Kodansha arrived at the ComicsPRO annual meeting with the news that they are bringing two much-acclaimed seinen series back into print in new, updated editions, among other new license announcements. All are slated for Fall 2025 release.

Mushishi, by Yuki Urushibara, was first licensed by Del Rey in 2006 (see “Del Rey Acquires 5 More Manga Series”). The series, which won the prestigious Kodansha Award in Japan, is set in an imaginary past and follows a young man who can communicate with mysterious spirits called Mushi. The 10-volume series sold well, if not spectacularly, and was hailed by critics; it was also adapted into several anime and a live-action film. The new Mushishi Collector’s Editionwill repackage the series into five hardcover volumes, with a new translation and a larger, 5.75” x 8.2” trim size (comparable to the Parasyte Full Color Collection) as well as color pages and new covers. The series is rated 16+, and the first volume will be published on November 5, 2025, with an MSRP of $29.99.

Dragon Head, by Minetaro Mochizuki, the story of Tokyo teens trapped in a subway disaster, is another Kodansha Award winner and was originally published in English by Tokyopop. Kodansha picked up the digital license in 2018 and is now returning it to print in 2.5-in-1 omnibus paperbacks, so the series, originally 10 volumes, will be complete in four. Kodansha is also publishing an early horror work by Mochizuki, Hauntress, on February 25, 2025 (see “Kodansha Spring 2025”). The first volume of the new Dragon Head, rated for readers 16+, will be released on December 16, 2025, with an MSRP of $29.95.

The Magnificent Bastard: The Legend of Keiji is a samurai epic based on a historical novel by Keiichiro Ryu, adapted by Mio Aso, with art by Fist of the North Star creator Tetsuo Hara. The story, rated 16+, follows the adventures of a daring, iconoclastic samurai.

Kaijin Fugeki: Kindled Spirits is a new series by Oh!Great (Ito Ogure), the creator of Tenjho Tenge and Air Gear, two series that mixed action and heavy doses of fanservice. Kaijin Fugeki is rated 13+, so it’s likely to be a little tamer; it follows a boy from a rural town and a British soldier fighting against a supernatural power known simply as Night. This series is currently available digitally on Kodansha’s KManga platform.

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Complete Omnibus, by Koma Warita, Riku Tsuchida, Toei Animation, and ZAG, bundles the three-volume series, rated 8+ and based on the animated series (see “Kodansha Licenses Ladybug & Cat Noir Manga in Time for Movie”), into a single omnibus volume.

The Kodansha team also noted four upcoming anime based on Kodansha titles, including Fire Force, Go! Go! Loser Ranger!, Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!, and Wind Breaker, which will debut in April 2025, and reminded them of upcoming releases including Tower Dungeon, by Blame and Knights of Sidonia creator Tsutomu Nihei, the Ghibli-esque middle-grade series Sheta’s Little Big World, and the hardcover edition of Katsuhiro Otomo’s classic Akira (see “‘Akira’ in Hardcover”).