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 [email protected].
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.
Company Overview
Company Name: Kodama Tales Inc.
Address: 2200 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, California, USA
Representative: Kiyotaka Hirai
Employees: 7 (including executives)
Website: https://www.kodama-tales.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/
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