Kodama Tales Inc.
Kodama NYCC Exhibitor Appearance – October 9
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kodama Debuts at New York Comic Con with Fully Immersive Baki the Grappler Booth
New York, NY – October 9, 2025 – Kodama makes its mark at New York Comic Con with a bold debut that brings the world of Baki the Grappler to life. Celebrating its first year of publication, Kodama invites fans to experience an unforgettable showcase at Booth #3245, modeled after the legendary Underground Arena from Keisuke Itagaki’s iconic martial arts series.
The booth offers visitors a fully immersive Baki experience, recreating the atmosphere of the underground fighting stage with detailed set design and striking visuals. Guests can browse and purchase a wide range of exclusive merchandise imported directly from Japan, including apparel, enamel pins, and collectible figures in collaboration with Storm Collectibles. Kodama will also feature an exclusive first-look display of an upcoming Yujiro Hanma figurine, launching in the U.S. in January 2026.
Fans attending the convention will also have the chance to purchase Volumes 1 and 2 of Baki the Grappler, currently available at major retailers, as well as Volumes 3 and 4, which will be available for the first time exclusively at the Kodama booth before their public release.
Adding to the excitement, Kodama welcomes special guest Logan Chitwood, the social media influencer known for his dynamic Yujiro Hanma cosplay and viral videos. Logan will bring the character to life, challenging attendees to “enter the arena” and face the strongest creature alive. Kodama’s own mascot, Kodama-chan, will also make surprise appearances throughout the weekend in their convention debut.
With a small but dedicated team of five staff members and three volunteers, the booth is a true labor of love, designed to reflect Kodama’s passion and its appreciation for Baki fans around the world.
As Kodama continues to grow, the company looks forward to expanding its presence at conventions and in-person events, connecting with readers who share their love for manga from Japan to the world.
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Kodama NYCC Panel – October 12
EMBARGOED UNTIL Sunday, October 12, 2025 at 1:30 PM ET
Kodama Kicks Off New York Comic Con with Big Announcements for 2026 Lineup
New York, NY – October 12, 2025 – Kodama will kick off New York Comic Con 2025 with not only a full booth presence but also a flagship panel event where the company will unveil its upcoming titles for the first half of 2026. The panel will take place Sunday, October 12 at 1:30 PM ET.
At the panel, Kodama will highlight its current release Baki the Grappler by Keisuke Itagaki, now available in stores and online, as well as its previously announced upcoming title Smile! by Mitei Hattori, slated for January 2026. Kodama will build on that momentum by revealing three more new titles and one major license expected to become a standout hit for 2026.
New titles revealed at NYCC
- Me and the Alien Mumu by Miyashita Hiroki is set for release in February 2026. This comedy sci-fi series has multi-age appeal and centers on appliance technology, aliens, and cats. The anime adaptation is already airing and has been renewed for Season 2.
- MAGICA by Yuzuko Hoshimi will launch in March 2026. This multi-age fantasy series weaves together action, magic, and tragedy across two full-color volumes. Both volumes will feature beautiful foil treatments, aiming to make MAGICA an immersive and emotionally rich experience.
- Kodama’s big flagship announcement for 2026 is Sun-Ken Rock by Boichi, the renowned artist behind the global hit Dr. Stone. This cult classic with a devoted following marks Kodama’s return to high-impact, action-seinen storytelling. Sun-Ken Rock is celebrated for its gritty atmosphere, mature themes, and emotionally charged character arcs that delve deeper into the struggles of ambition, identity, and power.
Originally serialized in Young King from 2006 to 2016 and collected in 25 volumes, Sun-Ken Rock has long been praised for its cinematic art style and fearless storytelling. Kodama will publish the Perfect Edition, presented in omnibus format, with each volume combining approximately two of the original Japanese volumes.
In bringing Sun-Ken Rock to English readers, Kodama has worked closely with both the original Japanese editions and the newer Korean Perfect Editions, which feature revised dialogue. This approach reflects Kodama’s commitment to faithfully presenting Boichi’s vision while preserving the intensity and artistry that define the series.
For this edition, Kodama has also created a newly designed cover exclusive to the English release. While the artwork draws from Boichi’s original illustrations, the presentation has been completely reimagined to transform the series into a true collector’s piece.
While Baki the Grappler captures the raw power and physical intensity of martial arts, Sun-Ken Rock explores a more mature and introspective side of strength, set against the backdrop of organized crime and personal redemption. Together with Smile!, Me and the Alien Mumu, and Magica, these five titles embody Kodama’s mission to bring a diverse range of storytelling voices to readers worldwide, each bold, unfiltered, and unforgettable in its own way.
