Popular manga magazine “Young Magazine” (Kodansha), where legendary titles such as “AKIRA”, “Ghost in the Shell”, “Initial D” and “Dragon Head” were born, is celebrating the 45th anniversary of its Japanese publication by opening up to the U.S. audience. A special edition magazine will be released with 19 new manga series geared towards American manga fans. The
concept behind the magazine is [UN-filtered MANGA] featuring Sci-Fi, dark horror, and cyberpunk stories for adults that portray the raw, unfiltered realities of ordinary human beings in extraordinary situations.

©︎ 2025 KODANSHA LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Additionally, as a bonus to help boost the magazine’s American launch, new titles will be unveiled from legendary manga creators including Shuzo Oshimi (author of “The Flowers of Evil” and “Blood on the Tracks”), Masaaki Nakayama (author of “Fuan no Tane” and “PTSD Radio”), and Shuichi Shigeno (known for “Initial D”, who also has a passionate fanbase in North America). “UNDER NINJA”, a manga currently serialized in the Japanese version of Young Magazine, will be included as well.
There will also be a fan voting event featured inside the magazine where readers can choose their favorites from among 16 eligible titles, and the winning manga will be serialized on Kodansha’s official manga app, K MANGA. The vote will be held on the official website and official X account, with the results available in real time on the official website.

“For our selection, we held an open call and received submissions from over 100 manga creators. Ultimately, 19 titles were carefully selected for your enjoyment. We hope to introduce the potential of Seinen manga—which explores themes and ideas beyond the scope of Shonen—to more readers in North America, the largest manga audience outside of Japan,” said Hidemi Shiraki, Editor in Chief of Young Magazine. He added, “Immerse yourself in a deeper reading experience through complex themes and rich world-building that push beyond the boundaries of Shonen manga.”

This special, premium issue of Young Magazine, containing over 1,044 pages of high-quality content, will be distributed for FREE to attendees of Anime NYC as well as being made available at participating Kinokuniya locations for a limited time. Fans can also read all the new material on the official X account and official website, which will feature special videos capturing the unique worlds of each of the 16 new series as well as a summary video providing an overview for all 16 of the included titles. The official X account will host a campaign where participants can win limited prizes by posting about the manga they voted for. Details will be announced on the official X.

Details

• Young Magazine X Official account: @YANMAGA_USA
• Young Magazine Official website: https://yanmaga.jp/young_magazine_USA

*The website is scheduled to launch on Aug. 21. (Will be announced on the official X at a later date)

Booklet Distribution Period and Place *While supplies last.

• August 21–August 24, 2025: Kinokuniya booth at Anime NYC
• August 21–November 10, 2025: 17 Kinokuniya stores across the country
• Voting Period / August 21–November 10, 2025
• Voting Results Announcement / December 15, 2025

Panel Events and Autograph Sessions at Anime NYC 2025 In addition to distributing the booklet, there will also be discussion events and autograph sessions with manga creators, Minetaro Mochizuki, writer and artist of Dragon Head and Kengo Hanazawa, writer and artist of UNDER NINJA on Aug. 24. More details will be announced from Anime NYC 2025 Official.

Exhibition and Exclusive Giveaways at Kinokuniya

At Kinokuniya stores, not only will exclusive booklets be distributed, but mini-autograph boards will also be given away with purchase of any work originating from Young Magazine between Aug. 21 and Nov. 10 until supplies last. Finally, there will be exclusive in-store decorations at the NYC location from Aug. 18 for a week and special exhibitions featuring reproduced artwork at all stores. Further details will be announced on the official X account.

Full Lineup of Titles

Still You

Kami Nishio

©︎ Kami Nishio/Kodansha Ltd.

A casual kiss on that fateful day changed everything for us… Our love story is a fresh tale of youth and nostalgia.

Into the Dark

Anri Morikuma

©︎ Anri Morikuma/Kodansha Ltd.

Accompany two young boys (and a loyal dog) into a twisted world of darkness and demons.

PROJECT METALLIA

Yukito Iwai

©︎ Yukito Iwai/Kodansha Ltd.

A cyborg team’s mission to a deserted lunar city becomes a face-off against a mysterious, unknown form of life!

