Manga Mavericks Books, a manga publisher serving the English market from Manga Mavericks LLC, announced two new manga licenses during its panel at Anime NYC 2026.
The announcements featured the alternative sci-fi action manga MIDNIGHT ROBOT by Yohei Sajita, which is scheduled for release in print and digital formats in May 2027, and the boys’ love slice-of-life manga ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI by Akahachi, which is scheduled for a digital release in December 2026 and a print release in June 2027.
MIDNIGHT ROBOT, VOLUME 1 by Yohei Sajita ∙ Print SRP: $19.99 / Digital SRP: $6.99 ∙ 236 pages ∙ ISBN: 9781968054977 ∙ For Readers 13+ ∙ Available May 2027
Boys and girls, it’s time to get in the robot!
Fumiko Daidouji has become used to her dad not being in her life, until he suddenly returns home with a gift: a screw lodged into her cranium! He claims it’s to protect her from a secret, nameless organization, and not surprisingly, she figures her Dad has a screw loose himself.
However, the organization is very real – and they want Fumiko’s screw to summon a giant robot! Dragged against her will into a battle to save the world, Fumiko quickly realizes that her once ordinary life is gone. Now, she faces world destruction, a parallel cosmos, and the midnight robot that connects them all.
Print pre-orders are now live on the Manga Mavericks Store: https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/midnight-robot-volume-1
MIDNIGHT ROBOT is an ongoing manga that was originally started as a self-published manga in 2015, with Hayakawa Publishing later serializing it in 2024 on their Hayacomi web manga platform. The manga also features a unique two-color palette of red and black.
Manga Mavericks Books will be releasing the print edition of the manga in A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size, retaining the original color palette, and it will be the first-ever print release of the series worldwide.
MIDNIGHT ROBOT creator Yohei Sajita lives in the Kanto region of Japan. They made their manga debut in 1998 with the one-shot manga FLASK. Afterwards, they stopped creating for until 2014, when they resumed creating online. Nowadays, they primarily work online, uploading manga on webpages and web magazines.
Yohei Sajita provided the following message for Anime NYC attendees:
“I’m Yohei Sajita, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.
The notion that people will be able to read Midnight Robot in English has me overcome with emotion. When reading this manga, you might think the style is reminiscent of a certain type of absurdist sci-fi manga from the 60s and 70s, and thus, it’s the type of work that likely wouldn’t catch on nowadays.
It’s for that reason that I’ve been drawing this manga on my own for some time now. I drew this manga with the mindset of creating something I’d want to read myself. A manga that, as a child, I would have been excited to experience, while simultaneously standing up to adult scrutiny as well. Striving for both of those ideals was my goal.
If readers were to experience that same feeling, then I’d experience a high like no other.
So please read and enjoy.”
ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI by Akahachi ∙ Print SRP: $14.99 / Digital SRP: $6.99 ∙ 152 pages ∙ ISBN: 9781968054779 ∙ For Readers 13+ ∙ Available December 2026 (Digital), June 2027 (Print)
Haruma Ohara is the charming, athletic upperclassman. Ao Arai is the adorably shy, chubby underclassman. Simply a match made…in an elevator?
A chance encounter in an elevator between a rushed introvert and a charismatic jock grows into a fluffy, slow-burn love story. The introverted Arai is swept up in the charm of the extroverted Haruma, and before he knows it, they’ve exchanged contact information and keep running into each other all over campus. It’s clear to everyone that Haruma’s crush is immediate, but how long will it take for Arai to notice his own feelings?
Print and Digital pre-orders are now live on the Manga Mavericks Store:
- Digital: https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/arai-kun-haruma-senpai-digital
- Print: https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/arai-kun-haruma-senpai
ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI was originally self-published by Akahachi in 2022.
Manga Mavericks Books will publish the print edition of the manga in A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size.
Akahachi is a manga artist from Japan who has gained viral attention for their boys’ love stories. Some of their other notable works include A BUSINESSMAN AND A DRIVER, COUPLES, and TONARI NO LUNCH.
Akahachi provided the following message for Anime NYC attendees:
“Hello, manga lovers!
Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai is finally coming out in English! Releasing my manga in other languages has always been something I’ve deeply wished for, but making that happen has never been easy, and there were many times it left me feeling disheartened. For Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai, I’ve been getting requests for an English edition for years.
And now, at last, Manga Mavericks Books has made this dream come true. I couldn’t be happier, and I can’t wait for the release date! Whether you’ve read my manga before or are just discovering it for the first time, I’d love for you to grab a copy!”
Previously lost color page of The Sword of Paros, which will be included in the English release of Manga Mavericks Books.
Manga Mavericks Books also announced that with the permission of Fairbell Inc. and Yumiko Igarashi, they have been recovering and restoring color illustrations from the original serialization of THE SWORD OF PAROS in Monthly Asuka from 1986 to 1987, to include in the English release of the series.
While multiple color pages have now been found and restored, the Manga Mavericks Books team has sent out an open call to anyone who has leads on finding the following issues of Monthly Asuka:
- June 1986
- August 1986
- November 1986
- January 1987
- February 1987
Any leads regarding these magazine issues can be submitted to the following email: [email protected]
Submitters who provide Manga Mavericks Books a lead that directly results in the procurement of one of the above issues by September 15th, 2026, will receive a name credit in the English release of THE SWORD OF PAROS and a complimentary copy of the book upon release.
Print pre-orders are also live now on the Manga Mavericks Store! https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/the-sword-of-paros-deluxe-edition
Source: Press Release
