Summer has arrived, and what better way to enjoy the beach vibes and hot weather than by curling up by the pool or on the sand with a nice refreshing drink and escaping into a sizzling romantasy? Our list of anticipated manga for summer 2025 is a great way to get started with the San Diego Comic-Con and LA’s Anime Expo just around the corner and reading programs going into full swing at a library near you!
This new list offers a diverse mix of titles from up-and-coming creators, previously award nominees and winners, and English-language debuts of several long-time favorites. Already this week, Midori Sato and Norio Tsuruta’s HORROR COLLECTOR and Inuhiko Doronda’s SPACEWALKING WITH YOU, the bestselling 17th Manga Taisho Award nominee, have launched. Other award winners to look out for this summer include Hiroaki Samura’s political drama SNEGUROCHKA OF THE SPRING BREEZE (winner of the Excellence Award at the 2014 Japan Media Arts Festival) and Chang Sheng’s genre-bending YAN (winner of Taiwan’s Golden Comics Award).
Other buzzworthy titles making their English-language debuts include Kotteri’s josei series, Veil, and Shinji Makari’s and Double-S’s Issak. As for fun beach reads, Midori Tayama’s immensely popular webcomic Girl Crush hits U.S. shelves in June, and Hayate Kuku mixes BL and sci-fi in a heartwarming tale about what it means to be human.
And now, let’s dive into the anticipated manga for summer 2025!
Spacewalking With You 1
Created By: Inuhiko Doronoda
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: May 28 (Comics Shops) / May 27 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
Kobayashi just can’t focus–not on studying, not on work–and the adults in his life think he’s in danger of becoming a worthless dropout. Then, one day, a strange new presence arrives in his class: an energetic and naive kid named Uno. Kobayashi saves Uno from getting scammed, and that close encounter launches a new friendship. Uno’s definitely a space cadet, but Kobayashi can’t help admiring the way he floats through life, and before he knows it, he might start feeling his feet lift off the ground, too…
This hilarious and inspiring manga series from debut artist Inuhiko Doronoda was nominated for the 17th Manga Taisho Award and broke 600,000 readers in Japan!
Fairy Cat 1
Created By: Hisa Takano
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: May 28 (Comics Shops) / May 27 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
A minuscule cat appears one rainy day, perched on Kanade’s chair. But the moment he spots the tiny ball of fluff, it vanishes! Kanade knows fairy cats are a rare sight to behold, hiding out of reach in nooks and crannies—but now that he’s seen one, he is determined to win its affection. Can Kanade coax the fairy cat out of hiding and befriend it?
The Art of the Boy and the Heron
Created By: Hayao Miyazaki
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: May 28 (Comics Shops) / May 27 (Bookstores)
List Price: $40.00 Hardcover
In Studio Ghibli’s Academy Award®–winning fantasy adventure film, The Boy and the Heron, young Mahito loses his mother and is plunged into a journey of discovery led by a mischievous gray heron. This gorgeous art book is filled with hundreds of pieces of concept art, storyboards, character designs, backgrounds, key animation, and more that illuminate the inventive vision of acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki.
This book features commentary and interviews from the incredible team that shaped this film and past Studio Ghibli masterpieces. Readers will gain insight into the extensive production process and the painstaking work that went into the creation of this film from supervising animator Takeshi Honda, art director Yoji Takeshige, background artist Noboru Yoshida, and many more. The book also includes the director’s original memos proposing the creation of the film, the full script, and many other intriguing details.
Horror Collector 1
Created By: Midori Sato & Norio Tsuruta
Writer: Jan Cash (Translator)
Artist: Niko Yuki
Publisher: JY
Release Date: May 28 (Comics Shops) / May 27 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.00 Paperback
Urban legends come to life…Everyone’s heard an urban legend before, but few have ever come face-to-face with one. These phenomena are everywhere, existing in the shadows of reality. More and more of them have been appearing in the wake of the faceless kid sighted all over Japan. If you see her or one of the urban legends she brings―pray the boy in the red hood finds you before it’s too late. You won’t stand a chance on your own. But with his help, you may just live to see another day…
I Can’t Get Through the Night Alone
Created By: Yoh Matsumoto
Publisher: LoveLove
Release Date: May 28 (Comics Shops) / May 27 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Traumatized by the war, Seishiro is unable to sleep through the night. That is, until he meets Jim, a friendly American soldier stationed in Japan. Seeing the opportunity to change his life, Seishiro suggests they become a couple! Jim is smitten with Seishiro right away, seemingly oblivious to Sei’s ulterior motives. At first, Seishiro only sees their relationship as a means to an end. But night after night, as he falls asleep in Jim’s gentle embrace, the heart that broke on the battlefield slowly begins to heal…
Face Meat
Created By: Taro Bonten
Editor: Ryan Holmberg
Publisher: Living the Line
Release Date: May 28 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.95 Paperback
A headless busty blonde, a face-stealing psychopath, a sleazy serial-killer sculptor, a horny handsome hunchback, a vengeful caterpillar cuckold, a torturous hangover in the pits of hell. Welcome to the raunchy and gristly world of FACE MEAT, from the decadent imagination of outlaw polymath Bonten Taro―ex-kamikaze, ex-yakuza, singer, songwriter, actor, world-famous tattooist, husband of seven, and underappreciated pioneer of “pinky violence” femme fatales and adult horror manga. While Mizuki Shigeru and Umezz Kazuo were paving the way for horror in shonen and shojo magazines in the 1960s, Bonten was secretly doing the same in erotic men’s rags―and the results are as trashy as you’d expect. With an essay by Bonten booster and B-gekiga expert Kunisawa Hiroshi, FACE MEAT includes fourteen hair- and pants-raising stories that have never before been assembled under a single cover in any language!
