45 best manga of Fall 2023

Autumn is an exciting time for manga and manwha as witnessed with The Beat’s expanded coverage in recent weeks. The current list of 45 anticipated manga for Fall 2023 is by no means exhaustive, but it calls out new books that deserve more than a gander.

For diehard Haruki Murakami fans (or those about to be), Tuttle Publishing will debut the first of a three-volume graphic visualization of Murakami’s short stories in early October. This first tome will include “The Seventh Man” and “Where I’m Likely to Find It,” two stories within a story that deal with fear and loneliness.

Ize Press will release three English-language editions of Hybe’s K-pop inspired webcomics. Two of these book are featured on our list of anticipated manga for Fall 2023 — one in collaboration with BTS and the other with Tomorrow x Together. 

As for other publishers, Webtoon Unscrolled will be well-represented with the novelizations of Jeho Son’s NOBLESSE, Refrainbow’s BOYFRIENDS and Emma Krogell’s LUMINE. And Dark Horse will release an omnibus edition of Shin-ichi Sakamoto’s original manga series about a royal executioner in eighteenth century France. Drawn and Quarterly issues a third collection of stories from underground manga artist Yoshiharu Tsuge. Finally, Junji Ito teams with Hirokatsu Kihara and Ichiro Nakayama to adapt a horror series originally written by Shin Mimibukuro.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the list of anticipated manga for Fall 2023!

Anticipated manga for Fall 2023 – October

The Other Side of the Clouds Vol. 1

Author: Yoruno Hitsujigumo
Publisher: Glacier Bay Books
Release Date: Fall 2023
List Price: $20.00 Paperback

A young girl moves to the seaside town of Kumogaura. Wandering under dazzling sun and ever-changing stars, she searches for meaning in an item from her past. The Other Side of the Clouds is a record of those hazy, dream-like days in the mysterious little town by the sea. An atmospheric snapshot into the casual youth, a blossoming friendship, and the desire to travel. 

Nejishiki

Author: Yoshiharu Tsuge
Translator: Ryan Holmberg
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly
Release Date: Oct. 4 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 3 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.95 Hardcover

Nejishiki unveils the most iconic scenes from Yoshiharu Tsuge’s highly respected body of work alongside his most beloved stories. A cornerstone of Japan’s legendary 1960s counterculture that galvanized avant-garde manga and comics criticism, the title story follows an injured young man as he wanders through a village of strangers in search of emotional and physical release. Other stories in this collection follow a series of weary travelers who while away sultry nights and face menacing doppelgängers. Even banal activities like afternoon strolls uncover unsavory impulses. The emotionally and erotically charged imagery collected in this third volume remains as shocking and vivid today as it did upon its debut fifty years ago.

Tsuge’s stories push boundaries, abruptly crossing the threshold of conventional storytelling. Unassuming protagonists venture further into eerie symbolism against a shadowy, perceptibly dreamlike landscape easily mistaken for the real world. The angst that pervades postwar Japanese society threatens to devour his characters and their pastoral sensibilities as each protagonist’s wanderlust turns surreal.

Betwixt: A Horror Manga Anthology

Authors: Ryo Hanada, Aki Shimizu, Shima Shinya, Becky Cloonan, Michael Conrad, Leslie Hung, Sloane Leong, Hua Hua Zhu
Foreword By: Junji Ito
Publisher: Viz Media LLC
Release Date: Oct. 11 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $25.00 Hardcover

All-new horror anthology featuring cover art by international bestseller, Junji Ito.

Manga creators from Japan and the US present an international showcase of horror. Collected for the first time in Betwixt: A Horror Manga Anthology, six short stories reveal the universal fear of the space between the known and unknown. Will anyone cross that border?

Featuring stories from a range of award-winning and popular creators, as well as a foreword and exclusive cover art by global phenomenon, Junji Ito.

Ryo Hanada (creator of Devil’s Line), Aki Shimizu (creator of the Suikoden III manga), and Shima Shinya (creator of Lost Lad London and cowriter of Star Wars: The High Republic, The Edge of Balance) each tell uniquely Japanese tales of ghosts and creatures who exist alongside us. American creative duo, Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad (cowriters of Wonder Woman and Batgirls) along with duo Leslie Hung (cocreator of Snotgirl) and Sloane Leong (creator of A Map to the Sun) and up and coming creator Hua Hua Zhu round out the anthology with tales that would make anyone paranoid about who they may encounter. 

