Re: Anima, YUZU Comics, Beorn & Shokwave
Manga, Previews, Kickstarter
News of a new series from Kodansha, a new deal for YUZO Comics, a return for Red 5 Comics
Join the subscriber chat for the latest digital comics sales!
Looking far ahead to 2025, Kodansha Comics has announced a new manga series - Re: Anima - which you can read online this year.
Kodansha announced today the debut of the latest English-first manga series exclusive to kodansha.us—the mind-bending science fiction shonen epic Re:Anima, by Yoshihiro Togashi. Set in a world ravaged by climate change, Re:Anima imagines a future where technology is the only way humanity can walk the earth. The debut chapter of Re:Anima is now available free-to-read for all Kodansha Readers, with new chapters serialized every other week on kodansha.us. These beginning chapters of Re:Anima will remain free until the debut of the first collected volume in print, coming Fall 2024. Print editions of Re:Anima will be distributed by Penguin Random House.
“I’m beyond thrilled that Re:Anima is finally getting the chance to see the light of day. My favorite manga—which also happens to be the first one I ever read—is the science fiction series Level E by Yoshihiro Togashi, and wow, is it something! It’s been my dream to draw a manga like that someday," says Yoshinori Matsuoka, Re-Anima series creator. “The wonderful thing about science fiction is that it allows you to experience a world quite unlike the one you already live in. I hope Re:Anima invites readers on an adventure filled with excitement, thrills, and heart-pounding moments!”
“For our English-language first titles, we debuted with horror with BLOOD BLADE, moved into fantasy with The Spellbook Library, and now with Re:Anima we enter the territory of science fiction,” says Alvin Lu, Kodansha USA Publishing President & CEO. “Matsuoka-sensei combines their shonen manga sensibilities with concepts of ecological disaster and humanity’s inextricable link to technology, in a future cyberpunk world that feels more prescient than we might want to admit.”
In a world where environmental conditions have forced humanity to take refuge below the Earth’s surface, “normal” life is made possible thanks to the advent of Re:Anima, artificial bodies that allow users to walk in the light of the sun—with some caveats. There are those who would seek to exploit Re:Anima technology for their personal gain, and it’s up to Kara Kamikigi, his partner Shinano Nagano, and the Enforcement Bureau to deal with these menaces. While the danger they face may not always be mortal, the peril of contending with the darkness in people’s hearts is very real…Re:Anima is the latest in the line of all-original, English-first, Kodansha Reader Portal Series to debut and serialize for free exclusively on kodansha.us. Other free-to-read Kodansha Reader Portal Series include the action horror saga BLOOD BLADE, by Oma Sei, and the fantasy adventure series The Spellbook Library, by Uta Isaki (Is Love the Answer). Print editions of both BLOOD BLADE Volume 1 and The Spellbook Library Volume 1 are set to debut February 2024 and October 2024, respectively.
The Kodansha Reader Portal allows new and existing manga fans to read exclusive Kodansha Reader Portal series, buy digital manga with greater ease, sample extended previews of hundreds of Kodansha series, take advantage of exclusive discounts, and much more. To experience the full benefits of becoming a Kodansha Reader, visit kodansha.us and sign up for a free account today.
In more manga news, YUZU Comics has announced a new distribution deal meaning more people can catch these titles.
Catch the launch of 4 new e-book manga titles from Media Do’s YUZU comics label beginning on February 6th on leading digital platforms
Media Do Co., Ltd., Japan’s largest eBook distribution company, and its U.S.-based subsidiary Media Do International Inc., have partnered with TAICCA, a Taiwan-based nonprofit organization that supports the production, distribution, development, and overseas expansion of Taiwan's creative content, to translate and promote original right-to-left comics created by an array of Taiwanese manga creators into English and Japanese language formats. Four Taiwanese manga titles will launch this initiative and are also the first e-book comics from YUZU comics, which is Media Do’s vertical scrolling digital comics initiative.