Roar: A Star in the Abyss 1
Created By: Ai Okaue
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
Misato had a perfect childhood, with parents who loved her and a home on an idyllic island in Japan’s inland sea. But then a TV show starts shooting in town. Misato’s cast as an extra, and in an instant, her life is turned on its head. A woman appears claiming to be her real mother, and before she knows it Misato is living in a lavish mansion surrounded by greedy schemers of all stripes. The curtain rises on the story of a rising star who plunges into an abyss…where the only sustenance is vengeance!
S.I.R.
Created By: Fell Hound
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99 Paperback
Get ready for your new obsession… MOTORCYCLE JOUSTING!
Fate brutally separated Avery Sakai from her girlfriend Nico Xing, but acceptance at Bridleham Academy might be just the thing to bring them back together. As it turns out though, Nico’s extracurriculars are the last thing Avery expected…Now to win a chance at love, Avery will need to throw herself into the violent but captivating world of the motorcycle jousting fight club known as the Seismic Ironclash Roulette!
Ringo Award-nominated cartoonist Fell Hound (Commander Rao, And We Love You) brings over-the-top sports anime energy to this effusively charming and effortlessly delightful saga of love, loss, and… motorcycles.
Veil Volume 1: Temperature of Orange
Created By: Kotteri
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.99 Paperback
“Like a classic film, he and she encountered each other by chance. He was an on-duty police officer in the city. She was a runaway heiress. When he learned that she is looking for work, he decided to welcome her as the police station’s telephone operator… This was the beginning of the everyday lives of he and she, and the delicate distance between them. Enjoy witty dialogue and bold illustrations, in this in full-color manga collection by Kotteri!”
The Bugle Call: Song of War, Vol. 1
Writer: Mozuku Sora
Artist: Higoro Tourmori
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $11.99 Paperback
In Arboral Year 1294, the world is dominated by nine massive towers known as the Spires—remnants of an advanced civilization, they are filled with lost secrets and powerful knowledge that nations struggle to possess. Luca is a bugler in a mercenary company who wants nothing more than to leave the battlefield behind and become a true musician, a maestro. But marked as one of the enigmatic Branch-hexed, and gifted with the strange ability to see the sound of his instrument, Luca finds himself drawn reluctantly into a war of epic proportions!
Left for dead after a battle, Luca is saved by the mysterious Pontiff and learns he is not the only person with unusual powers. The Pontiff has formed a special team of Branch-hexed individuals he plans to use to help him defeat rival empires—and Luca learns that his powers, rather than being an escape from the battlefield, now force him to be a muse of massacre.
Kill Blue Vol. 1
Created By: Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $11.99 Paperback
Juzo Ogami has never led a normal life. He was picked up by a criminal organization as a child and grew up to become a legendary hit man. But everything changes when he’s bitten by a mysterious insect and becomes a teenager again! Can this battle-hardened assassin handle the rigors of middle school life?!
Juzo Ogami’s a legend. Even among hit men, his name sends shivers down spines. There’s never been a job he couldn’t handle—that is, until the day he wakes up as a teenager! But how has his body transformed? To find out, he’ll have to infiltrate the one place he thought he’d never find himself in again…school!
Saturday Wars: The Manga Multiverse Crossover
Created By:
Writers: Frederick L. Jones, Eddy Frye & Saturday AM
Publisher: Rockport Publishers
Release Date: Jun. 4 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.99 Paperback
In Saturday Wars, Saturday AM’s heroes unite in an epic story that changes everything in the diverse manga multiverse. The post-credit scenes from initial volumes across Saturday AM’s series confirmed a shared universe—and NOW the event to save their worlds begins!
Driven by an evil empire helmed by the mysterious Chillian Veyn, a powerful threat is traversing the multiverse, conquering everything in its path. In response, the all-encompassing cosmic alliance that rules the multiverse seeks to recruit the diverse heroes of Saturday AM to fight to prevent the complete desolation of their realities. Though the heroes accept that their efforts are likely in vain, they’re still committed to joining forces to save their worlds. Thus, a series of wars erupt across the multiverse, threatening to destroy everything that has ever been or will ever be created. Can Sano of Apple Black, Cast of Clock Striker, Isao of Bully Eater, and the other heroes of Saturday AM win?
Written by Saturday AM publisher Frederick L. Jones with art by up-and-coming creator Eddy Frye, Saturday Wars features characters from Odunze Oguguo / Whyt Manga (Apple Black), JeyOdin (Hammer), Issaka Galadima (Clock Striker), plus Tony Dawkins (Titan King), Oscar Fong (The Massively Multiplayer World of Ghosts), Bon Idle (Henshin!), Fred Tornager (Gunhild), Morganne Walker (Soul Beat), and more! Saturday Wars is the perfect adventure for manga lovers who’ve yearned to see their favorite heroes both pitted against each other and teaming up to battle an enemy more powerful than they’ve ever experienced.
Girl Crush, Vol. 1
Created By: Midori Tayama
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jun. 11 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $11.99 Paperback
Tenka Momose was a quiet and withdrawn child, but before long she realized that the most effective way to protect herself wasn’t hiding from other kids—it was being the best at everything! After years of armoring herself with excellence, Tenka lives safely atop her cool-girl pedestal, admired and idolized by everyone. But her flawless composure is suddenly shaken by a very average schoolmate’s impressively big dreams. At first Tenka is scornful of Erian Sato’s ambition to become a K-pop idol, but the other girl’s passion is so irresistible that Tenka soon finds herself with idol dreams of her own!
