Manga Mavericks Books, a manga publisher serving the English market from Manga Mavericks LLC, announced three new manga licenses at Otakon 2026.
The announcements featured the action-adventure one-shot stories, ONI KING and ROYD by ZENZO, which are scheduled for release in digital formats in December 2026, and the slice of life exploration manga TOWN WALKING WITH GHOST DOG by Ippan Nakamura, which is scheduled for release in print and digital formats in May 2027.
ONI KING by ZENZO ∙ Digital SRP: $0.99 ∙ 16 pages ∙ For Readers 13+ ∙ Available December 2026
Like many things, revenge is a choice. A choice where the results may not be worth the price…
In what should have been a straightforward tale, Oniou is a demon child whose mother is kidnapped by the nefarious monster Kurokazemaru. He’s powerless to stop the fiend, but happens upon the cursed club Gako which will grant him power to defeat his foe at…the cost of his life force. Pouring everything into revenge sounds good in the moment, but when the dust settles, will he find that revenge truly is a dish best served cold or not served at all?
Digital pre-orders will soon go live on the Manga Mavericks Store!
ONI KING was originally included in the indie manga anthology REVENGERS, which debuted at the Japanese doujinshi event Comiket in 2023.
ROYD by ZENZO ∙ Digital SRP: $0.99 ∙ 36 pages ∙ For Readers 13+ ∙ Available December 2026
Who determines a heart’s worth?
Royd is a boy with abundant magical potential. So much so, that a goddess takes him under her tutelage and is impressed with his growth…except she deems his heart full of kindness to be an obstacle. Under pressure to pay back the one who raised him, Royd “gives” his heart to a sentient, nameless golem. Upon receiving Royd’s heart the Golem witnesses the beauty of the world, while Royd becomes a powerful mage—at the cost of his humanity. Will the Golem, now entranced with the world, have the “heart” to return what was once Royd’s, or is the magician’s humanity too far gone to be saved?
Digital pre-orders will soon go live on the Manga Mavericks Store!
ROYD is the newest one-shot story by indie manga artist ZENZO, which debuted at the Japanese doujinshi event COMITIA last year (COMITIA 154).
Both ONI KING and ROYD will be released digitally in December 2026. A print release containing both stories is planned for a future date.
TOWN WALKING WITH GHOST DOG by Ippan Nakamura ∙ Print SRP: $14.99 / Digital SRP: $6.99 ∙ 176 pages ∙ ISBN: 9781968054731 ∙ For Readers 8+ ∙ Available May 2027
Travel along with Ghost Dog!
See Japan through trails, trains, back alleys, and of course, on foot. Pulling triple duty as a guidebook, memoir, and manga, Town Walking with Ghost Dog takes on the streets of Japan with picture-book-esque artwork framed by the personal experiences of the manga creator Ippan Nakamura. From a hot bath in Sangenjaya to the recesses of Okutama, you’ll feel immersed in a side of Japanese history and locales like never before, in this travelogue of Japan as seen through the eyes of a lone traveler and their ghostly canine companion.
TOWN WALKING WITH GHOST DOG is a standalone volume manga published in Japan by TWO VIRGINS.
Manga Mavericks Books will be releasing the manga at A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size.
TOWN WALKING WITH GHOST DOG creator Ippan Nakamura is an artist and illustrator based in Tokyo. Her nature-influenced art has been exhibited across multiple galleries in Japan, and she has also produced several card illustrations for the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Ippan Nakamura provided the following message to share with convention attendees:
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all. I’m Ippan Nakamura, an artist, illustrator, and mangaka living in Tokyo, Japan. I’m overjoyed that my work Town Walking with Ghost Dog will be published in English. This manga, drawn during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, is the first work I’ve ever serialized. At the time, to distract myself from the loneliness of being locked up at home, I took many walks around town.
It’s when walking around a quiet town that you realize how many traces of other people’s lives are everywhere. Be it flowerpots after watering, stuffed animals picked up by others and placed upon fences, or graffiti in back alleys, I often felt a sense of relief upon seeing those things. If you ever feel like you’re sinking into depression due to solitude, I suggest putting your smartphone away and taking a leisurely walk.
And should you ever have the opportunity to visit Japan, I recommend visiting Sangenjaya, a town I absolutely adore.”
Print pre-orders are live now on the Manga Mavericks Store: https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/town-walking-with-ghost-dog
Design Not Final
During the panel, Manga Mavericks Books also announced that all pre-orders from the Manga Mavericks Store for the upcoming release of THE SWORD OF PAROS by Kaoru Kurimoto and Yumiko Igarashi will now include an exclusive shikishi board. The shikishi will be approximately 4.72″ x 5.31” in size and will include the digital reproduction signature from manga artist Yumiko Igarashi.
Print pre-orders are live now on the Manga Mavericks Store: https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/the-sword-of-paros-deluxe-edition
Source: Press Release
