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Kodama Tales Licenses Sun-Ken Rock, MAGICA Manga

Kyodo Printing Co., Ltd.'s Kodama Tales Inc. subsidiary announced at its panel at New York Comic Con on Sunday that it has licensed Boichi's Sun-Ken Rock manga, as well as Yuzuko Hoshimi's MAGICA manga. Sun-Ken Rock will debut in 2026, while MAGICA will debut in March 2026.

Kodama Tales will publish the Perfect Edition of Sun-Ken Rock, which is an omnibus format release that combines approximately two of the original compiled book volumes of the manga in each book. Kodama's version of the Perfect Edition will feature new cover illustrations exclusive to its release, and will draw from both the original Japanese version and newer Perfect Edition Korean version, which features revised dialogue by Boichi. 

The series tells the story of Japanese teenager Ken Kitano, who follows the girl he likes to Seoul, Korea. After he arrives, his impressive fighting skills and strong spirit draw the attention of a gang.

Boichi launched the manga in Shonengahosha's Young King magazine in 2006, and ended the manga in February 2016. JManga previously released the manga in English beginning in July 2012 before the site ended its service in May 2013. Crunchyroll also previously released the manga online, although Crunchyroll no longer offers the manga.

Boichi and Riichirou Inagaki (author of Eyeshield 21) launched the 26-volume Dr. Stone manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in March 2017, and ended the series in March 2022. Viz Media published the manga digitally and in print. MANGA Plus also published the manga digitally in English. The manga has inspired several anime adaptations. The first cours (quarter of a year) of the anime's fourth and final season titled Dr. Stone: Science Future premiered on January 9. The season's second cours premiered on July 10. The season's third and final cours will premiere in 2026.

Boichi most recently launched The Marshal King manga on Shonen Jump+ on February 7. MANGA Plus is releasing the series digitally in English and Spanish.

Kodama Tales will release MAGICA in two full-color volumes. The manga is a short story anthology, with the framing device of a wizard who can turn dramatic life events across the universe into gems, through which they can see the stories that unfold across creation. Each volume contains six stories. 

Daiwa Shobo released the two manga volumes in Japan in 2020 and 2021.

Kodama Tales also outlined is previously announced licenses. The company will publish Mitei Hattori's Smile! (Smiley) manga in English starting in January 2026. The company will release Hiroki Miyashita's Me and the Alien MuMu (Uchūjin MūMū) manga in English starting on February 1, 2026. Kodama Tales also releases the Baki The Grappler manga in English.

Source: Press release