Two small publishers have announced intriguing manga licenses with potential appeal to genre fans.
Pushkin Vertigo will publish a print edition of The Decagon House Murders by writer Yukito Ayatsuji and artist Hiro Kiyohara, the team behind the horror manga Another (see “Yen Adds New Manga”). Inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, The Decagon House Murders is set on an island where a bizarre murder has occurred in a ten-sided house; six months after the murder, the members of a college mystery club arrive to investigate the case. The original novel is one of a series by Ayatsuji that is published in English by Pushkin Vertigo; this is the first manga for the publisher. Kodansha published the five-volume series digitally in 2021-22. Pushkin Vertigo will release the first volume of the print edition on March 9, 2027, with an MSRP of $14.95.
Kodama Tales has announced three new licenses; one is Baki Hanma, the third arc of Baki the Grappler (see “New Manga Startups Roll Out Ambitious Catalogs for 2026”), and the other two are quite different.
A Mandala in Flames, by Chie Shimomoto, tells the story of Hasegawa Tohaku, a samurai-era artist who braved a burning castle to see the work of artist Kano Eitoku, who had rejected him as an apprentice. Inspired by his rival’s work Tohaku rose to become the premier painter of his time and the official artist for samurai Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The story is complete in one volume and will be released in July 2027.
Neo Cat, by Aoka, is a comedy set in a fantasy world where cats have evolved to walk on two legs and live and work alongside humans while remaining distinctly feline. The first volume collects eight short stories about human-cat interactions in this strange new world. The series is published in a josei manga magazine in Japan, where two volumes are out so far. Kodama Tales will release the first volume in June 2027.
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Source: ICv2