Inspired by Erian’s sincerity (and her own unexpected jealousy), Tenka decides that she’s going to audition at a famous Korean talent agency. But although her research powers and ability to memorize moves have helped Tenka excel in the past, the judges seem to be looking for something more than just flawless technique. Does Tenka have a chance at becoming an idol when the only thing she’s good at is being perfect?
Issak Omnibus 1
Writer: Shinji Makari
Artist: DOUBLE-S
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Jun. 11 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $22.99 Paperback
The year is A.D. 1620. Europe is riven with the conflagrations that will grow into the Thirty Years War. Catholic and Protestant forces clash across battlefields ruled by sword and gunpowder alike, and mercenaries of every stripe ply their trade. Among them is Issak, a lone Japanese warrior wielding a matchlock gun of strange design, on a sworn mission to find and kill the man who murdered his master and fled Japan for the other side of the world.
Extra-long omnibus edition contains Vol. 1-2 of the Japanese release.
Twilight Out of Focus Box Set
Created By: Jyanome
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $54.95 Paperback
This collector’s box set contains volumes 1-4 of the Twilight Out of Focus series and includes a special booklet with U.S.-edition-exclusive art, a never-before translated short story, and all-new full-color illustrations.
Second-years Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Otomo make three promises: 1) That Mao will never tell anyone that Hisashi is gay and has a boyfriend, 2) That Hisashi will never think of Mao “in that way,” and 3) That they’ll always knock before entering, in case someone is having some “private time.” The two’s ground rules should ensure a peaceful life together in their dorm, but life is never as simple as it should be, and some things are not so easily promised…
SHWD: The Complete Yuri Collection
Created By: sono.N
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.99 Paperback
The entire 3-volume series of the manga is now available in a single omnibus collection! A hardboiled yuri tale about two special agent women fighting supernatural horrors.
In a world overrun by terrifying creatures born from biological weapons, only one organization stands between safety and chaos—the SHWD (Special Hazardous Waste Disposal). Their mission? Eliminate the deadly beasts known as Dynamis. New recruit Koga, the second woman to join the male-dominated Tokyo branch, is ready to flex her muscles and prove she can handle the job. She’s teamed with another woman, Sawada, a hardened veteran whose sharp mind complements Koga’s raw power. But while sparks fly between them, there’s little room for romance when every mission could be their last.
As these tough-as-nails women confront nightmarish monsters together, other exceptional women join the fight! This is the story of the fearless women who risk it all in battle while forging a fiery bond that’s stronger than the darkness they face.
Cats With Jobs Vol. 1
Created By: Pandania
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Ever wondered what it would be like if your cat had to get a job? The cats in this book do every kind of occupation you can imagine, and they do it just the way they like. Feline chefs, dentists, wrestlers, detectives, opera singers and much more await in this hilarious full-color collection! Also includes a set of stickers featuring some of the working cats!
Radio Storm 1
Created By: Team S&S
Publisher: Ize Press
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.00 Paperback
Are love and salvation possible at the end of the world? For core-user Sak, such a dream is unthinkable. Bullied by his peers at the war academy for his seemingly useless abilities, Sak spends every day focused only on survival. But when a deadly plague compromises the haven of his school, fantasy suddenly starts looking a whole lot more like reality. Now Sak must find his Caller—a person who amplifies his powers and who he’ll feel an innate, deep sense of affection for. The only problem? When he finally meets his stranger, he thinks Sak has lost his mind! In the face of unreciprocated feelings, weaponized distrust, and life-or-death stakes, can Sak and his Caller meet on the same wavelength? Or will their journey lead them to a hell of regret…?
Senpai is an Otokonoko: My Crossdressing Classmate 1
Created By: Pom
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.99 Paperback
First-year high school student Saki is head-over-heels for the older Makoto. After all, this senpai is tall, beautiful, and oh-so-cool… Who wouldn’t fall for a girl like her? The bright and bubbly Saki doesn’t hesitate to confess her feelings. But Makoto turns her down, because Makoto isn’t a girl, but rather a cross-dressing boy!
Second-year Makoto is used to the negatives that come with his love of cross-dressing: harsh gossip from his classmates, the disapproval of his mother… Most of his classmates already know, but still, when he tells Saki, he expects her to be disgusted. Yet Saki’s feelings only grow stronger, and she says she doesn’t care about Makoto’s gender expression. In fact, she’s determined to win him over and become his first love!
Caught between the straightforward Saki and his overly protective childhood friend Ryuji–who may have feelings for Makoto of his own–Makoto must navigate a complicated love triangle and chart his own course to happiness.
Shout Loud, My Heart
Created By: Youga Rayri
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
College student Gen plays guitar in a rock band called Eve. At a gig one night, he meets a man named Mike. Mike’s the kind of person who has no trouble saying what’s on his mind, and Gen soon finds himself captivated by this smooth, handsome voice. The next day, the two meet again when they realize they go to the same college. Be it on stage or in casual conversation, Gen finds himself more and more captivated by Mike’s voice. The more time the two spend together, the more Gen realizes it’s more than just Mike’s voice he’s attracted to…
Outsiders Vol. 1
Created By: Akira Kanou
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback
Prepare to be captivated by another masterpiece from the mind of Kanou Akira, where fantasy meets reality, with Outsiders Volume 1. Delve into a world where vampires and werewolves clash in the shadows, and humans unravel the secrets of an ancient feud. Navigate the world of dark fantasy alongside Ema, a high school student who is full of energy and determination. She embarks on a perilous path that will challenge her beliefs and reshape her destiny.