Alpi the Soul Sender Vol. 1

Author: Rona
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Jan. 3 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

A tale of coming of age, perfect for fans of Magical Girl manga, Alpi is a young ‘Soul Sender’ who helps to send malignant spirits on their way to the afterlife.

In the magical world of Alpi, divine spirits are the source of all life, communities living in harmony under their protection. However, when their lives end, a terrible curse drives them to evil, and these malign spirits must be sent to the afterlife by the Soul Senders. Alpi is one such girl, talented despite her young age, and assisted by her familiar Perenai! 

The Ice Guy and the Cool Girl 01

Author: Miyuki Tonogaya
Publisher: Square Enix Manga
Release Date:  Oct. 11 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 10 (Bookstores)
List Price: $10.99 Paperback

Sparks fly between the handsome descendant of a snow spirit and the oblivious coworker he has a crush on! A romantic comedy in an office setting that takes coworkers to lovers to new heights within a winter wonderland of emotions!

Himuro is a modern-day ice god, an ordinary office worker who just so happens to be the descendant of a snow spirit. He’s also besotted with his coworker Fuyutsuki, who’s a little unusual herself. At first glance, the pair both seem to be calm, cool, and collected. But beneath Himuro’s icy good looks rages a passionate blizzard of love! On the other hand, his coworker’s cool facade belies nothing about any feelings she might have for Himuro in return⁠–because she’s too oblivious to realize anything! What’s a snowman in love to do? 

Minato’s Laundromat, Vol. 1

Writer: Yuzu Tsubaki
Artist: Sawa Kansume
Letterer: Carolina Hernandez
Translator: Kei Coffman
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Oct. 18 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.00 Paperback

Akira Minato inherits an old, rundown laundromat from his grandfather, and takes the opportunity to quit his corporate job. Instead of the laidback life he was expecting, his days are spent in a flustered panic when high school hottie, Shintaro Katsuki, ambles into his life… 

The Japanese Yokai Handbook

Author: Masami Kinoshita
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Release Date: Oct. 17
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

An entertaining introduction to Japan’s supernatural creatures.

Yokai come in every imaginable shape and form–ranging from frightening ghosts who haunt our dreams and cruel monsters that are deadly killers to cute fairies and mischievous enchanted animals who prank unwitting humans. They can be evil demons, harmless tricksters or prophets of impending doom, depending on their appearance and inclination. But all Yokai are fascinating, and this book profiles 100 of the most interesting ones.

Yokai expert Masami Kinoshita has been documenting Yokai in folklore, and in real life, for many years. This book presents her most interesting findings. It has over 175 full-color illustrations that vividly depict the appearances of these weird creatures. No matter their origins, each Yokai has a strange and wonderful story that is sure to amaze you 

Bocchi the Rock!, Vol. 1

Author: Aki Hamazi
Letterer: Chiho Christie
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Oct. 18 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 17 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.00 Paperback

Hitori Gotoh just wants to be popular, but the thought of interacting with her classmates makes her fall to pieces. Her solution-become a rock legend so cool that people approach her instead! However, while spending all of middle school in her closet shredding on the guitar may have earned her anonymous internet fame, it did nothing for her social skills. Now a high schooler, Hitori’s feeling ready to shrivel up and die-when she gets a sudden request to fill in for a band! It’s like her wish came true-but does this most anxious of introverts have what it takes to perform in front of a live audience?!

7Fates: Chakho, Vol. 1

Created By: Hybe, BTS
Publisher: Ize Press
Release Date: Jan. 24 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Paperback

When ferocious tiger creatures called the Beom invade the human world, wreaking havoc and killing indiscriminately, Zeha finds his seemingly normal life flipped upside down. How did he end up in the hospital? Why can’t he remember the brutal attack that landed him there? And what role does he have to play in stopping this waking nightmare? Find out in this tale of friendship and destiny, made in collaboration with BTS! 

Mimi’s Tales of Terror

Writer: Hirokatsu Kihara
Artists: Ichiro Nakayama, Junji Ito
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Oct. 25 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.00 Hardcover

Experience real-life chills as Junji Ito brings these “true” horror series to life.

University student Mimi and her boyfriend Naoto encounter one chilling mystery after another. There’s the enigmatic neighbor woman dressed in black from head to toe–but if she’s so odd, why does it seems like there are many others like her? Then, whose eyes track Mimi’s movements from the cemetery next door? And why does a bizarre red circle drawn on a basement wall change with each passing day?

Nine scary stories that really happened, drawn from the famed collecton of urban legends Shin Mimibukuro (New Earmuffs), and adapted into manga by horror genius Junji Ito!

Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 1: Super-Frog Saves Tokyo, The Seventh Man, Birthday Girl, Where I’m Likely to Find It

Created By: Haruki Murakami
Adaptor: JC Deveney
Artist: PMGL
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Release Date: Oct. 4 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 24 (Bookstores)
List Price: $25.00 Hardcover

Haruki Murakami’s stories in graphic novel form for the first time.

Haruki Murakami’s novels, essays and short stories have sold millions of copies worldwide and been translated into dozens of languages. Now for the first time, many of Murakami’s best-loved short stories are available in graphic novel form in English. Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 1 is the first of three volumes, which will present a total of 9 short stories from Murakami’s bestselling collections.

This novel visual take on these classic Murakami stories will be devoured by his fans and provide a new window onto his work for younger readers not yet familiar with it!

Recommended for readers ages 16+ due to mature themes and graphic content

Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen 1

Created By: Kamome Shirahama
Author: Hiromi Sato
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Oct. 4 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 31 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

Witch Hat Atelier is back in this culinary spinoff that lets readers try their hand at recreating a variety of sumptuous recipes. This time, the magic is in the kitchen as Qifrey and the gang whip up everything from sizzling stews to crackling croquettes. Ideal for both existing fans of the main series and newcomers looking for an easily “disgestible” introduction to the world of Witch Hat.

Evening falls on Qifrey’s atelier, and Coco and her fellow witches-in-training take to their beds. In the quiet of midnight, Qifrey and Olruggio are finally free to pursue their culinary experiments. The kitchen comes alive as they whip up puddings, stews, parfaits, and jellies, and when the sun rises, Coco and the gang are there to savor every bite!

Includes a variety of real sweet and savory recipes with step-by-step instructions. 

Noblesse Volume One

Writer: Jeho Son
Artist: Kwangsu Lee
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Release Date: Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 31 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.99 Paperback

When Cadis Etrama Di Raizel or Rai, as he is known, awakens after 820 years, he discovers a modern world he simply doesn’t understand. Once an extremely powerful member of the Nobles, a race of nearly immortal and powerful creatures, Rai decides to start again as a high school student at Ye Ran High School, founded by his former servant Frankenstein, who is somehow still alive after all these centuries. Frankenstein’s goal–to help his powerful, vampire-like master learn about human life and culture as he protects him from the modern forces Rai cannot fathom.

Rai’s somewhat peaceful new life is about to be disturbed by The Union, a secret organization interested in using his powers to further their own malicious goals.

When past clashes with present in this innovative take on familiar dark fantasy tropes, Rai must do everything in his power to ensure the Union doesn’t control his destiny, and that he can continue to integrate himself into this new, confusing modern world …

Noblesse is a global sensation, with over 5 billion reads on WEBTOON.

Volume 1 collects Season One, Part One of the global hit WEBTOON series.

Witch of Thistle Castle Vol. 1

Author: John Tarachine
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Oct. 18 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 31 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

Spirits and magic are everywhere in the streets of Edinburgh – if only you dare to see it! Dive into this heartfelt manga about a witch and her apprentice as they try to find their place in a world that hates their very existence.

The last in a long line of Witches of the Black Wood, Marie Blackwood lives a quiet life in Edinburgh – away from the scrutiny of the Church. But when the Church thrusts 13-year-old Theo into her hands for safekeeping, Marie suddenly gains the responsibility not just of taking care of a teenager – but protecting the world, and Theo himself, from the amazing power that lives inside of him. 

Fullmetal Alchemist 20th Anniversary Book

Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Editor: Square Enix
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Oct. 25 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 31 (Bookstores)
List Price: $25.00 Hardcover

Celebrate the legacy of Fullmetal Alchemist with this tribute to the iconic manga about two brothers’ quest to reclaim their bodies torn apart by alchemy. This collection contains all of author Hiromu Arakawa’s companion manga drawn to commemorate the series’ adaptation to other media, as well as extensive reflections from Arakawa and the talented individuals who brought Fullmetal Alchemist vividly to life in anime, film, video games, novels, and more.

Anticipated manga for Fall 2023 – November

My Cat is Such a Weirdo Vol. 1

Author: Tamako Tamagoyama
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 31 (Bookstores)
List Price: $15.00 Paperback

A full-color manga series about the hilarious antics of the artist’s two rescue cats–accompanied by photos of the real kitties in action!

Staring at you at night, putting their butts on your face, getting stuck in a box… Based on a popular blog, this full color manga shares the everyday silliness of living with cats. 

