New York Comic Con is well underway and VIZ Media overwhelmed us with a grand total of 19 license announcements, split between physical and digital titles. There were a few expected titles, but also a handful of complete surprises.
Without further ado, here are the VIZ Media manga announcements from NYCC 2023.
Print manga licenses
Battle Royale: Enforcers (July 16, 2024)
The infamous series that defined an entire genre, Battle Royale, is back with a new addition to the series in Battle Royale: Enforcers. High schoolers must once again battle to the death, this time due to a rogue government AI! This series is written by Koushun Takami, with art by Yukai Asada.
Per VIZ Media, “In this manga continuation of Battle Royale, Project 68, now run by a diabolical government AI, returns. Once more high school students will fight to the death!”
Battle Royale: Enforcers Vol. 1 will go on sale July 16, 2024, for $14.99 USD in paperback. Pre-orders are available now.
Let’s Do It Already! (June 4, 2024)
For its first shojo manga series announcement of the day, VIZ Media announced the license for Let’s Do It Already! (Hayaku Shitai Futari) by Aki Kusaka. Follow along as Keiichi, a stoic young man destined to take over the family legacy, avoids all earthly temptations that come along with dating his girlfriend, Yuri.
Per VIZ Media’s press release: “Passionate Yuri and rule-abiding Keiichiro have fallen in love! But Keiichiro’s strict political family doesn’t allow physical affection until age 18. Can they keep their relationship chaste?”
Let’s Do It Already! will go on sale June 4, 2024, for $11.99 USD in paperback. Pre-orders are available now.
My Neighbor Totoro: All-In-One Edition (July 23, 2024)
The legendary Studio Ghibli anime, My Neighbor Totoro, will finally receive a complete, all-in-one print edition for the very first time in English! A must-have for any Studio Ghibli fan! The story follows sisters Satsuki and Mei, who befriend a forest spirit when they move with their father to the countryside to be closer to their mom, who’s been hospitalized with a long-term illness.
My Neighbor Totoro: All-In-One Edition will be released in a deluxe hardcover edition on July 23, 2024, for $30 USD. Pre-orders are available now.
Haikyu!! 3-in-1 Edition (June 18, 2024)
Big news for Haikyu!! fans, as Viz has announced a brand new, 3-in-1 Edition of the award-winning Weekly Shonen Jump boys volleyball series!
Haikyu!!! 3-in-1 Edition will be released in paperback on June 18, 2024, for $16.99 USD. Pre-orders are available now.
GoGo Monster – Second Edition (June 25, 2024)
Not so much a new licensing announcement, but rather a MAJOR reprint announcement for GoGo Monster, an over 20-year-old series by the legendary mangaka, Taiyo Matsumoto.
Yuki lives in two worlds, one where he’s a loner mocked for telling stories about supernatural beings. In another, those beings vie for power and bring chaos to nature itself.
The series appears to be set to be released in a single deluxe hardcover format priced at $40 USD. It goes on sale June 25, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Spy X Family: Mission Report – Official Anime Guide (August 27, 2024)
Spy x Family is the latest VIZ manga title to receive a brand-new companion guide for its currently airing anime series. “Surveil the Forger family with this companion guide to the Spy x Family anime, featuring an original illustration from Tatsuya Endo and a double-sided poster!”
Spy x Family: The Official Anime Guide-Mission Report: 220409-0625 will be released in paperback for $17.99 USD on August 27, 2024. Pre-orders are avilable now.
I Wanna Do Bad Things With You (Summer 2024)
The Shonen Sunday magazine rule-breaking romance title, I Wanna Do Bad Things with You (Kimi to Warui Koto ga Shitai) by Yutaka, was also announced by VIZ. “When Fuji asks Wataya to drain the school pool for him, she gets her first taste of the high that comes from breaking the rules; now Wataya’s ready to start doing bad things.”
I Wanna Do Bad Things with You Vol. 1 will be released in paperback on August 20, 2024 for $11.99 USD. Pre-orders are available now.
Fool Night (June 18, 2024)
The post-apocalyptic drama title, Fool Night by Yasuda Kasumi, was also announced on Saturday. In a future where plants are dying and oxygen is becoming scarce, with the aid of new human technology, Toshiro makes the risky decision to turn his body into a plant to try and save his dying mother.
Fool Night will go on sale on June 18, 2024, in paperback for $14.99 USD. Pre-orders are available now.
You and I Are Polar Opposites (May 7, 2024)
The long-awaited license for the popular MANGA Plus series, You and I Are Polar Opposites (Seihantai na Kimi to Boku) by Kocha Agasawa, was also announced. Energetic, bubbly Suzuki is so different from reserved but brutally honest Tani… but maybe that’s a winning formula for their relationship.
