Kodansha’s K Manga service has announced the addition of Sumio Hataya’s First Love, Worst Love! manga to its English simulpub catalog. The romance-comedy series will now be available to readers in English concurrently with its Japanese release. This move expands K Manga’s growing collection of titles offered through its platform, reinforcing its commitment to providing timely access to popular manga for fans in the United States.
Understanding the K Manga Platform
K Manga is Kodansha’s dedicated digital manga distribution service, launched in May 2023 exclusively for readers in the United States. The platform’s primary goal is to offer official English translations of serialized manga chapters simultaneously with their release in Japan. This direct approach aims to provide American manga enthusiasts with early and legitimate access to a wide array of titles, reducing delays often associated with localization.
Upon its launch, K Manga boasted an extensive library of approximately 400 titles, including around 70 ongoing series available for simulpub. The service encompasses various genres, such as action, thriller, isekai, romance, and fantasy, featuring popular series like EDENS ZERO, Blue Lock, Rent-A-Girlfriend, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse. K Manga is managed directly by Kodansha’s editorial team, ensuring high-quality, officially translated content.
How K Manga Works for Readers
Accessing manga on K Manga primarily involves a dual credit system: tickets and points.
- Tickets: Users receive a free “Normal Ticket” daily for each eligible series, allowing them to read one chapter. Additionally, “Premium Tickets” are available through login bonuses and special campaigns, enabling readers to access 3-4 chapters per day across various titles. Chapters unlocked with tickets are typically available for three days.
- Points: For more immediate or extensive reading, users can purchase “points.” One dollar equates to 100 points, which can then be used to unlock manga chapters. The cost in points per chapter can vary based on the title and the recency of the chapter, with newer chapters often costing more. Once purchased with points, chapters are accessible indefinitely through the user’s account.
The platform also allows readers to sample the first few chapters of most titles for free.
Diving into First Love, Worst Love!
The newly added simulpub title, First Love, Worst Love! (Japanese title: Yori-kun to Yori wo Modosu Wake ni wa! or There’s No Way I’m Getting Back With Yori-kun!), is a shojo romance series created by Sumio Hataya. The manga explores themes of college life, comedy, drama, and slice of life, promising a blend of humor and heartfelt moments.
Synopsis
The story centers on Hatsuho, who moves to Tokyo for college, eagerly anticipating a fresh start and a dazzling new life. Her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers that her next-door neighbor is none other than her ex-boyfriend from junior high. Their previous breakup was awkward, and despite his somewhat condescending demeanor, his good looks make him difficult to completely dislike. The narrative follows Hatsuho as she navigates her college days, continuously pursued by her “problematic” ex-boyfriend, leading to a series of comedic and dramatic encounters.
The Growing Importance of Simulpub in Manga Distribution
The inclusion of First Love, Worst Love! highlights the increasing trend and importance of simulpublication in the global manga market. Simulpub releases allow international fans to read chapters almost immediately after they are released in Japan, minimizing the wait and helping to combat piracy by providing a legitimate and timely alternative. K Manga’s expanding simulpub library demonstrates Kodansha’s ongoing strategy to connect manga creators with their global audience directly and efficiently.
K Manga continues to regularly update its catalog, bringing a diverse range of new and ongoing series to its U.S. readership.
