Welcome back, manga fans! Some of these titles are coming out in March, some in July. Sorry folks. That’s just how the solicits seem to be working these days. The direct market sucks.
11. Entombed Outside The List
I didn’t want to leave a new Junji Ito collection off this list, master of horror comics that he is. However it didn’t feel right to have it boot off another book on the list so I figured I’d stick it in here at the bottom to remind you that Junji Ito is amazing and even his stupidest work is worth checking out. Look, I love the guy but when one of your stories is about a woman whose tongue transforms into a slug, I can’t not rag on it a little.
Tombs: Junji Ito Story Collection
Written and Illustrated by Junji Ito
Published by Viz LLC
Countless tombstones stand in rows, forming a bizarre town. What fate awaits a brother and sister after a traffic accident in this town of the dead? In another tale, a girl falls silent, her tongue transformed into a slug. Can a friend save her? Then, when a young man moves to a new town, he finds the house next door has only a single window. What does his grotesque neighbor want, calling out to him every evening from that lone window?Fresh nightmares brought to you by horror master Junji Ito.
For older teen audiences.
10. Trojan Morpher
I’m surprised this hasn’t been done before! As someone who’s not particularly into Sentai shows, I’m sure I’m not the target audience. Still, I’ve been trying to fit this series onto the list for months now. I’m a sucker for a twist that turns a genre on its head without being too grimdark and “Go Go Lose Ranger” seems to fit that bill.
Go Go Loser Ranger, Vol. 5
Written and Illustrated by Negi Haruba
Published by Kodansha Comics
Thirteen years ago, an evil army of mysterious alien monsters invaded the Earth, but the great protectors of mankind-the Divine Dragon Rangers-rose up to stop them! To this day, the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance as the fierce struggle continues to unfold! In truth, the evil aliens were subjugated within the first year, and they’ve now become nothing more than clowns forced to act out their continuous defeat every week for the entertainment of the masses. But one of the aliens has had enough. Something has to change! He’ll rebel against the strongest might of the Dragon Rangers and destroy them all from the inside!
9. New Home For LaLa
I’m shocked this isn’t a Shojo Beat title, which is an imprint of Viz. Instead it’s being put out by Seven Seas! That’s wild to me. I guess more and more of the Shojo market is splintering. And make no mistake, this series feels like a very traditional entry into the genre, even if it is a more “modern” comic. In fact, the reason I put it here isn’t because the art or the story seemed all that out of the norm but instead because it’s a finished story! You don’t know how happy I am to see a finished shojo comic. Please read this so they bring the whole thing over.
Last Game, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Shinobu Amano
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
In elementary school, the rich and spoiled Yanagi Naoto was known for excelling in both studies and sports. But then he suffered the first setback of his life when Kujou Mikoto, a girl from a poor family, transferred to his school and performed better than Naoto at every turn. Reeling from this unforgivable blow to his pride, Naoto decided that he had to make Mikoto lose at something… by making her lose her heart to him, which he could then break! Now that they’re both in college, will Naoto finally be able to win Mikoto’s affections-or will he lose this final game with her?
8. This is Why We Don’t Talk to Strangers in the Woods
Tortured protagonist? Check. Generation spanning time-frame? Check. “Seeking justice?” Check. Ahhh. It’s good to have a traditional fantasy back.
Continued belowSword of Demon Hunter Kijin Gentosho, Vol. 3
Written by Motoo Nakanishi
Illustrated by Yu Satomi
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
For generations, a shrine has stood in the mountain village of Kadono, and for each generation the shrine has had an Itsukihime-its shrine maiden-and the maiden has had her guardian. During the Edo period, a young man named Jinta protects the town and the Itsukihime. When he confronts a strange demon in the nearby forest, it tells him that in the distant future a Demon God will threaten all people, everywhere, and it claims that the Demon God’s rise to power springs from this very time and place, in the village of Kadono. So begins the centuries-spanning journey of a man tainted by demons, hunting through time to seek justice for what he’s lost, and to find a reason to keep on fighting.
7. Respect the Classics
Tsuge’s work is…challenging to talk about. It’s very eclectic and until this project began, was not available anywhere in the US. If you’re not either very interested in manga history, avant garde art, or literary fiction, his stories will likely not connect with you. Even so, I think they’re worth checking out and I will always celebrate each new volume of Tsuge’s stories.
Nejishiki
Written and Illustrated by Yoshiharu Tsuge
Published by Drawn & Quarterly
Nejishiki unveils the most iconic scenes from Yoshiharu Tsuge’s highly respected body of work alongside his most beloved stories. A cornerstone of Japan’s legendary 1960s counterculture that galvanized avant-garde manga and comics criticism, the title story follows an injured young man as he wanders through a village of strangers in search of emotional and physical release. Throughout Nejishiki, Tsuge’s stories push boundaries, abruptly crossing the threshold of conventional storytelling.
6. Did I Do This One Already?
I have the strangest sense of deja vu with this comic. Everything about it is familiar and yet I have no record of ever having put it on a list. And that’s weird because the cover and plot are striking and intriguing. How do violins come into play? Is this a music series or a gritty crime story? Can it be both? I want answers and I want them now but I’ll just have to wait until March to find out.
