"Young Magazine USA" to Be Distributed for Free in North America; Includes 19 Works by Popular Authors Such as Shuichi Shigeno of "Initial D"

The cover of "Young Magazine USA" (courtesy of Kodansha)

To commemorate the 45th anniversary of the launch of the seinen manga magazine "Young Magazine," publisher Kodansha has announced the release of a special North American edition titled "Young Magazine USA," which will be available in August.

This special issue is planned and edited entirely in English from scratch, and features 19 new works by popular creators, including Shuichi Shigeno of "Initial D," Shuzo Oshimi of "Flowers of Evil," and Masaaki Nakayama of "Fuan no Tane." The overarching theme is "UN-filtered MANGA." Spanning diverse genres such as science fiction, dark horror, and cyberpunk, the magazine aims to depict the raw reality of human beings without lies or exaggeration, offering overseas readers a new experience with Japanese manga.

The cover showcases an original near-future illustration drawn by Masamune Shirow, creator of "The Ghost in the Shell." In addition, the issue features a special inclusion of "Under Ninja," which is currently being serialized in Japan by Kengo Hanazawa, resulting in a wide-ranging lineup that also appeals to existing fans.

Furthermore, to coincide with this special issue’s release, a reader participation general election campaign will be held. Sixteen out of the nineteen featured works are eligible for voting, and reactions such as "Likes" and "Reposts" on X (formerly Twitter) or on the special website will count as votes. The five works that receive the most support will be serialized simultaneously in both Japan and the US in "Young Magazine" and the manga app "KMANGA." The results are scheduled to be announced on December 15 (December 16 Japan time).

"Young Magazine USA" will be distributed at "ANIME NYC 2025," which will be held in New York starting August 21 (August 22 Japan time), as well as at 17 Kinokuniya bookstores across North America. The works will also be made available for free on the official X account and the special website in succession, and promotional teaser videos and other media will be shared via social networking services.

Editor-in-chief Hidemi Shiraki commented, "We also hope to create works that follow in the footsteps of 'AKIRA' and 'The Ghost in the Shell,'" adding, "In a world full of filters, the concept of 'UN-filtered MANGA' was born," and "Because this is seinen manga, we believe we can portray 'raw emotions.'"

With its unique approach of "reimporting the enthusiasm sparked overseas back into Japan," the project is attracting attention as a new initiative to deliver the true power of manga beyond the boundaries of genre and language.