Office Gods: Volume 1

Writer: Catharina Octorina
Artist: Hiikariin
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: Nov. 8 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 7 (Bookstores)
List Price: $18.99 Paperback

Gods, demigods, and true romance? Office Gods, based on the hit webcomic, is an addictive rom-com set in the corporate HQ of the Olympians themselves!

Iris, a young human woman, is swept into the world of divine bureaucracy when she’s recruited to work in the office of the gods, in the department of Hermes. The gods and goddesses may be beautiful beyond human comprehension, but she quickly learns that they’re every bit as petty and quarrelsome as they were thousands of years ago. Can she survive Eros’ antics, Aphrodite’s temper, and getting caught between a love triangle with the demigod sons of Athena and Hades? 

365 Days to the Wedding

Author: Tamiki Wakaki
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback

A sweet “fake engagement” romance about quiet coworkers by the creator of The World God Only Knows–inspired the live-action drama Map for The Wedding.

The J.T.C. travel agency is looking for someone to manage its brand-new branch in Irkutsk. But for employees Oohara Takuya and Honjouji Rika, they’d rather just stay home in Tokyo! Thankfully, they’ve discovered a way out–their manager has narrowed down the recruits to bachelors, so what if they just…got married? The problem is they barely know each other at all! Can they convince their office they’re engaged just long enough for the transfer to finish up? 

Sakura, Saku, Vol. 1

Author: Io Sakisaka
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date:  Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $9.99 Paperback </a>

The bud of bittersweet first love takes bloom!

A mysterious boy comes to Saku Fujigaya’s rescue when she falls ill on a train, but he leaves before she can thank him. After this experience, Saku never ignores strangers in need of help to emulate the boy who helped her.

Saku Fujigaya would like to thank the boy who helped her, but all she has is a note signed “Ryosuke Sakura.” She discovers that a boy at her high school, Haruki Sakura, has an older brother named Ryosuke. She asks Haruki to deliver her thank-you letter to Ryosuke, but why does he refuse? 

The Star Seekers, Vol. 1

Created By: Hybe, Tomorrow X Together
Letterer: Chi Bui
Publisher: Ize Press
Release Date: Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 14 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Paperback

In a world where the top musicians possess magic, STAR ONE is just a powerless, run-of-the-mill, B-tier K-pop group at best. But when a sudden attack during a performance puts the five members’ lives in danger, leader Soule unleashes powers of his own! Will this finally be the big break the group was hoping for?

Shakespeare Manga Theater

Author: Osamu Tezuka
Publisher: Ablaze
Release Date: Nov. 8 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

Over the course of his career, Osamu Tezuka adapted many of Shakespeare’s works. Shakespeare Manga Theater collects them into one volume.

The book includes the following:

* The Merchant of Venice (1959)

* Robio and Robiette (from Astro Boy, 1965)

* Macbeth (from Vampire “The Three Fortunetellers”, 1966)

* Hamlet (from Rainbow Parakeet, 1981)

* The Taming of the Shrew (from Rainbow Parakeet, 1981)

* Othello (from Rainbow Parakeet, 1982)

While this may sound like a collection of manga versions of classic plays, they would actually be better be described as quality examples of creative adaptation and storytelling, by a master of the craft.

Shakespeare Manga Theater is sure to be popular not just with Tezuka fans, but also schools interested in presenting Shakespeare in a format that is easier for readers to engage with. 

Phantom Thief Red, Vol. 1: A Brand-New Heist for a Brand-New Red!

Writer: Shin Akigi
Artist: Shu
Translator: Winifred Bird
Publisher: JY
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $8.99 Paperback

“In our family, it’s tradition to become a phantom thief upon turning thirteen.” These words from Asuka and Kei’s father forever change their lives. Their family is part of a worldwide network of righteous vigilantes, and now it’s their turn to join the ranks! 

Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human: The Manga Edition

Created By: Osamu Dazai
Writer: Chika Itoh
Artist: Makiko Itoh
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Oct. 11 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

This manga version of novelist Osamu Dazai’s masterpiece NO LONGER HUMAN–the #2 bestselling novel of all time in Japan–tells the story of Yozo Oba, a young man growing up in Japan in the immediate aftermath of World War II, who finds himself caught between the disintegration of the traditions of his aristocratic provincial family and the impact of the new postwar world.

Oba is tormented by a failure to find any value in himself or in human relationships, despite being surrounded by women who love him. He creates the persona of a buffoon who mocks himself while entertaining others. But inside he is tortured, and as he moves from childhood to adulthood he becomes addicted to sex and alcohol. Largely autobiographical, No Longer Human explores Dazai’s own sense of failure and alienation which drove him to self-destruct with alcohol and numerous suicide attempts.

