing any creative career. In short, this sounds like exactly the kind of memoir I want to read. “Bakuman” did something similar, but it was a fictionalized story steeped in shonen tropes. This looks like it’s going to be a far more realistic examination of the pursuit of employment in art. Not to mention, the series is currently rated as the #40 all-time top manga on MyAnimeList.net. Can’t wait for this one.
Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey, volume 1
Written and Illustrated by Akiko Higashimura
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
The award-winning autobiographical manga Kakukaku Shikajika by Akiko Higashimura, the creator of Princess Jellyfish, about her high school dream to become a comic book creator! High schooler Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka before she even graduates, but she needs to get much better at drawing if she ever wants to reach her goal. Looking for an easy fix, she signs up for an art class, thinking all her problems will soon be solved. She’s in for a surprise: her new instructor is a sword-wielding taskmaster who doesn’t care about manga one bit. But maybe this unconventional art teacher is just what she needs to realize her dreams!
—
Anything you’re looking forward to that I overlooked? Let me know in the comments!