To Dusk and Twilight

Robico

©︎ Robico/Kodansha Ltd.

From Robico, creator of My Little Monster, comes a new tale of the supernatural. A vampire girl finds a companion in a lonely world of strange phenomena!

BOYS RUN THE RIOT -IN TRANSITION-

Keito Gaku

©︎ Keito Gaku/Kodansha Ltd.

A smash hit in North America! The long-awaited sequel to BOYS RUN THE RIOT!

The story of Ryo, a transgender teen (FTM), and his bold journey to launch a fashion brand!

Protocol Ryugu

Daisaku Tsuru

©︎ Daisaku Tsuru/Kodansha Ltd.

On a frozen world, war rages between surface dwellers and undersea humans. Those who seize the UFO will rule the planet.

Pregnant

Denchi Matsumoto (Story)
Keita Nishijima (Art)

©︎ Denchi Matsumoto・Keita Nishijima/Kodansha Ltd.

A pregnant woman comes to kill her husband in a shocking horror story that will knock you down from the peaks of happiness to the depths of hell!

Godmother

Rin Shimokawa

©︎ Rin Shimokawa/Kodansha Ltd.

Yokohama’s Chinatown transforms into a labyrinth of darkness, in a chilling tale of vengeful spirits from a Chinese creator on the rise.

The Knight of Blasphemy

Ray Kindo

©︎ Ray Kindo/Kodansha Ltd.

The story of a knight who upholds justice, even as he’s branded a heretic against the gods.

Fascination

OUGA

©︎ OUGA/Kodansha Ltd.

Defy fate. A scorned ‘witch’ and a young girl journey through an uncharted dark fantasy world!

The Journey of a Dark Elf with Fading Powers

Daisuke Itabashi

©︎ Daisuke Itabashi/Kodansha Ltd.

The world’s greatest sorcerer suddenly lost her magic. From rock bottom, she begins to rediscover what really matters in an extraordinary second-life fantasy!

Is My Love Strange?

Hikari Azuma

©︎ Hikari Azuma/Kodansha Ltd.

I’m a high school girl. A virgin. And I’ve never fallen for a human boy.

GOUMA The Blade that Slaughters Gods

Hiroki Ishizawa

©︎ Hiroki Ishizawa/Kodansha Ltd.

Hunt the yokai, even if it leads you beyond despair. A new battle fantasy from the creator of Kuroma Musou!

The Graveyard Shift

Yoshimi Sato

©︎ Yoshimi Sato/Kodansha Ltd.

A vengeful spirit from a thousand years ago awakens in the world of the future, kicking off a brand new horror comedy!

THE LAST TERRAIN

Hiroshi Takashige (Story)
Tatsumi Hitonoji (Art)

©︎ Hiroshi Takashige • Tatsumi Hitonogi/Kodansha Ltd.

300 years after Earth’s demise, humanity’s remnants wage endless wars over new worlds, until they cross paths with the deadliest enemies of all: The supposedly extinct ‘Earthlings.’

KIKIKAIKAI

Kyuri Yamada

©︎ Kyuri Yamada/Kodansha Ltd.

Fight to seize powers sealed for 2000 years! A new retelling of the great yokai war by Yamada Kyuri, creator of AI no Idenshi!!

ME AND BOB DYLAN (AND MY FATHER)

Shuzo Oshimi

©︎ Shuzo Oshimi/Kodansha Ltd.

An essay of recollections about Bob Dylan and his father, by the author of The Flowers of Evil and Blood on the Tracks.

Subaru and Subaru

Shuichi Shigeno

©︎ Shuichi Shigeno/Kodansha Ltd.

A story that follows in the footsteps of Initial D and MF Ghost.

The Silent Forest

Masaaki Nakayama

©︎ Masaaki Nakayama/Kodansha Ltd.

From a master of horror manga! An Edo-period supernatural tale of curses and legends, illustrated by Masaaki Nakayama, author of Fuan no Tane and PTSD Radio!

UNDER NINJA

Kengo Hanazawa

©︎ Kengo Hanazawa/Kodansha Ltd.

What if there were still ninjas in Japan today? Behold an epic modern ninja entertainment spectacle like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

Source: Press Release