Another podcasting crew is making the leap from talking about their favorite manga to publishing it. Manga Mavericks’ initial line-up debuts on July 16th, and includes a fresh take on Journey to the West, a short story about an indie musician, and an “action isekai” series about a demonic construction crew. Brigid Alverson has more details at ICv2, while Adam Wescott has an in-depth interview with two of the company’s founders, Varun Gupta and Mike Jokoh.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Buckle up: 2026 is going to be a big year for VIZ Media! The publisher just unveiled its newest acquisitions, which run the gamut from familiar franchises and familiar names to art books, ice-skating manga, and a box set. [Behind the Manga]
Josh Piedra offers a brief recap of Seven Seas’ latest licensing news. [The Outerhaven]
Solo Leveling dominated the May 2025 Circana Bookscan Top 20 Graphic Novels list. [ICv2]
Jocelyn Allen explains why Fumi Fumiko is one her favorite authors. [Brain vs. Book]
Elif Sinem Erdem explores the idea of gender fluidity in Sailor Moon S and Revolutionary Girl Utena. “Depictions of butch, masculine, or more gender-non-conforming sapphic women are very rare in both Anglophone literature and animanga,” she notes, “though they make up a foundational part of shoujo.” [Anime Feminist]
George Horvath lists twelve influential manga artists whose work hasn’t been translated into English… yet. Here’s hoping someone finally decides to publish Aim for the Ace! [Land of Obscusion]
Dr. Slump fans rejoice: translator Kaoru Kumi has just posted an in-depth look at Akira Toriyama’s classic comedy that explains how the series found its groove after Toriyama’s editor offered the following advice: “Forget the doctor — make Arale the lead.” [The Comics Journal]
REVIEWS
The crew at Beneath the Tangles review the latest volumes of Choking on Love, Dandadan, Diary of a Female Lead, and other current series… Okazu contributors Eleanor and Luce discuss The Summer You Were There… and Masha Zhdanova offers a spoiler-free assessment of The Moon on a Rainy Night.
New and Noteworthy
- Cosmic Censorship, Vol. 1 (Kara Dennison, Otaku USA)
- Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Manga – Book of Octavinelle (Kara Dennison, Otaku USA)
- I Want Your Mother to be With Me!, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Kill Blue, Vol. 1 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- The Metalhead Next Door (Andy Oliver, Broken Frontier)
- meth-e-meth: The Complete Edition (Giovanni Stagliano, Asian Movie Pulse)
- My Death Flags Show No Sign of Ending, Vol. 1 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Not So Shoujo Love Story, Vol. 1 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)
- On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance, Vol. 1 (Ian Wolf, Anime UK News)
- Pop Manga Catitude Coloring Book (Sakura Eries, The Fandom Post)
- Senpai is an Otokonoko, Vol. 1 (King Baby Duck, The Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Spacewalking With You, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- Sweet or Bitter Love (Kristina Elyse Butke, The Beat)
- The Summer Hikaru Died, Vol. 1 (Kelly S., Yatta-Tachi)
- Wails of the Bound: Return, Vol. 1 (Kristina Elyse Butke, The Beat)
Complete, Ongoing, and OOP Series
- Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Vol. 2 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Deadman Wonderland, Vol. 1 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- Dragon and Chameleon, Vol. 3 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend (Alex Henderson, Yatta-Tachi)
- Horror Collector, Vol. 1 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- Kei X Yaku: Bound by Law, Vol. 6 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Love on the Horizon, Vol. 2 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- My Hero Academia: Team-Up Missions, Vol. 6 (King Baby Duck, The Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Otaku Vampire’s Love Bite, Vol. 3 (King Baby Duck, The Boston Bastard Brigade)
- See You in My 19th Life, Vol. 5 (Noemi10, Anime UK News)
- Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Vol. 5 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)
- Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 2 (Sara Smith, The Graphic Library)