The courageous, young protagonist finds that she possesses special abilities, but will those same gifts attract unwanted attention? Will her curious nature help her uncover secrets, or lead to her demise? With mesmerizing artistry, Akira brings this dark tale to life, capturing the bustling streets of Japan and the eerie shadows where otherworldly creatures lurk. Although Akira thrusts readers into a treacherous war between fantastical creatures, it is in a world not so different from our own.
These monsters aren’t from another dimension, they are from ours and have been fighting an age-old battle within the shadows. Outsiders Volume 1 casts that same shadow over the reader, who is caught in the chaos and conflict and left on the edge of their seat.
God Tier Vol. 1
Writer: Mario B. Long
Artist: Kuroi
Publisher: Nakama Press
Release Date: Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $10.99 Paperback
The mysterious anarchist Typhon, the god of monsters, has sparked a fire that has spread across the world. Pablo Costello, and his sister Anna, are trapped in between the raging battle between gangs, police, gods and monsters.
The 13th Footprint, Vol. 1
Created By: Kei Sanbe
Writer: Sheldon Drzka (Translator)
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.00 Hardcover
After Touya and Haru’s son, Ao, was released from the hospital, the Togawa family was ready for a fresh start in their picturesque new home. But the life Touya envisioned for his family is turned upside down when mysterious postcards begin to appear. No sender, no return address―just a note describing an event that will happen in the future! Following the prophetic cards, Touya embarks on an adventure to help those in need, keep his family safe, and unravel the mystery before disaster catches up with them…
Snegurochka of the Spring Breeze
Created By: Hiroaki Samura
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Release Date: Jun. 25 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.95 Paperback
Bielka (“Squirrel”), a beautiful young woman in a wheelchair, and her taciturn companion Shchenok (“Puppy”) must hide the truth of their identities as they navigate the fraught political climate and harsh landscape of the Soviet Union of the 1930s on a highly secret and terribly personal mission. Rich with intrigue and history, this erotic political drama weaves famous—and infamous—historical figures into the fabric of Hiroaki Samura’s brilliantly imagined fiction.
Winner of the Excellence Award in Manga at the 2014 Japan Media Arts Festival, this thoroughly researched tale from the legendary creator of Blade of the Immortal transports us to a fascinating and compelling world rarely seen in the pages of manga.
Black Blood
Created By: Hayate Kuku
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jun. 25 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.99 Paperback
Ethan, a battle-weary cyborg soldier, retreats to a tranquil planet in search of peace. There, he meets Mikhail, a gentle botanist whose warm smile and delicate touch seem almost fragile. Ethan finds himself inexplicably drawn to Mikhail, experiencing a restless unease whenever they’re together. He longs to touch, to cherish—feelings that are undeniably human. Bewildered by the feelings stirring within him, Ethan begins to question if he truly has a heart after all.
Wolf’s Daughter: A Werewolf’s Tale Vol. 1
Created By: Yuki Kodama
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jun. 25 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
Tsukina is an average high school girl with a supernatural secret—one that even she is unaware of. After an encounter with a man named Hayate, Tsukina begins to realize she’s not entirely human. Her great athletic ability, her enhanced sight at night, even the reason she craves raw meat, all comes down to one answer: She’s a werewolf. But this reveal leads her to more questions. Who is she really? What does it mean to be a werewolf? Just where will Tsukina’s journey of self discovery lead her?
Yan Vol. 1
Created By: Chang Sheng
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Jun. 25 (Comics Shops) / Jun. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Paperback
Winner of the Golden Comics Awards and a standout of Taiwan’s rising comics scene, Yan Vol. 1 is a haunting, genre-bending journey from master storyteller Chang Sheng—creator of Oldman and The Hidden Level.
In this stunning first volume, the echoes of Peking Opera performances 30 years past linger in the shadows of a story that begins in tradition and spirals toward a dark, speculative future. The tale unfolds across eras—starting with a tragedy in the richly detailed world of late 20th-century Taiwan, stepping into the present day, and glimmering with the foreboding rise of a dystopian tomorrow. Declared dead in prison records, Yan Tieh-Hua mysteriously returns to Taipei, reigniting the investigation into a decades-old massacre—her own family’s. As she carves a bloody path toward vengeance, Detective Lei is drawn into a chilling spiral of cold cases, supernatural events, and impossible truths. Alongside Yan is Higa Mirai, a young Go prodigy with the uncanny gift of precognition, adding eerie weight to every move made.
With sharp moral tension, brutal action, and a uniquely Taiwanese swagger, Yan is more than a mere quest for revenge—it’s a vision of justice that questions what lies beneath our choices, and what might come after humanity loses control.
Cosmic Censorship Vol. 1
Created By: Ryu-Ichi Sadamatsu
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Jun. 18 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback
Manga virtuoso Ryuuichi Sadamatsu thrusts readers into a world engulfed by war, as we instantly witness Maki Makino’s life being turned upside down. The student was previously competing in track and field events, but after her life was saved by a mysterious man, everything changed. She must get to grips with the new powers that have been bestowed upon her before an ominous and formidable threat arrives. Mecha mastermind Sadamatsu’s narrative prowess shines as he creates a world that is at the mercy of technological developments and can be altered by the deft manipulation of time. Readers are also mesmerized by the incredible art, which traps readers within the conflict of destructive weapons and powerful warriors.
