As a manga lover, this past year has been amazing for digital releases with Kodansha USA picking up the speed on volume releases.. We can strongly say that seinen, sports, and josei manga have a chance of getting licensed again! Seven Seas Entertainment now includes a monthly manga request survey! You can also give feedback to Weekly Shonen Jump with their weekly feedback survey (even if you’re not subscribed).
I’m starting a monthly request series for manga licenses! It will be a quick way to keep this blog updated while I type up reviews on the side (I actually want to do at least 1 manga review each month…)
Tongari Boushi no Atelier
(2016) – Morning Two, Kodansha
This is a no brainer license for any English publisher who’s willing to take this off Kodansha’s hands. The mangaka is active on twitter @shirahamakamome and known in Western comics since she has done official work for DC and Marvel in the past. (Her most recent works are variant covers for Batgirl and the Birds of Prey issues)
It’s about a girl who gets a magical pen that can create spells, however the one who gave it to her is part of a secret evil sect of brim hat witches! Luckily, she is saved by her mentor, a charmingly clumsy witch who sets off to take her as his apprentice. The art style is gorgeous and with only 2 volumes out so far, it would be easy to catch up with publication.
I would highly recommend checking it out! If you like Harry Potter, The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Little Witch Academia, or any magical genre, this manga is worth reading~
Komi-san wa Comyushou desu.
(2015) Shonen Sunday, Shogakukan
It’s a pity that Viz Media seems to have a stronghold on all Shogakukan licenses, since there’s several series in Shonen Sunday that would sell well in English and already have English online fanbases. Komi-san is full of puns and would be a great challenge for any translator to keep the jokes fresh while translating to an English audience.
Komi is the Nadeshiko beauty who actually is bad at communication and the normie main character Tadano is the only one who knows the truth. It is basically the shonen version of Kimi ni Todoke except with more extreme character types since it’s more of a gag manga… you get a yandere, chuunibyou, crossdresser, narcissist, etc.
If you really like Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun to death, this manga is for you. Honestly anyone who’s been reading manga or watching anime enough to know the tropes will LOVE this manga. It’s a travesty that it hasn’t been licensed.
Saint Oniisan
(2006) Morning Two, Kodansha
This iconic manga involves Jesus and Buddha going on vacation from Heaven/Nirvana to live in an apartment in modern day Tokyo. The mangaka also created Arakawa Under the Bridge, which is a gag manga masterpiece too.
Honestly, the only issue with it getting published would be the Christian backlash but the humor is too funny that people would get over it quickly. This acclaimed series received a Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and almost every manga on the award list has been licensed already.
I can only see this getting a digital release if it gets an anime series again.