Kodansha’s Young Magazine is set to release a special English-language issue in the United States, commemorating the Japanese publication’s 45th anniversary. This 1,044-page premium edition, titled Young Magazine USA, aims to introduce Western audiences to the seinen genre with its “UN-filtered MANGA” concept, featuring mature themes and realistic portrayals of human experiences in extraordinary situations. The magazine will be distributed for free to attendees at Anime NYC from August 21-24, 2025, and at 17 select Kinokuniya bookstores across North America from August 21 to November 10, 2025, while supplies last. An official website and X (formerly Twitter) account will also launch on August 21, providing online access and promotional content.
Diverse Anthology Highlights New Talent and Established Creators
The Young Magazine U.S. Special Issue will feature a robust lineup of 19 new series from Japanese artists, with a strong emphasis on science fiction, dark fantasy, and psychological drama. Sixteen of these titles will be part of a fan voting event, allowing readers to elect their favorites for potential serialization on Kodansha’s K MANGA app and simultaneous serialization in Japan and the U.S. The five works receiving the most votes will earn serialization.
The titles eligible for this fan voting campaign include:
- BOYS RUN THE RIOT – IN TRANSITION – by Keito Gaku
- Fasciation by OUGA
- Godmother by Rin Shimokawa
- GOUMA The Blade that Slaughters Gods by Hiroki Ishizawa
- Into the Dark by Anri Morikuma
- Is My Love Strange? by Hikari Azuma
- KIKIKAIKAI by Kyuri Yamada
- Pregnant by Denchi Matsumoto (story) and Keita Nishijima (art)
- PROJECT METALLIA by Yukito Iwai
- Protocol Ryugu by Daisaku Tsuru
- Still You by Kami Nishio
- The Graveyard Shift by Yoshimi Sato
- The Journey of a Dark Elf with Fading Powers by Daisuke Itabashi
- The Knight of Blasphemy by Ray Kindo
- THE LAST TERRAN by Hiroshi Takashige (story) and Tatsumi Hitomoji (art)
- To Dusk and Twilight by Robico
In addition to the voting selections, the special edition will also feature several prominent works by established creators, available outside the contest:
- ME AND BOB DYLAN (AND MY FATHER) by Shuzo Oshimi
- The Silent Forest by Masaaki Nakayama
- Subaru and Subaru by Shuichi Shigeno
- UNDER NINJA by Kengo Hanazawa
The cover art for the U.S. Special Issue is an original drawing by Masamune Shirow, creator of Ghost in the Shell. This initiative marks Kodansha’s commitment to delivering the depth and appeal of seinen manga to a broader international audience, with the hope of discovering the next global manga phenomenon.