Against the backdrop of turmoil, a budding romance fights for survival amidst the wreckage. However, so much more is at stake as Cosmic Censorship draws readers into a conflict with pulse-pounding action, immense firepower, and cunning strategies.
What It Means to Be You Vol. 1
Writer: Leebora & Lanyong
Artist: Ocean
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jul. 2 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $21.99 Paperback
A tragic romance gets a second chance when one woman switches bodies with her husband. The full-color manhwa/webtoon (comic) in English print for the first time ever!
Princess Violet always played by the rules—right down to marrying the hot-tempered Winter, an illegitimate noble, to save her family from ruin. Though Violet fell head over heels for Winter at first sight, her dream of happiness was shattered when her family lost its royal standing on their wedding day, leaving her branded a swindler and an outcast. Three years later, Violet endures endless shame, convinced even her husband wouldn’t care if she died. Desperate, she attempts to take her own life… only to wake up in Winter’s body! Now, trapped in each other’s lives, they’re forced to see the world through the other’s eyes. Could this strange twist be their one chance to truly understand—and love—each other?
The Strange Tale of Panorama Island
Created By: Edogawa Rampo
Writer: Suehiro Maruo
Publisher: Last Gasp
Release Date: Jul. 2 (Comics Shops) /Sep. 1 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.95 Paperback
A new paperback edition of The Strange Tale of Panorama Island, noir manga by Suehiro Maruo, based on the story by Edogawa Rampo.
On a remote and mysterious island, one man builds a playground of hedonistic excess. His world is filled with splendor ― replete with waterfalls, grand palaces, and gardens ― a grand back-drop for decadent feasts, orgies, and dark secrets. Set in 1920s Japan, The Strange Tale of Panorama Island, follows the twisted path of failed novelist Hitomi, who bears an uncanny resemblance to the son and heir apparent of a rich industrialist family. Hitomi learns of the rich man’s sudden passing and creates a desperate plan. He fakes his own death, digs up and hides the other man’s body, and then washes himself up starving on a beach near the home of the dead man’s family. After successfully impersonating the now-dead son, Hitomi takes over all aspects of the man’s life, including his company, his fortune, and eventually his wife. The failed author soon redirects the family’s wealth to his own perverse aims.
A graphic novel based on the revered novella by Edogawa Rampo. Rampo was the godfather of Japanese pulp mysteries. Stunning artwork by master manga artist Suehiro Maruo deftly illustrates this Japanese pulp classic in fine detail.
You Can’t Live All On Your Own! Volume 1
Created By: Mizoko Tsuno
Publisher: LoveLove
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
Shuuko, Eika, Misaki, and Shio are roommates and friends making their way in the busy world of Tokyo, Japan! Though they share an apartment and a friendship, each faces her own unique problems. Shuuko is feeling the pressure of those around her getting married and has no idea whether she’ll truly be happy on her own for the rest of her life. Eika, a hardworking career woman, wants to prove herself to the judgmental men in her office. Romantic and idealistic Misaki is spurred into action when it turns out her “boyfriend” of two years didn’t know she thought they were dating. Nurturing and good-spirited Shio struggles to set a work–life balance while paying her many bills.
Join these four roommates as they navigate the biggest question of their late twenties: What does happiness really mean?
Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Octavinelle, Vol. 1
Created By: Yana Toboso
Artist: Wakana Hazuki & Sumire Kowono
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!
Whisked away to the world of Twisted Wonderland and enrolled in the magical school known as Night Raven College, Yu encounters a strange scenario—his fellow students are doing too well on their exams! But there couldn’t be anything sinister behind great test scores, could there?
Spider-Man: Kizuna, Vol. 1
Writer: Setta Kobayashi
Artist: Hachi Mizuno
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $11.99 Paperback
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man spins a new web! Welcome to Ohakama City, Japan. Yu, a timid boy who loves to draw manga, is attacked by Green Goblin, only to be rescued by the super hero known as Spider-Man! Despite being defeated, the villain activates a device that merges Yu and Spider-Man together.
Suddenly bestowed with not just great power, but also the proportionate speed, strength, and agility of a spider, will Yu find the courage to help others, or fall prey to Spider-Man’s worst enemies?
Yaiba: Samurai Legend, Vol. 1
Created By: Gosho Aoyama
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99 Paperback
Yaiba Kurogane is an energetic young swordsman who’s grown up in the jungle, training to be a samurai with his father, Kenjuro. When they return to Japan, chaos seems to follow wherever Yaiba goes! Destined to be a legendary hero, Yaiba must learn to be a true samurai and save the world!
Upon enrolling in school, Yaiba quickly crosses swords with his soon-to-be rival, Onimaru. When Onimaru is transformed into a demon by the cursed power of Fujinken, the Wind God’s Sword, Yaiba embarks on a quest to Mount Tengu to find his own enchanted sword. But Yaiba lacks the skill and knowledge to use such a powerful weapon. If he can’t control himself, it will control him!
23:45 Re;
Created By: Ohana
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Release Date: Jul. 9 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 8 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.95 Paperback
Mimori Seo is a ghost. Rather, he was a ghost (or something like it) for a whole year while his body lay in a coma recovering from a near-fatal fall. At least, that’s according to the story Iku Kurihara—a local convenience store clerk who for some reason has been visiting Mimori’s dreams—tells when he suddenly confesses his love to Mimori. But is that love meant for Mimori, or a phantom of the past he doesn’t even remember?
Find out in this adult, after-dark spin-off to the bittersweet 23:45!