You and I Are Polar Opposites will be released in paperback for $11.99 on May 7, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection (July 23, 2024)
It wouldn’t be a VIZ Media licensing announcement event without some news regarding the “Modern Godfather of Horror” mangaka, Junji Ito. Today’s announcement was for Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection, a compilation of 10 short horror stories in one volume.
Alley: Junji Ito Story Collection will be released in a deluxe hardcover for $25 USD on July 23, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Deadpool: Samurai—The Official Coloring Book (August 13, 2024)
It also wouldn’t be a VIZ licensing announcement event without a coloring book! This time around we are getting one with a Marvel connection: Deadpool: Samurai—The Official Coloring Book. The book will feature 80 pages of art by Hikaru Uesugi taken from the pages of the Deadpool: Samurai manga.
This coloring book will be available in paperback for $14.99 on August 13, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Disney Twisted-Wonderland: Rose-Red Tyrant: The Novel (August 27, 2024)
VIZ Media also announced one novel license for the extremely popular Disney mobile game, Disney Twisted-Wonderland. The novel, entitled Disney Twisted-Wonderland: Rose-Red Tyrant features artwork by Yana Toboso (Black Butler) and is written by Jun Hioki. It follows the students of Night Raven College and includes a foldout poster.
Disney Twisted-Wonderland: Rose-Red Tyrant will be released in paperback for $17.99 USD on August 27, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Star Wars: Visions: The Manga Anthology (May 7, 2024)
Ground-breaking animated series Star Wars: Visions is finally receiving an official manga adaptation from VIZ featuring work by Kamome Shirahama (Witch Hat Atelier), Keisuke Sato (Little Witch Academia), Yuusuke Oosawa (Spider-Man: Fake Red; Star Wars: The Mandalorian), and Haruichi (Doctor Strange, Star Wars: Leia)
Star Wars: Visions: The Manga Anthology will be released in paperback for $14.99 USD on May 7, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Hirayasumi (Summer 2024)
Award-nominated series Hirayasumi by Keigo Shinzo will be released in print starting next summer. Per VIZ’s announcement, “After forging an unlikely friendship with a grumpy granny, easygoing Hiroto inherits her house. But when his cousin, a struggling art student, moves in, Hiroto finds his once-chill life tested.”
Hirayasumi Vol. 1 will be available in paperback for $14.99 USD on May 21, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Naruto: Konoha’s Story—The Steam Ninja Scrolls (July 9, 2024)
Continuing the trend of regular Naruto side stories, we received news of a brand new manga adaptation of Naruto: Konoha’s Story—The Steam Ninja Scrolls. This side story was originally released as a novel written by Masashi Kishimoto and Sho Hinata. The manga adaptation is done by Natsuo Sai.
Naruto: Konoha’s Story—The Steam Ninja Scrolls will be released in paperback for $11.99 USD on July 9, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Naruto: Sasuke’s Story—The Uchiha and the Heavenly Stardust (June 11, 2024)
VIZ also announced a second Naruto side story, a brand new manga adaptation of Naruto: Sasuke’s Story—The Uchiha and the Heavenly Stardust: The Manga. Originally released as a novel written by Masashi Kishimoto and Jun Esaka, the manga adaptation is done by Shingo Kimura.
Naruto: Sasuke’s Story—The Uchiha and the Heavenly Stardust: The Manga will be available in paperback for $11.99 USD on June 11, 2024. Pre-orders are available now.
Digital manga licenses
Aliens Area (Spring 2024)
Next spring, VIZ will release a digital version of Aliens Area by Fusai Naba. The series previously ran in Weekly Shonen Jump and is currently available on the MANGA Plus app. Per the announcement, “Tatsumi’s already-difficult life is upended when aliens attack him. After being saved by a mysterious organization, Foreign Affairs 5, Tatsumi will need to figure out why aliens are after him.
The digital volume release date is set for Spring 2024.
Cipher Academy (Spring 2024)
Famous novelist and mangaka Nisioisin’s latest manga series, Cipher Academy, is getting a digital-exclusive release from VIZ. The series recently placed in the Top 5 of the Print Manga category at the Next Manga Awards 2023. It’s a must-have for puzzle fans! Per the announcement, “The all-girl Cipher Academy’s new recruit Iroha may struggle with deciphering codes, but he might be the key to ending all wars!”
Cipher Academy is currently available to read on the Shonen Jump app. The digital volume release date is set for Spring 2024.
Super Smartphone (Spring 2024)
Finally, VIZ announced the digital-exclusive license for Super Smartphone, written by Hiroki Tomisawa and illustrated by Kentaro Hidano. Per VIZ, “Kyu discovers a phone that can search through all information on Earth. But he’s not the only one…”
The digital volume release date is set for Spring 2024.