Takopi’s Original Sin

Author: Taizan5
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Paperback

Time travel can’t heal all wounds.

Cute little alien Takopi lands on Earth. What is his mission? To be taken to our leader? No. To spread happiness throughout the universe!

The first person Takopi meets is depressed fourth grader Shizuka. (Or is it…?) Takopi is determined to do whatever it takes to make Shizuka smile again. But his misguided attempts to help her by using his advanced technology to turn back time only result in mayhem and death.

What is the truth Takopi can’t remember? And what must the pink alien octopus with a heart of gold sacrifice to truly help Shizuka and her friends…?

Lonely Castle in the Mirror Vol. 1

Writer: Mizuki Tsujimura
Artist: Tomo Taketomi
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback

A fantastical coming-of-age drama based on the critically acclaimed novel with an anime film!

Kokoro is a junior high school student–but after years of bullying, she’s become so anxious that she no longer goes to school. One day, she’s pulled through her full-length mirror into a castle in another dimension by a girl in a wolf mask. The mysterious girl tells Kokoro and six other kids that they will compete in a scavenger hunt. If one of them finds a key that unlocks a secret room, that person will get one wish granted. As long as they observe the rules of the world, they can come and go as they please. The seven kids gradually grow closer as they explore the castle, but the scavenger hunt is never far from anyone’s mind. After all, only one can win their heart’s desire.

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Omnibus) Vol. 1-2

Author: Uoto
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Paperback

Epic historical fiction meets scientific suspense in this award-winning tale that inspired an upcoming anime–available in English for the first time in oversized omnibus editions.

A mysterious pendant sparks a quest to shed light on an astronomical truth…even if it would mean Earth-shaking revolution.

In fifteenth-century Europe, heretics are being burned at the stake. Rafal, a brilliant young man, is expected to enter university at an early age and study the era’s most important field, theology. But Rafal values Reason above all else, which leads him both to the shocking conclusion that the Earth orbits the Sun, and into the hands of the Inquisition!

A decade later, two members of the Watch Guild, the dour young Oczy and the cynical Gras, find a hidden stone chest that details the secrets of the universe Rafal left behind. Dare they try to change their own stars by selling the heretical texts, or would that only lead to the stake and the fire? 

Boyfriends. Volume One

Author: Refrainbow
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $19.99 Paperback

Boy meets boy . . . meets boy . . . meets boy!

Jock, Goth, Nerd, and Prep are all juniors in college. But studying is the last thing on their minds as they are mainly interested in getting a boyfriend. Or multiple boyfriends.

The first two to couple up are Goth (cool and sexy) and Nerd (bubbly and flirty). As their budding relationship deepens, they can’t deny their chemistry with Goth’s other friends, Jock (sweet and easygoing) and Prep (sensitive and anxious). Nerd suggests they try something totally brand new to all of them: a polyamorous relationship. Everyone’s game to try, because they all agree the only thing better than one cute boyfriend…is three cute boyfriends!

But the transition isn’t so smooth, as Jock and Prep have issues of their own to settle, and all four need to learn how to make their new polycule work. Through navigating the adventures of dating life, the boyfriends come to understand themselves and each other in new and profound ways.

Laugh-out-loud funny and always heartwarming, Boyfriends. is filled to the brim with moments of pride big and small.

Collects episodes 1-55 of the delightful WEBTOON comic Boyfriends.

Innocent Omnibus Volume 1

Author: Shin’ichi Sakamoto
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.99 Paperback

Blood, death, and duty–the title bequeathed to the heir of the royal executioner becomes a burden too heavy to bear.

In this omnibus edition collecting volumes 1-3 of the original manga series, Shin’ichi Sakamoto masterfully fictionalizes the true life of Charles-Henri Sanson, the “Gentleman of Paris,” who performed nearly three thousand executions in 18th century France.

Born into a family of executioners, Charles-Henri Sanson must take up his father’s mantle as the Royal Executioner of Paris. Conflicted between his desire to honor the family name and rebelling against the longstanding practice, he chooses to follow tradition, but vows to be the last executioner–the last Sanson to spill blood in the name of justice.

Available in English for the first time and presented in a special omnibus edition collecting volumes 1-3 of the original Japanese manga series!