Tower Dungeon 1
Created By: Tsutomu Nihei
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Release Date: Jul. 16 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.95 Paperback
An evil necromancer slays the king and carries off his daughter, secreting her in the legendary Dragon Tower. To save the princess, her steadfast Royal Guard assays the stronghold, but the way is blocked by powerful eldritch creatures… So, to supplement their forces in the face of mounting casualties, they press ordinary folks from the surrounding villages into service—including Yuva, a sturdy young farmboy with a strong back but no experience in battle, and only a battered old helm and wooden shield to protect him.
Master of science fiction Tsutomu Nihei (Blame!, Knights of Sidonia) turns his unique storytelling voice and architectural eye to fantasy for the first time, offering a dark, gritty tale of swords and sorcery, bravery and adventure, great heroes and ultimate evil.
Gird your loins, heft your blade, and enter the Dragon Tower.
Brain Damage
Created By: Kago
Publisher: Fantagraphics
Release Date: Jul. 16 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.99 Hardcover
In 2018, manga artist Shintaro Kago made his English debut with Dementia 21, a collection of absurdist manga short stories. Readers found themselves delighted and disgusted by his penchant for body horror, black comedy and the surreal paired with his emphatic, kinetic art style. Kago returns at the height of his powers with Brain Damage, where he dials the gore and absurdity to 11 and beyond.
Brain Damage collects four new short manga stories, a tantalizing blend of the hilarious and the macabre. In “Labyrinth Quartet,” four identical young women trapped in an eerie building must solve the mystery of why they’ve been gathered there — while being hunted by a knife-wielding stalker. In “Curse Room,” a plucky health aide is tasked with keeping zombies peaceful, lest they go on a brain-eating rampage. In “Family Portrait,” people throughout town are strangely disappearing without a trace, and the key to it all is a senile and perverted old man. Finally, in “Blood Harvest” a series of gruesomely mangled bodies are found in pristine cars — and it appears something sinister lurks within these masses of glass and steel.
Tokyo Fears Rhapsody, Vol. 1
Created By: Akira Sugito
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Jul. 16 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Hachiro is the mightiest monster around, created to strike terror into humanity! But a chance encounter with ice cream makes him an instant fan of human culture, earning him the ire of his fellow Fears. Between rebelling against his overbearing creator and slaughtering ghoulish foes, Hachiro’s got a lot more than just ice cream on his plate!
Hachiro keeps his true identity as a Fear a secret while working odd jobs—until he sees the Unbelievables, a newly established mecha-suited unit of the Metro PD. Now he wants to be just as cool as they are! But are there limits to what a monster can do?
Contrast
Created By: Itz
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jul. 16 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.99 Paperback
Kanata is a handsome young man who can’t help but be the center of attention, even when his mind is miles away. Akira is the perfect student who barely talks to anyone. They don’t even know each other’s names, but they can’t forget each other’s faces. And then one day, these two happen to meet on the stairwell near the rooftop and find comfort in each other’s company. From then on, it becomes their secret rendezvous spot. Slowly they discover that while they might be completely different, they both have feelings for each other. Is this a case of opposites attract, or are the differences too great for them to ever truly connect?
Manga Classics: King Lear
Created By: William Shakespeare
Writer: Crystal S. Chan (Adapted By)
Artist: Julien Choy
Publisher: Manga Classics
Release Date: Jul. 15 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Hardcover / $19.99 Paperback
I love your Majesty according to my bond; no more nor less. The aging King Lear of Britain has decided to abdicate his throne and divide his realm among his three beloved daughters. The largest share shall go to the one who loves him best – unfortunately, Lear mistakes empty, overblown flattery for true devotion. His error plunges the realm into war and drives Lear to rain-drenched madness. Manga Classics is proud to bring you an unabridged manga adaptation of Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy, considered to be one of the greatest works of literature ever written!
Lion Hearts
Created By: Mita Ori
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $17.99 Paperback
As children, Shishimaru and Leo were inseparable. Shi-chan was so infatuated with Leo that he proposed to him! But as the years went by, they grew up and parted ways–until ten years later, when the two reunite. Have their feelings remained or have they been apart for too long?
From the creator of Our Dining Table!
Last Samurai Standing 1
Writer: Shogo Imamura
Artist: Tatsuz
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
The year 1878–the 11th year of the Meiji era in Japan, and more than a decade since the samurai were stripped of their privileges and swords outlawed on public streets. A mysterious flyer appears in all corners of the land, luring those skilled in martial arts to Kyoto with the promise of riches beyond common imagination. As warriors deprived of purpose flock to the appointed place at the appointed time, what awaits them is no ordinary task, but an all-out war–against each other!
Perfect for fans of Shogun, Golden Kamuy, and Blade of the Immortal!
Delicious in Dungeon World Guide: The Adventurer’s Bible, Complete Edition
Created By: Ryoko Kui
Writer: Taylor Engel (Translator)
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.00 Paperback
Prepare for adventure!Delve into the depths of Delicious in Dungeon with a smorgasbord of illustrations, secret tales that couldn’t be told before, and detailed information about all the characters! Whether it’s their age, BMI, or the first time they died, this guide has everything there is to know. Get the scoop on all the various races and dungeons found throughout the world. There’s even an encyclopedia of monsters!