The new titles include the single-volume, slice-of-life drama CONFESSIONS OF A 35-YEAR-OLD, the single-volume BL romance THREE SECONDS AFTER OUR EYES MET, the 3-volume comical supernatural fantasy THE LIGHT CONJURER, and the single-volume post-apocalyptic romantic BL adventure LOVING YOU WHEN THE WORLD ENDED.
The titles will be available starting February 6th across major digital platforms including Kindle, Google Books, Apple iBooks, Nook, Kobo, Bookwalker, MangaPlaza, and Renta.
YUZU comics was designed for vertical scrolling comics and Media Do now expands the service into the e-book format with these first 4 Taiwanese titles. To date more than 50 vertical-scrolling digital comics have been produced in various languages worldwide by the YUZU label since it began in 2022.
“This is the first time Media Do has partnered with TAICCA and we are very happy to be able to bring this collection of comics by an award-winning cadre of talented Taiwanese artists and creators via our YUZU comics label,” says Daihei Shiohama, CEO and President, Media Do International. “We invite comics and manga fans and readers to discover these new titles and the vibrant world of Taiwanese comics and the innovative stories and perspectives from these creators.”
“Media Do is one of the world’s leading digital book distributors and our partnership will bring an exciting collection of comics by acclaimed Taiwanese creators to a global market eager for graphic novel content across a range of popular genres,” says TAICCA CEO Jiun Wei Lu. “Taiwan has a very robust comics and graphic novel creator community, and we are very happy to see this first round of titles gain a wide international fanbase.”
Red 5 Comics has announced the return of Beorn, with details of the latest issue and a collection of this fun Viking's latest adventures.
Red 5 Comics is happy to present the long awaited conclusion to Beorn, The Littlest Viking! Issue #4 will be in stores in the next week or so.
Winner of the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award! Beorn and Goob are on the run! What could be so bad to have a Viking and a troll teaming up for survival? And will the little fellas be big enough to put their differences aside long enough to get out of this mess?
If you haven't pre-ordered Beorn #4 from your comic shop, you can do so using the code: NOV231671
Following shortly after, the trade paperback featuring Volume 1 "The Island" hits stores around February 14th as well.
Winner of the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award for Comic Book Series! Beorn's world is big, full of living myths and fairy tales, but that won't stop the littlest Viking from living a legendary life! After Beorn finds his way to an uncharted island, he wastes no time launching headfirst on his quest for adventure... or at the very least, his quest to find a sandwich! What perils await young Beorn in this new land, and will the littlest Viking be big enough to rise above the dangers coming his way?
The award winning trade paperback can be ordered with Diamond Code: NOV231672
The fourth issue of the excellent Shokwave is now funding on Kickstarter, with a selection of horror and science fiction stories in this anthology - plus, you can catch up on previous issues.
COVERS!
Both covers this time feature our near future robot rebellion stars from RESISTORS! The regular cover is by award winning horror artist David Hitchcock and the Kickstarter exclusive cover is by interior Resistors' artist Richard Pester.
NOSFERATU II continues our sequel to 1922's cult silent horror classic. Trapped on a ship crossing the Atlantic with the immortal remains of the dead vampire... The cult of Orlok works to resurrect the count. This time featuring a two hundred year old talking zombie rat AND spontaneous human combustion! Art by Dark Horse artist David Hitchcock!
THE CLOCK STRIKES! Another adventure for the golden-age mystery man. A gun for hire aims to kill another assassin. A hit gone wrong in the ice and snow of a New York winter in 1937. Featuring the return of femme fatal assassin Scarlet Hunter! Art by Longpig artist Adam Jakes in cool black and white!
ANNA KEY back for more alien chaos! Sheriff Key has a new deputy to break in, but will there be time for proper training when there's a scheme of mass kidnapping unfolding in Rox City? Anna and Norm find themselves vacuum-packed in the latest self-contained adventure. Full colour art by Switchblade Stories artist Chris Askham!
RESISTORS an everyday tale of sex robots fifty years in the future. We delve back into the pasts of human droid mechanic, Kew, and lead warrior for the rebellion, Jez. How did he get involved in the bots struggle? And what was her life like before she rebelled? Full color art by Fantagraphics artist Richard Pester.