Horror Collector, Vol. 1: The Faceless Kid

Writers: Midori Sato, Norio Tsuruta
Artist: Yon
Translator: Jan Cash
Publisher: JY
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $8.99 Paperback

Urban legends are supposed to be just that, legends. But recently, there has been a rash of unexplainable occurrences, and victims are starting to pile up. Word is that a mysterious boy appears after each incident…

Team Phoenix Volume 1

Created By: Osamu Tezuka
Author: Kenny Ruiz
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
Release Date: Nov. 22 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 21 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback

Osamu Tezuka’s greatest characters unite!

The Robot Alliance dominates 90 percent of the universe, but one of the brave biologicks (organic organisms) — Sapphire, Princess Knight of Silverland — forms a band of space pirates to strike back against injustice!! Joining her in her rebellion are Leo of the planet Jungaly, and Sharaku, the Three-Eyed One.

The curtain rises on a sprawling space opera starring the heroes created by Osamu Tezuka, the “god of manga”!! 

Gannibal

Author: Masaaki Ninomiya
Publisher: Ablaze
Release Date: Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

Gannibal, the thrilling and terrifying manga horror series by Masaaki Ninomiya, on which the Hulu TV show is based, is published in English for the first time.

After the mysterious disappearance of a countryside cop, the role is reassigned to Officer Daigo Agawa. He finds the remote village quaint, and he looks forward to an easygoing post among the warm and welcoming citizenry.

Then… He gets a call. The body of a local grandmother has been found.

The scene immediately sows doubt for the young policeman. A human bite mark has been left on the corpse, and any voiced suspicion of Agawa’s is met with a strange, sudden, and intense hostility.

Something dark is lurking under the idyllic façade of the charming mountain village. But can Officer Agawa spare himself and his family from it? 

My Lovesick Life as a ’90s Otaku 1

Author: Nico Nicholson
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Nov. 29 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

Relive the good old otaku days with this sentimental and comical reflection on a teen’s path to self-acceptance. This nostalgic coming-of-age story is perfect for fans of Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku!

Otaku culture has finally become mainstream, and Megumi can’t quite get used to it. Divorced, with a teen daughter, Megumi thinks fondly back to her days as an anime and manga otaku–in 1995. That year, she transferred to a new school and decided to start fresh by hiding her otaku interests. She found herself taken under the wing of a basketball ace named Masamune, who’s got a kind heart and looks just like one of her favorite characters. Though Megumi catches a whiff of destiny in the air, she’s crushed to learn that Masamune detests otaku…

The Great Yokai War: Guardians Vol. 1

Writer: Yusuke Watanabe
Artist: Sanami Suzuki
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Nov. 15 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

The hit manga adaptation of the 2021 movie of the same name, The Great Yokai War: Guardians is the epic adventure of Watanabe an seemingly ordinary student who inherits the power of legendary monster hunter, to defeat the monstrous yokai rampaging towards Tokyo.

After giant kaiju threaten to destroy Japan, the guardian spirits of the nation, known as ‘Yokai’ appear before the young boy Kei… They tell him he is the descendant of the legendary monster slayer Watanabe no Tsuna, and may be the only person who can stop the catastrophe.

H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth

Created By: H.P. Lovecraft
Author: Gou Tanabe
Translator: Zack Davisson
Publisher: Dark Horse Manga
Release Date: Nov. 29 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $29.99 Paperback

A new manga adaptation of the only H.P. Lovecraft story published as a book during his lifetime, by modern horror master Gou Tanabe.

In the winter of 1927-28, the isolated coastal settlement of Innsmouth, Massachusetts was assaulted by U.S. government agents–its waterfront burned and dynamited, its people taken away to internment camps.

Yet that was neither the beginning nor the end of the horror uncovered by a young antiquarian who traveled to Innsmouth in search of rumors from the town’s dead past, only to find them still very much alive…and find truths lying under water deeper and colder than any earthly grave!

Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom

Author: Nao Iwamoto
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Nov. 29 (Comics Shops) / Nov. 28 (Bookstores)
List Price: $16.99 Paperback

Once upon a time, two kingdoms, one rich in gold, the other rich in water, shared a border. The two nations were always fighting until an agreement was struck: the most beautiful girl in the gold kingdom would marry the smartest man in the water kingdom, binding the two nations together. However, both sides tried to renege on the deal by sending animals instead! Sarah, a low-level princess, is selected to wed the man from the water kingdom, but is sent a puppy in place of a groom! Meanwhile, the candidate from the water kingdom, Naranbayar, is saddled with a kitten!

When Sarah and Naranbayar meet, they decide that, in order to stop a war between their countries, they will pretend to be in love. Will their plan work? And what if real romantic feelings blossom between them? 

