As one of the biggest English manga publication companies, anytime Viz Media announces some new titles, we all stop and take notice. This time I am happy to report that at least one manga on my “please I’m begging you publish this in English” list is finally receiving an English print!
Snowball Earth by Yuhiro Tsujitsugu.
Official Summary
"Yukio... I'm going to make a friend." A shy boy named Tetsuo. The only thing he had was a giant robot named Yukio. They became "saviors" in the fight against the galactic monsters coming from outer space.
After the final battle, Tetsuo returns to Earth for the first time in ten years and witnesses an astonishing world. It's a frozen Earth (named Snowball Earth), where the entire land is covered in snow and ice, being turned into a deadly world! What happened to the human race? And will Tetsuo be able to fulfill the promise he made to Yukio?
When I first saw the cover of this manga on Twitter I was intrigued. The premise behind a “sole survivor” returning to their home planet after surviving a war only to find that planet not at all like they left it is a trope I am always down to read. Adding a winter wonderland landscape of horrors into the mix, I am ready to grab a blanket, sit by the fire and dive into this series when it’s released in Spring 2024!
Steel of the Celestial Shadows by Daruma Matsuura.
Official Summary
Kounosuke Ryuudo is a samurai who is stuck in perpetual poverty. Looking for a job is fruitless, as he cannot wield a blade. Quite literally, in fact.
One day, after being accosted by some criminals and wishing to only reach the sweet embrace of death, he receives a marriage proposal from a mysterious woman…
I know next to nothing about this series but the interesting cover with this sad looking samurai man. I do want to find some more information on this series before it releases in Spring of next year.
Gokurakugai by Yuto Sano.
Official Summary
Professional troubleshooters will take on any case—if the price is right!
Another manga with cover art which drew me in . I recently started reading this series in the Shonen Jump app and enjoyed the first few chapters. Its stylish character design reminds me of series like Bleach and BlackTorch. Whether the story keeps me for the long haul, only time will tell. But for now I’ll be reading more of this series to see if It will still hold my interest by the time it is released physically in Spring of 2024.
Marriage Toxin, with story by Joumyaku and art by Mizuki Yoda.
Official Summary
A hitman and a marriage swindler set out on the world’s most grueling battle for marriage! Gero is a young man from a clan of hitmen, which has been in existence for hundreds of years. As someone who’s never gone to school and lived his life dealing in the dark side of the business, he considers himself to have “no prospects with women” and marriage as “something not for him.” However, one day, in fear that their lineage would dissolve, his clan warns Gero that if he doesn’t marry and produce an heir, they would have no choice but to…force his little sister into doing “that.” Driven to his wits’ end, Gero asks the target of his work, a marriage swindler, to…
I’m always a fan of hitman stories and bright colors and this one definitely checks those boxes. However, this title was the most on the fence for me. On one hand I feel as the premise is interesting enough to be an enjoyable comedy with some serious bits sprinkled in, maybe something similar to Zomb 100, or fall flat without so much as a pulse.
Only time will tell, but either way, I will give the first chapter at least a try when it's released in Spring of 2024.
In the Name of the Mermaid Princess, with story by Yoshino Fumikawa and art by Miya Tashiro.
Official Summary
Princess Mio is betrothed to Prince Chika. They’ve never met, however, and he doesn’t know her secret—she’s a mermaid! When her tutor Yuri takes her out of the castle to meet her subjects, Mio begins to accept her true self. But Yuri has a secret too... And when Mio tells her father the king she wants to live life openly as a mermaid, he punishes her. How can she live her truth?
A rare shoujo title is always welcome among announcements. Again a title I’m not personally familiar with but the art style is adorable! It immediately caught my eye and caused me to read the story's premise. While not a huge fan of mermaid stories, this one has piqued my interest. I will probably give this first volume a read when it releases in Spring of 2024.
It’s always nice to see more titles being published in English and even more so when they are something you’ve wanted or something you’ve been introduced to for the first time. This round of announcements brought a little bit of both for me. I'm looking forward to adding several more manga series to my library in 2024!
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