Soloist in a Cage, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Shiro Moriya
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
Chloe and her baby brother Locke were born in a prison the size of a city: a walled-off collection of ramshackle buildings full of dangerous criminals who live bleak and isolated lives. Their parents are gone, leaving Chloe to care for her brother. When a trio of soldiers manage to break out of the prison, Chloe goes with them but loses Locke during the escape. After years of training, Chloe returns to the prison city with one goal: to find her now 11-year-old brother and get him out of that hellhole, no matter what it takes.
5. Wait For Me
I didn’t think this series would be on this list so often but damn if it hasn’t grown on me. It helps that I just finished watching the anime adaptation which dialed up the vibes of the comic to 11 and improved much of the early part’s pacing & plotting issues. Gripping shit with GORGEOUS backgrounds that are always empty but never sparse. The manga is also reaching a fascinating inflection point and this cover has me stoked to see what’s in store for us next. Take me flying Kotoyama!
Call of the Night, Vol. 11
Written and Illustrated by Kotoyama
Published by Viz, LLC
Now that Ko and Nazuna know the identity of the vampire responsible for the deaths of Kyoko’s parents, they are on high alert. Is it possible to seek justice- or to at least prevent her from wreaking another path of destruction? The answers will test Ko’s human friendships as well as his own humanity…
4. Manga Classics: Gentleman Thief
Damn Seven Seas, you’re killing it this month. A bunch of fun genre picks and now another hardcover classic collection? And it’s a best of “Lupin III” TOO? Just reach into my wallet and take my money, why don’t you?
Continued belowLupin The Third: Thick As Thieves Classic Collection
Written and Illustrated by Monkey Punch
Published by Seven Seas Entertainment
Monkey Punch’s immortal creations are among the most beloved characters of all time, from master thief Lupin III to his trusted sidekicks and tenacious rivals. Seven Seas is proud to present the follow-up to last year’s hit Greatest Heists with this second “best of” release. Thick as Thieves is another curated collection of some of Monkey Punch’s best stories and chapters of Lupin III from throughout the classic manga’s history, featuring all-new translations in a beautiful oversized hardcover. Let this iconic manga steal your heart all over again!
3. Beastly Short Stories
“Beastars” is a certified hit and any excuse to revisit the world deserves a high spot on this list. Add in the fact that these are short stories, one of my favorite forms, and you KNOW I had to stump for this.
Beast Complex, Vol. 2
Written and Illustrated by Paru Itagaki
Published by Viz LLC
Six more tales from the world of BEASTARS, featuring gray wolf Legoshi’s neighbors from Beast Apartments!Yorkshire pig Eugene meets a peacock who’d rather kill himself than be killed. Shiba Inu calendar model Mugi grapples with the inevitability of aging out of his cuteness. Sea eagle Leica fears losing his sugar mama and having to strike out on his own. Plus, our favorite beasts, Legoshi and dwarf rabbit Haru, attend a restorative justice ceremony. And more!
2. Breakout Hit of 2022
I LOVE this series. Love. Love. Love. I love its classic 80s aesthetic filtered through a modern lens. I love its twisty plot that only just gets started at the end of volume 1. I love Mayuzuki’s quiet layering of nostalgia and fantasy with the tiniest bits of dread as the romance builds and the world comes into light. This is a series to watch folks.
Kowloon Generic Romance, Vol. 3
Written and Illustrated by Jun Mayuzuki
Published by Yen Press
The slow realization that her own identity is a mystery leaves Kujirai reeling, but fellow Kowloon resident Yaomay offers her another perspective: Everyone without a past has a first day of their new life. Supported by this new friendship forged by secrets, Kujirai confronts her feelings for Kudou.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist. Fullmetal Alchemist
Mother. Fucking. Arakawa is BACK with a new series that’s not an adaptation of an acclaimed book series. You would not believe how excited I am to read this. Seriously. You don’t need to know anything except Arakawa is creating it. It’s going to be excellent. Don’t believe me? Read “Silver Spoon” and then marvel at how much she makes you care about a farming high school and its students. Then come back and get ready to experience “Daemons” along with me.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa
Published by Square Enix Manga
Hiromu Arakawa, award-winning manga creator of the best-selling smash hit Fullmetal Alchemist, draws readers into an intricate new web of magic, intrigue, and life-or-death stakes! Deep in the mountains, under the watchful eyes of two stone guardians, lies isolated Higashi Village. Unlike some of its residents, young Yuru is content to live out his days foraging and hunting in the nearby woods. But Yuru’s idyllic life changes forever when Higashi Village comes under attack. Amid the chaos, the young man is whisked away and forbidden to return to the only home and family he’s ever known. And to ensure his safety, the two statues who once stood guard over the village have joined the fight-the Divine Left and Right! After losing everything dear to him, will he be up to the task of unraveling a conspiracy tying him and his twin, Asa, to a prophecy that threatens the entire world?
—
Anything I missed? What are YOU looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!
