VIZ Media recently announced a raft of new licenses scheduled to launch in the fall, many by well-known creators.
VIZ will publish a four-volume graphic adaptation of Rainbow Rowell’s young adult novel
Fangirl in October. Sam Maggs, author of
The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy and
Wonder Women, is scripting the book, and the artist will be Gabi Nam. The first volume is scheduled for October 13 and will have a list price of $16.99. Rowell is the author of the best-selling novel
Eleanor and Park, and she collaborated with Faith Erin Hicks on
Pumpkinheads, which was published by First Second last year.
Remina, by Junji Ito, originally named
Hellstar Remina, is a sci-fi story bent through the lens of the horror master: A destructive planet make its way through space, knocking out stars and other planets along the way and ultimately heading toward earth. The Junji Ito twist comes from the cause of the planet’s destructive nature, which could be tied to the girl for whom it was named. The manga will be published on December 15 as a single hardcover volume with an MSRP of $22.99.
Mermaid Saga Collector’s Edition brings back Rumiko Takahashi’s classic manga in a two-volume collector’s edition. The story of a man who became immortal after eating a mermaid’s flesh, and now wants to become mortal again, Mermaid Saga was first published by VIZ in its
Animerica magazine, then as three volumes in the mid-1990s, then as four volumes in the mid-2000s (the cover shown here is taken from that series, as the new cover has not been revealed yet). VIZ will publish the first paperback volume on November 17 with an MSRP of $24.99.
Sneeze: Naoki Urasawa Story Collection brings together eight short stories and graphic essays by the Eisner Award-winning creator of
20th Century Boys, Monster, and
Pluto. The single-volume paperback will be published on October 20 with an MSRP of $17.99.
Revolutionary Girl Utena: After the Revolution is a collection of three short stories, written 20 years after the original anime and manga, that revisits the characters in the original
Revolutionary Girl Utena 20 years later. The manga itself was created in 2017-18, 20 years after the original run of the Utena anime and manga, as three separate chapters that were then collected in a single volume. VIZ will publish that volume on October 6 with an MSRP of $12.99.
Moriarty the Patriot is a mystery starring Sherlock Holmes’s arch-rival Moriarty, who was sort of a crusader before he decided to match wits with the great detective. The Moriarty of this manga brings justice to 19th-century London by bringing down the more corrupt members of the upper class, but his ideals and methods may be corrupt in themselves. The series is ongoing and is up to volume 10 in Japan; an anime is in the works. VIZ will publish the first volume on October 6 with an MSRP of $9.99.
Fly Me to the Moon, by Kenjiro Hata (creator of
Hayate the Combat Butler) is a shonen romance that stars a brilliant young man who wants to be an astronaut and the mystery woman he marries after she saves his life. The new bride has strange powers that suggest she is not entirely of this earth. An anime adaptation is in the works and will launch in Japan in October 2020. The manga is ongoing and is currently 10 volumes long; VIZ will publish the first volume on September 8 with an MSRP of $9.99.
Chainsaw Man stars Denji, a devil-hunter who is betrayed and killed, then reincarnated (by his devil dog) as a devil-human hybrid with chainsaw powers, which just makes the devil-hunting that much more awesome. The manga, which is already available digitally on the Shonen Jump app, is popular in Japan and has been nominated for several awards. The creator, Tatsuki Fujimoto, is also the author of
Fire Punch, another VIZ series. The series has six volumes so far and is ongoing; VIZ will publish the first volume on October 6 with an MSRP of $9.99