All four new titles, Smile!, Me and the Alien Mumu, Magica, and Sun-Ken Rock, are currently available for preorder through major retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Bookstores and comics retailers interested in stocking them can contact Kodama’s distributor, Independent Publishers Group (IPG), at orders@ipgbook.com.
Kodama’s evolution into new genres reflects its core mission to bring diverse storytelling voices into English translation and spotlight emerging authors. The 2026 slate spans martial arts, comedy sci-fi, fantasy, and mature action, showing Kodama’s ambition to become a publisher where every genre has room to breathe.
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[Kodama Logos] [Baki the Grappler] [Smile!] [Me and the Alien Mumu] [MAGICA] [Sun-Ken Rock]
Smile! License Announcement – July 26
EMBARGOED UNTIL July 26, 2025 at 1:00 PM PT
Kodama Tales Announces Chilling New Horror Title Smile! at San Diego Comic-Con
Santa Monica, California – July 26, 2025 – Kodama Tales Inc., the fierce new manga publisher that made headlines with the English debut of Baki the Grappler, is proud to announce the acquisition and upcoming release of its second licensed title, Smile! by Mitei Hattori, revealed during their panel “The Legacy of Baki” at San Diego Comic-Con. This psychological horror mystery marks a striking tonal shift from Kodama’s action-packed debut, hinting at a bold expansion into diverse genres.
Smile! will be available in English for the first time starting January 2026, with preorders set to open soon.
Originally published in Japan by Nihon Bungeisha, Smile! has sold over 1.4 million copies and is celebrated for its chilling atmosphere and gripping suspense. The story follows Yuushi Kamome, a grieving journalist whose life unravels after the death of his daughter and the disappearance of his wife. When two women from a cult-like group called the Smiling Hearts Society show up at his door with a flyer featuring his missing wife’s smiling face, Yuushi goes undercover to investigate. What begins with a slammed door and a disturbingly joyful scream spirals into a twisted descent filled with manufactured joy, cult manipulation, and psychological torment.
Combining sharp storytelling with unnerving suspense, Smile! offers fans of the macabre an unforgettable manga experience that explores the fragility of the human mind and the sinister edges of belief systems. It’s the kind of story that lingers long after the last page.
With this announcement, Kodama reinforces its mission to publish a wide range of titles that reflect the richness of Japanese manga from high-octane martial arts to deeply psychological horror. With their first title, Baki the Grappler, set to launch in October 2025 to eager anticipation, the company is now turning heads once more with a dramatic genre pivot. What’s next? Readers can only speculate.
We invite everyone to stay tuned for more details on preorder dates and exclusive release information, which will be announced soon on the official Kodama website.
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Baki x Kodama License and Brand Announcement – May 15
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kodama Tales Inc. to Publish English Debut of Baki the Grappler Manga
Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo – May 15, 2025 – Kodama Tales Inc., a subsidiary of Kyodo Printing Co., Ltd., is proud to announce the debut of the highly anticipated English-language publication of Baki the Grappler (Complete Edition, 24 volumes, originally published by Akita Publishing). This marks the first official English release of Keisuke Itagaki’s legendary martial arts manga.
Official sales of the English edition will begin worldwide in October 2025, with preorder dates to be announced at a later date.
Baki the Grappler is the first installment in Keisuke Itagaki’s long-running Baki series, originally serialized in Akita Publishing’s Weekly Shōnen Champion. With over 100 million copies sold worldwide as of May 2024, the martial arts franchise stands as one of Japan’s most emblematic and best-selling manga, loved for its intense action and iconic characters.
Kodama was established in the United States to share the cultural and literary value of Japanese manga and strives to serve not only as a vehicle of entertainment but also as a medium for learning and personal reflection. Our goal is to present carefully selected titles to readers worldwide, preserving the care and authenticity of the original editions at the highest quality and distributing them globally in both print and digital formats.
Our print editions will be produced in Japan by Kyodo Printing, a company with over 120 years of history and the official printer of Weekly Shonen Jump, the magazine that originally serialized renowned titles such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto.
Beyond Baki the Grappler from Akita Publishing, our upcoming lineup will feature titles from a range of respected Japanese publishers, including:
Asahi Shimbun Publications, Coamix, Daiwa Shobo, HERO’S, Nihonbungeisha, Shodensha, and Shonengahosha.
We invite everyone to stay tuned for more details on preorder dates and exclusive release information, which will be announced soon on the official Kodama website.
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