Anticipated manga for Fall 2023 – December

Neighborhood Story, Vol. 1

Author: Ai Yazawa
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: Dec. 6 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $24.99 Paperback

Mikako aims to take the world of fashion by storm but stumbles when love comes into season in this coming-of-age tale from the creator of Nana.

Welcome to Happy Berry! No, this isn’t a fruit stand, but the label dreamed up by aspiring fashion designer Mikako Koda. In her quest to make a name for herself in the fashion world, Mikako enters Yazawa Art Academy, a prestigious art school, alongside her strictly platonic childhood friend Tsutomu. But there’s one problem–Tsutomu’s uncanny resemblance to a rock star skyrockets him to popularity and leads him to date the prettiest girl in school. Now, Mikako can’t help but wonder if what she feels is jealousy.

Peppy and creative teenager Mikako wants nothing more than to make it as a fashion designer. But when she enters art school alongside her lifelong friend Tsutomu, she finds herself distracted by his sudden popularity and subsequent love life. Despite her feelings, Mikako forms a club with Tsutomu and her friends to sell their creations at local flea markets. What begins as an exciting day quickly turns sour when discord arises between members in the group. 

My Dog Is a Death God Vol. 1

Writer: Mikito Chinen
Artist: Ritsu Aozaki
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Dec. 6 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.99 Paperback

In this heartfelt and bittersweet tale, a gentle god of death takes the form of “man’s best friend” to help patients at a countryside hospice ease into the next life without regrets-illustrated by the artist of The Dragon Knight’s Beloved (Manga), also from Seven Seas.

God of death, Leo, has been dispatched to Earth on a mission to save human souls, and has found himself at a small hospice called Okanoue Hospital. For this task, he’s been granted a special form: one with four legs, a tail, and a keen olfactory sense. Thanks to his canine assets, Leo can seek out patients at the hospice who are plagued by a lifetime of regret. With his wet nose and doggy good looks, little death god Leo eases patients into their next life, setting them free of both the quiet hillside hospital and any lingering doubts. 

Lumine Volume 1

Author: Emma Krogell
Publisher: Webtoon Unscrolled
Release Date: Dec. 6 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 5 (Bookstores)
List Price: $27.99 Hardcover / $19.99 Paperback

A runaway werewolf meets a witch boy, and their lives will never be the same. In a world where weredogs, witches, and humans live side by side, Lumine is a down-on-his-luck weredog with nowhere to turn…until he meets antisocial witch boy Kody. One causes trouble wherever he goes, and the other attracts trouble like a magnet. So of course, the two forces end up colliding.

Lumine has a big, fluffy secret: he is a werewolf, a rare and powerful type of magical being thought to be extinct. Except…he can’t transform properly. When robbers attack the two boys, Lumine shifts into his other form, a tiny, fierce, and ridiculously cute puppy dog. How is he supposed to instill fear in their enemies like that?!

Impressed with the small but mighty pup, Kody’s dad hires Lumine to be his son’s bodyguard. Tensions are high in the supernatural community; witch kids have been going missing, and Kody’s father is worried. Lumine is determined to both protect Kody and become his friend, but the secretive witch does everything in his power to keep Lumine at arm’s length.

When Lumine persists, he realizes that Kody has his reasons for being so withdrawn: he can’t control his magic, other witches at school are bullying him, and an evil spirit in the shape of a cat is haunting him at every step.

Without realizing, Lumine has stumbled paws first into a family full of their own secrets. Kody is plagued by shadows, and his father’s motivations for hiring Lumine aren’t nearly as simple as they seem. Things are far more dangerous than Lumine bargained for, and this is only the beginning.

This volume collects episodes 1 to 14 of the enchanting WEBTOON comic. 

Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Vol. 1

Created By: singNsong
Adaptor: Umi
Artist: Sleepy-C
Publisher: Ize Press
Release Date: Dec. 13 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Paperback

As a struggling office worker, Dokja Kim’s sole joy in life is an online novel so obscure that he’s its only reader. Then one day the story comes to an end…and so does the world. People all around the globe suddenly find themselves being massacred by horrific monsters or pitted against each other in sadistic scenarios straight out of the novel. However, only Dokja is aware that this is merely the first chapter of what is to come. Knowing that devastating plot twists are on the horizon, he can no longer afford to sit back as a reader-it’s time for Dokja to step up and write his own destiny! 

