Eisner Award-winning graphic novelist Gengoroh Tagame’s latest work, “Fish and Water” (Uo to Mizu), is slated for an English release on June 23, 2026, by Pantheon Books. The graphic novel, a tender and beautifully illustrated story, explores an unlikely love story between two “straight” friends during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Delving into “Fish and Water”
“Fish and Water” introduces readers to Akira, a business sales administrator, and Koji, a freelance writer, who quickly become close after meeting at a mutual friend’s wedding. The narrative unfolds as Akira, in possession of freshly picked cabbage and lacking cooking skills, uses it as an excuse to visit the culinary-inclined Koji amidst pandemic shutdowns. Their interactions evolve into an emotionally confusing scenario as they grapple with the nature of their relationship—friends or something more. The story is described as a character study and a contemporary comedy of manners, highlighting how love and connection can emerge in unexpected ways in the modern era.
The manga originally began as a one-shot published on Web Action on May 27, 2022, with serialization commencing on October 14, 2022. The one-shot is included as the first chapter in the volume release, and the series concluded with one volume.
The Acclaimed Author: Gengoroh Tagame
Gengoroh Tagame, born in 1964 and residing in Tokyo, is a prominent figure in the manga world, particularly known for his contributions to gay manga. After graduating from Tama University of Art, Tagame initially worked as an art director before becoming a full-time, openly gay artist in 1996.
A Pioneer in Gay Manga
Tagame co-founded the influential G-Men Magazine in 1994, a publication that significantly shaped the landscape of gay men’s media by focusing on masculine, physically larger men, shifting away from the then-popular bishōnen aesthetic. His extensive body of work includes dozens of graphic novels and stories, which have been translated into multiple languages, including English, French, Italian, and Korean. His artwork has also been showcased in galleries across Europe and America.
Previous English Releases and Awards
Tagame is widely recognized for his groundbreaking work, including “My Brother’s Husband” and “Our Colors,” both of which have received English releases through Pantheon Books. “My Brother’s Husband,” his first all-ages title, garnered significant acclaim, earning him the Japan Media Arts Festival Award for Outstanding Work of Manga in 2015 and an Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia in 2018. Other English translations of his works, primarily his gay erotic manga, have been published by various houses, including PictureBox and the German publisher Bruno Gmünder Verlag.