Neighborhood Craftsmen: Stories from Kanda’s Gokura-chou, Vol. 1
Created By: Akihito Sakau
Writer: Ko Ransom (Translator)
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Hardcover
It’s not about the money. It’s about heart. Here in this masterpiece historical anthology, that heart will be laid bare to you: the spirit of craftsmanship, flowing from fingertip to final product, be it a barrel, indigo cloth, razor-sharp sword, soft tatami mat, or even complete plastered building…
Almark, Vol. 1
Created By: Noboru Yamada
Writer: Hiyoto Yunoki
Artist: Posuka Demizu
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Jul. 23 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 22 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.00 Paperback
In the northern lands where war continues without end, young Almark hopes to be a mercenary like his father one day. Thinking the timid boy ill-suited for such a life, however, his worried father envisions a different future for him―all the way at the Nork Magical Academy in the peaceful south, once he’s old enough to attend. And so, despite Almark’s efforts on and off the battlefield, he eventually sets out for the academy to respect his father’s wishes. But what lies ahead on his journey to becoming a magician?
Planetes Deluxe Edition Book 1
Created By: Makoto Yukimura
Writer: Yuki Johnson (Translator)
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Release Date: Jul. 30 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 29 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.99 Hardcover
It’s the late 21st century. People now live on the Moon and Mars, and for some, space is still an epic adventure, as plans are underway for the first-ever crewed voyage to Jupiter. If the giant planet can be successfully reached and harvested for the helium-3 fuel in its atmosphere, the entire solar system will open up to humanity!
But much of the time, space is an everyday job…and an unglamorous and dangerous one—done by astronauts like Hachimaki “Hachi” Hoshino, Fee Carmichael, and Yuri Mikhalkov, as they orbit the Earth in the ramshackle vessel DS-12 Toy Box. Their task is helping to clean up the mess human beings have brought along with them into space—over a hundred years of debris circling the world at eight kilometers per second, posing a deadly threat to travelers.
Hachi, son of a famous pioneer of Mars voyages, dreams of breaking out from his father Goro’s shadow by joining the Jupiter mission, but a traumatic brush with death may have used up Hachi’s courage to journey further. Fee, no-nonsense pilot of the Toy Box and working mom, is lauded as a heroine for preventing a terrorist incident in space, but faces an even tougher challenge as an astronaut—finding a place where she can smoke! And Yuri, the ever calm and reliable crewmate on the team, deals with the loss of his wife in a tragic accident while grappling with the true meaning of humanity’s place among the stars.
Planetes is the ancient Greek word for “wanderers”—describing both the planets themselves, and the restless protagonists who dream of reaching those distant worlds against an epic backdrop of family, romance, politics, ambition, and war in creator Makoto Yukimura’s saga of the human drama of space exploration!
Ichi the Killer (Omnibus) Vol. 1
Created By: Hideo Yamamoto
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Jul. 30 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 29 (Bookstores)
List Price: $27.99 Paperback
Ichi may seem like a spineless weakling—but when the tears start flowing, a terrifying transformation takes place. Driven to his mental breaking point, Ichi becomes an unstoppable force of carnage, unleashing a torrent of violence on his next target. When his destructive path collides with Kakihara, a sadomasochistic yakuza boss with a penchant for pain, it ignites a bloody spiral of chaos, depravity, and unimaginable brutality.
From the legendary creator of Homunculus and HIKARI-MAN comes the groundbreaking manga that inspired Takashi Miike’s cult classic film—a shocking exploration of wrath, vengeance, and the dark corners of the human psyche.
Cat + Crazy Volume 1
Created By: Wataru Nadatani
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Release Date: Jul. 30 (Comics Shops) / Jul. 29 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback
High schooler Kensuke Fuji adores cats, but others in his family are allergic, so he’s never really been able to spend time with any. When he meets a mysteriously skilled cat guru—who seems to be able to understand everything about cats—Kensuke finds a kindred spirit who is also “absolutely kitty bonkers,” so he decides to study under this Ultimate Cat Whisperer! Come along with Kensuke and learn the secrets of the Cat Fist Way!
A silly but sincere look at humans who adore cats—and seek to learn more about these mysterious creatures—Cat + Crazy is another impressive series from Harvey Award nominated manga creator Wataru Nadatani (Cat + Gamer)!
Astro Royale, Vol. 1
Created By: Ken Wakui
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Aug. 6 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $11.99 Paperback
Hibaru Yotsurugi, the only biological heir to the Yotsurugi yakuza family, is caught in a power struggle with his adopted siblings over who will be the next boss. But when a meteorite crashes into Tokyo and people begin manifesting mysterious powers called Astros in the aftermath, their gang war becomes superpowered!
The chaos of the disaster splits the city into rival factions. Now Hibaru must use his newly granted Astro powers to protect his community from enemies—except some of those enemies are his own siblings, and they have their own plans to take over the Yotsurugi family!
The Legend of Hakutaku
Created By: Alba Cardona
Publisher: FairSquare Comics
Release Date: Jul. 30 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
Yuki is a deaf girl who dreams of becoming the next leader of her village but she fears she will never get the chance due to her hearing impairment which complicates her relationships with the other villagers. After a fight with Dai, her best friend, she finds herself in the forest and encounters the Hakutaku, the demon that everyone believes destroyed the village years ago… Misfortune is once again looming over the village. Will Yuki be able to save it?
Mobile Suit Gundam: The ORIGIN Deluxe
Created By: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Writers: Yoshikazu Yasuhiko & Hajime Yatate
Publisher: Vertical Comics
Release Date: Aug. 12 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $54.95 Hardcover
The storied Gundam franchise’s “First Season” that set new standards of verisimilitude for televised sci-fi animation returns in comics form at the hand of one of the initial creators! The definitive account expands on the classic narrative with the same sense of purpose that lit up the screen more than four decades ago.