Suzume

Writer: Makoto Shinkai
Translator: Winifred Bird
Publisher: Yen On
Release Date: Dec. 13 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $20.00 Hardcover

DO YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FACE WHAT LIES BEYOND? Seventeen-year-old Suzume lives with her aunt in a quiet port town in Kyushu. One day, on her way to school, she runs into a young man searching for something and follows him to a ruin in the hills. But inside, all she finds is a single white door among the rubble. As if pulled by an invisible force, she reaches out to open it…and begins an epic journey across Japan connecting the past, present, and future. Follow Suzume’s adventure in this novelization of the acclaimed animated film Suzume, written by director Makoto Shinkai.

How I Met My Soulmate 1

Author: Anashin
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: Dec. 13 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

From the creator of Waiting for Spring comes a new college romance that meditates on just what destiny means, and whether “the one” is really out there. A fresh and stylish spin on shojo manga.

Yuuki is a 20-year-old college sophomore who has wished for one thing since moving to Tokyo: to find her soulmate. Growing a bit desperate after a long drought, she goes along with a friend to a club for the first time. Her friend thrives, but it’s chaotic and loud…just not Yuuki’s scene. Just when Yuuki begins to despair that she’ll ever find a real, adult relationship, she meets Iori, a man with bleached hair and a slightly scary demeanor…but first impressions don’t always tell the whole story. Could destiny still have more cards to play? 

Poetry of Ran Vol. 1

Author: Yusuke Osawa
Publisher: Titan Manga
Release Date: Dec. 13 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $12.99 Paperback

Perfect for fans of romance, poetry, and action, The Poetry of Ran is the story of warrior poet Torue who meets disgraced monster hunter Ran, and decides to compose an epic ballad of his deeds.

In this high-fantasy tale there are monster who devour people and all their evil — and the only way to banish them is to absorb these impurities. Torue, a young bard struggling to make a name for herself encounters one such monster hunter, a young man name Ran and decides to travel with him to gain inspiration from his exploits! 

The Secret of Friendship

Writer: Kazune Kawahara
Artist: Aiji Yamakawa
Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Release Date: Dec. 13 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

A self-contained shojo drama of romance and friendship written by the author of the hit manga series High School Debut and My Love Story.

Eiko and her best friend Moe couldn’t be more different. While Eiko is a shy, average-looking girl, Moe is beautiful and constantly gets attention from guys. Though their personalities are total opposites, the bond between them is incredibly strong. Moe might have an endless supply of suitors, but when it comes to actually dating them, she has a condition: her boyfriend must value Eiko more than he does Moe. No one has yet been able to meet her condition–not until a boy named Tsuchida appears, at least. What will Eiko do when her relationship with her best friend begins to change? 

God Bless the Mistaken, Vol. 1

Author: Nio Nakatani
Letterer: Rachel Pierce
Translator: Eleanor Summers
Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: Dec. 13 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 12 (Bookstores)
List Price: $13.00 Paperback

Middle schooler Kon lives in a world with periodic exceptional phenomena, more commonly known as bugs. As the unofficial assistant of his landlady Kasane Himesaki, a leading researcher in the field, they study the effects and impact of these mysterious abnormalities. Some bring fun, others intrigue, and still others cause inconveniences to their daily lives, but one thing’s for sure–in a world like theirs, every morning may bring a new surprise!

The Awl Vol 1

Author: Choi Gyu-Seok
Publisher: Ablaze
Release Date:  Dec. 6 (Comics Shops) / Dec. 19 (Bookstores)
List Price: $14.99 Paperback

The Awl is a story of ordinary folks struggling to be treated as humans. Set in the latter half of the 2000s, against the backdrop of “Pureumi”, a fictional superstore chain in South Korea, the work unfolds with a focus on two protagonists: Yi Su-in, who has been instructed by the corporation to dismiss workers unjustly; and Gu Go-sin, a labor activist.

A man of principles, Su-in is someone who cannot restrain outspoken criticism and is constantly at odds with the world. Though he has quit a career in the armed forces to live quietly and chosen an ordinary job, he once again clashes against the world because the company has ordered him to drive out employees by force.

Aiding Su-in is Go-sin, a cool-headed and deft labor activist who runs a labor counseling center near the Pureumi chain. Unlike Su-in, who has difficulty getting along with people and sternly sticks to rules, he approaches others without hesitation and even resorts to extreme measures at times to accomplish goals.

Together, Su-in and Go-sin will oppose the manipulation and moral harassment to which the employees are cynically subjected. The process through which these two figures remind ordinary, diligent workers of their rights and bring change together will fire up readers.

Looking for more great reads? Check out The Beat’s list of anticipated YA and adult graphic novels and anticipated kids and middle grade graphic novels for Fall 2023!