Before I get to this week’s links, I want to share some great news: MJ Beasi, webmaster and founder of Manga Bookshelf, can add another title to their impressive resume: author! MJ’s novel I Was a Teenage Death God will be published by Page Street YA in 2026. The novel sounds like it would make a swell manga:
For Charlie, stealing life from high school randos is an okay price to ensure their twin sister and best friend-slash-crush remain off-limits to Lou, the ghost who’s been threatening Charlie their whole life. When Lou’s demands go too far, Charlie resorts to extreme measures to get a handle on their own powers. Though crossing state lines to meet strangers from the internet might seem like a great idea, Charlie’s literal road trip to self-discovery sets them and everyone they love on a collision course with a dark family legacy not even their mom’s Toyota can outrun.
The book is the first in a two-part series. Congratulations, MJ!
NEWS AND VIEWS
The 2025 Eisner Award nominations are in! Among this year’s picks for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia are Search and Destroy, an adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo, and Last Quarter, a supernatural romance by Ai Yazawa. [San Diego Comic-Con International]
And speaking of the Eisners, ICv2, The Beat, and SOLRAD all made this year’s short list for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism. [San Diego Comic-Con International]
Matt Schely highlights the winners of the 49th annual Kodansha Manga Awards. [Otaku USA]
The last volume of Akiro Hiiragi’s manga adaptation of The Devil Is a Part-Timer! will arrive in stores next month. [Otaku USA]
Brigid Alverson parses the April 2025 Circana Bookscan Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels list. [ICv2]
Wrestling fans rejoice: the Kyodo Printing Company will be publishing a new deluxe version of Baki the Grappler for English-speaking audiences. [The Outerhaven]
The Mangasplaining team is back in action with Naoya Matsumoto’s monster battle manga Kajiu No. 8. [Mangasplaining]
REVIEWS
Over at The Comics Journal, Jacob Ahana-Laba introduces American readers to Rapid Commuter Underground… Kara Dennison offers a sneak peak at Yan, a new series from the creator of Oldman… Lauren Orsini lists her 10 favorite (and least favorite) manga of the year so far… Demelza gives high marks to The Apothecary Diaries Art Book… and Gabriel Rodriguez calls Berserk “the most beautiful story ever told.”
New and Noteworthy
- The 31st Consort, Vol. 1 (LB Bryant, Yatta-Tachi)
- The Ayakashi Hunter’s Tainted Bride, Vol. 1 (Lisa De La Cruz, The Wonder of Anime)
- The Bugle Call: Sound of War, Vol. 1 (Kara Dennison, Otaku USA)
- Cat Man (Renee Scott, Good Comics for Kids)
- The Color of the End, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, ANN)
- Detectives These Days, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- Dogsred, Vols. 1-2 (Coop Bicknell, ANN)
- Emma & Capucine, Vol. 1 (Danny Lee, Asian Movie Pulse)
- The Failure at God School, Vol. 1 (Lisa De La Cruz, The Wonder of Anime)
- Gene Bride, Vol. 1 (Winter Venom, Behind the Manga)
- The God-Slaying Demon King, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Isekai Samurai, Vol. 1 (Giovanni Stigliano, Asian Movie Pulse)
- Kaya-chan Isn’t Scary, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- The Lady and Her Butler, Vols. 1-3 (Rebecca Silverman, ANN)
- Merry Witches’ Life, Vol. 1: The Three Widows of Berlebagille (Danny Lee, Asian Movie Pulse)
- My Kitten Is a Picky Eater, Vol. 1 (Kennedy, ANN)
- Pink Heart Jam beat, Vol. 1 (Lisa De La Cruz, The Wonder of Anime)
- Raging Clouds (wendeego, Yatta-Tachi)
- Tune Into the Midnight Heart, Vol. 1 (soy, Behind the Manga)
- A Vampire in the Bathhouse (darkstorm, Anime UK News)
- Wash It All Away, Vol. 1 (Manga Alerts, Behind the Manga)
- With You, Our Love Will Make It Through, Vol. 1 (Marquan, Ani-TAY)
- You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already!, Vol. 1 (Danica Davidson, Otaku USA)
- You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It, Already!, Vol. 1 (Hayame Kwachi, The Beat)
Complete, OOP, and Ongoing Series
- Call of the Night, Vol. 19 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Cat-Eyed Boy: Perfect Edition, Vol. 2 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Chainsaw Man, Vol. 18 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Choujin X, Vol. 8 (King Baby Duck, The Outerhaven)
- Fist of the North Star, Vol. 16 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Let’s Do It Already, Vol. 4 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Mono, Vol. 2 (Ian Wolf, Anime UK News)
- Queen’s Quality, Vol. 22 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Rainbow Days, Vol. 15 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Virgin Love, Vols. 3-4 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Yuri Is My Job, Vol. 13 (Eleanor Walker, Okazu)