This new edition collects the original bestselling twelve-installment English release into six oversized volumes. All of the many color pages—unusually numerous for Japanese comics—have been retained…only at a larger size. The master’s artwork has never looked so grand!
Miss Ruki
Created By: Fumiko Takano
Writer: Alexa Frank (Translator)
Publisher: New York Review Comics
Release Date: Aug. 13 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Paperback
A classic of Japanese manga, Miss Ruki is a warm and vivid portrait of the lives of two young women in Tokyo during Japan’s 1980s bubble economy. The titular Miss Ruki spurns the fast-paced consumer culture of the era in favor of a lighthearted life dedicated to her hobbies, her books, and spending time with her anxious but far more pragmatic friend, Ecchan.
Takano’s art moves with all the warmth, grace, and clarity of the everyday moments it depicts. Sweet and funny, these vignettes of a long-gone time still resonate today with readers and authors in Japan, with famed contemporary manga artist Keigo Shinzo noting, “To read it is to grasp something of the essence of Japan…. This is the kind of manga I want to draw.”
Junji Ito Collection: A Twisted Horror Coloring Book
Created By: Junji Ito
Publisher: Titan Books
Release Date: Aug. 13 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.99 Paperback
Following the success of the first Junji Ito coloring book, Junji Ito Collection: A Twisted Horror Coloring Book provides another tantalising glimpse into the mind of manga’s master of the macabre. This officially licensed coloring book features dozens more terrifying scenes from Junji Ito Collection to color, delving deeper into Ito’s distinctive brand of horror. Dare you and your your pencils venture inside?
The Stranger in the Hoarding House
Created By: Joe Aruku
Publisher: LoveLove
Release Date: Aug. 13 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback
Burnt out by his job, Kamakura has shut himself away in his home and let the garbage pile up around him. One day, when a friendly neighbor sets foot inside, time which had come to a stop for Kamakura begins to tick forward again, in a story of love and rehabilitation after trauma.
Exquisite Blood: The Heretic Onmyoji
Created By: Sakura Fujimoto
Publisher: Square Enix Books
Release Date: Aug. 13 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback
In an era when only a thin boundary exists between the mortal and supernatural realms, demons steal ten powerful artifacts known as the Sacred Relics from the human imperial capital. The emperor issues a decree to all onmyoji, masters of magic who serve and defend the empire: recover the Relics at any cost. Among their number is Hanayama no Fuzuki, known as the “Heretic,” whose extraordinary abilities and arrogant attitude inspire equal amounts of respect and mistrust. As Fuzuki sets forth with his retainer Hakuro, they encounter the young half-demon Ranmaru, who possesses a startling connection to one of the Relics…
Long Period Vol. 1
Created By: Nagisa Furuya
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Aug. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback
Yusei insists he hates his best friend—or at least, that’s what he tells himself. Itsuki, his gifted, charming, and impossibly talented friend, seems to be wasting his potential. After all, Itsuki could easily get into any prestigious university or join any sports team, yet he chooses to spend his time with Yusei. Struggling with feelings he can’t quite understand, Yusei pretends to despise Itsuki, hoping it will help him overcome his emotions or, at the very least, distance himself from the one person who means so much. But is pretending enough to change Yusei’s heart? And what about Itsuki’s feelings? A tender Boys’ Love story about childhood best friends and the unspoken feelings that bind them.
The Architect’s Epiphany
Writer: Chi-Ho Kwong
Artist: Chi-Kit Kwong
Publisher: Nakama Press
Release Date: Aug. 19 (Bookstores)
List Price: $10.99 Paperback
With pride and driven by vocation, the Shaman Ling Tiber and City Builder Ocean Hacklin valiantly answer their calling and undertake a dire mission to seek hope and redemption, amid the rise and fall of an entire civilization, Aye-Shan City. Join them on their sweeping adventure, set in a world full of fantastical creatures and magical powers!
Land, Vol. 1
Created By: Kazumi Yamashita
Writer: Kevin Gifford (Translator)
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Aug. 27 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $40.00 Hardcover
In a village where all residents die upon reaching fifty lives a girl named An, whose older twin sister was sacrificed to the “other world” that lay beyond the mountains. This village, called “our world” and governed by people wearing animal skins, is watched over by deities. When An seeks the truth about the mysterious inhabitants of the mountains, hope and despair await her…
Farewell, Daisy: Jun Mayuzuki Short Story Collection
Created By: Jun Mayuzuki
Writer: Amanda Haley (Translator)
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Aug. 27 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.00 Paperback
Just because you can’t use magic doesn’t mean that you can’t be happy. Laugh and cry along with the young women featured in this big collection of touching short stories from the early career of Jun Mayuzuki, author of Kowloon Generic Romance.
King’s Maker, Volume 1
Writer: Haga
Artist: Kang Jiyoung
Publisher: Inklore
Release Date: Aug. 27 (Comics Shops) / Aug. 26 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Paperback
When Wolfgang is forced to move into the royal palace and take up his rightful seat as the fourth prince of Goldenleonard, he catches the eye of Soohyuk Shin, the son of the minister of foreign affairs. Soohyuk, forced to serve as one of the king’s beloved “sovereign darlings,” is looking for someone to play the leading role in a daring scheme. So far, all the other princes have disappointed Soohyuk, but Wolfgang is different—and he might just be the key to overthrowing the king. Volume 1 includes episodes 0–12 of the webcomic King’s Maker.
If you enjoyed this list of anticipated manga for summer 2025, check out The Beat’s list of anticipated YA and adult graphic novels and anticipated kids graphic novels for summer 2025!
