A new manga publisher called Kana is set to begin releasing manga aimed at adults here in the US.
No, we don’t mean that kind of adult manga, but rather stories that are more mature than your typical shonen titles. According to Publishers Weekly, Kana is beginning its work with six titles:
- Scars by Brandon Arias
- Leviathan by Shiro Kuroi
- Manhole by Tetsuya Tsutsui
- Silence by Yoann Vorniere
- Eden of Witches by Yumeji
- Space Punch by ZD
Among those series, we’re particularly looking forward to Leviathan, a series where space salvagers come across a derelict ship and discover the diary of a young boy. The diary tells the story of the ship and how it broke down, leaving a class trip stranded with a dwindling oxygen supply. Quickly, the bonds of scholastic camaraderie break down.
Currently, manga in the west is dominated by series marketed for teens and young adults; but even the manga for adults tends to be fanservice heavy harem or isekai and labeled mature by virtue of its gore or lewdness (not that there’s anything wrong with that) as opposed to darker themes.
Kana will be an imprint of Abrams ComicArts, which has traditionally published graphic novels about the history of comics.
The imprint is expected to emulate Japanese manga publishing, including their physical format complete with dust jackets, with Kana lead Rodolphe Lachat saying: “We want to publish stories that resonate with us, classic works that deserve an English translation, and art that inspires us.”
