Abrams ComicArts’ Kana manga imprint has officially announced that it will publish Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki’s highly anticipated Billy Bat manga series for the first time in English. The inaugural volume is slated for release in June 2026, marking a significant moment for fans who have long awaited an official English edition of the 20-volume series.
Long-Awaited English Release and Publishing Schedule
The first volume of Billy Bat is set to arrive in bookstores and comic shops in June 2026, with Kana planning an ambitious schedule of four volumes per year to complete the entire 20-volume series. This initiative by Kana, a manga imprint of Abrams ComicArts, addresses a long-standing demand from English-speaking manga enthusiasts for Urasawa’s work.
Unraveling the Conspiracy: The Premise of Billy Bat
Billy Bat is an enthralling, genre-defying series that intricately weaves together mystery, historical fiction, conspiracy theory, and metafiction, unfolding across multiple eras and continents. The story commences in 1949, focusing on Japanese-American comic book artist Kevin Yamagata, who achieves widespread fame for his detective comic character, Billy Bat.
However, Yamagata’s newfound success is disrupted by a disturbing revelation: the character of Billy Bat may have already existed in Japan. Fearing unintentional plagiarism, Kevin embarks on a journey to Japan to uncover the truth and seek permission from the character’s original creator. Upon his arrival, he becomes entangled in a complex web of murders, secret societies, and prophetic mysteries that span millennia, all stemming back to the enigmatic image of a bat. The truth, far more expansive than Kevin could have imagined, reaches across centuries and continents.
The manga was originally serialized in Kodansha’s Morning magazine from October 16, 2008, to August 18, 2016, and was compiled into 20 tankobon volumes in Japan. Billy Bat has garnered critical acclaim, winning the 2012 Italian Lucca Comics Award for Best Series and the 2014 German Max & Moritz Prize for Best International Comic.
The Acclaimed Creators: Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki
Naoki Urasawa, widely regarded as one of the greatest storytellers in manga, is the primary illustrator and co-writer of Billy Bat. He is internationally acclaimed for his previous works, including Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto, all of which are celebrated for their intricate plots and compelling characters.
Takashi Nagasaki, a frequent collaborator with Urasawa on these aforementioned titles, brings his editorial expertise and sharp narrative vision to Billy Bat. Their long-standing partnership has been instrumental in crafting the complex and engaging narratives that define their works. Kristiina Korpus, Editor at Kana, expressed the team’s excitement, calling the Billy Bat release “a dream project for the Kana team,” emphasizing the anticipation of finally making the series available to English readers.
