With the release of Young Magazine USA’s 45th anniversary issue, Kodansha has made a bold move to spotlight seinen manga for English-speaking audiences. The issue includes 19 new one-shot titles, all translated into English and available digitally for free. Among them is Subaru and Subaru, a new work from Initial D and MF Ghost creator Shuichi Shigeno, positioned as the final entry in the lineup. The cover features promotional art from Ghost in the Shell, reinforcing the magazine’s legacy of cyberpunk storytelling. This is a curated showcase of manga that tackles themes often avoided in mainstream shonen publications.
To understand what sets Young Magazine USA apart, J.R. Waugh from Comicbook.com spoke with Hidemi Shiraki, Editor in Chief of the U.S. edition. While the Japanese and American versions operate independently, both are published by Kodansha and share a commitment to pushing genre boundaries. Shiraki emphasized that the magazine’s strength lies in its “miscellaneous” nature, a platform where stories about LGBTQ identity, street racing, cyberpunk dystopias, and even the drug trade can coexist. “There is no genre we cannot publish,” he said, pointing to Akira and Ghost in the Shell as examples of how confronting raw emotion and human truth has built the brand’s global reputation.
Young Magazine USA Editor Confirms How the Seinen Mag Breaks the Mold
When asked what sets Young Magazine USA apart from other manga publications, Editor in Chief Hidemi Shiraki pointed to the brand’s refusal to be boxed into a single genre. “Young Magazine’s greatest strength is being ultimately ‘miscellaneous’ as a manga magazine,” Shiraki explained. “From cyberpunk to street racing, topics relating to LGBTQ themes, and even the drug trade, there is no genre we cannot publish.” He emphasized that the magazine’s editorial freedom allows it to explore themes that shonen magazines typically avoid, such as doubt, violence, and desire. “Reality is born from our ability to depict not only dreams and justice, but also raw emotions,” he said. This philosophy aligns with the magazine’s long legacy of publishing groundbreaking works that challenged conventional storytelling and helped define the global image of seinen manga.
That editorial approach is also clearly reflected in the current anniversary issue. Subaru and Subaru, the final entry in the magazine’s special edition lineup, serves as the latest follow-up to Initial D and MF Ghost, continuing Shuichi Shigeno’s exploration of street racing through a more introspective lens. Other titles in the issue tackle adult themes ranging from addiction to identity, with no attempt to soften or sanitize the material.
Shiraki noted, “Sometimes it may seem extreme, but I believe that is what resonates with modern sensibilities of stagnation and uncertainty.” The magazine’s willingness to confront emotional complexity head-on is what gives it a distinct voice in a market often dominated by formulaic genre tropes. He finally added, “Our track record of producing worldwide hits like AKIRA and The Ghost in the Shell also carries great significance in terms of brand power.” Having established themselves with massive, genre-defining hits that epitomize the best qualities of both manga and their ensuing anime adaptations, Shiraki understands that these series already push the envelope for readers. Taking greater risks in the vein of this, but with the aim to appeal to broader audiences beyond the typical seinen prestige fare, opens up doors to new fandoms to embrace everything Kodansha has to offer.
The full Young Magazine USA issue is available digitally for free on both Book Walker and the K Manga app, giving readers in North America direct access to all 19 new one-shot titles. As part of the launch, Kodansha has introduced a voting system where readers can select their favorite stories from the issue. The top five will be serialized in English, making this a first-of-its-kind initiative for the publisher. It’s a strategic move to gauge which genres and themes resonate most with Western audiences, especially in the seinen space. Voting is open until September 2nd, 2025, and the results will directly influence which creators and stories continue under the Young Magazine USA banner.
Will you be exploring the full Young Magazine USA lineup? Let us know which titles stood out to you in the comments below!
The post “From Cyberpunk to Street Racing”: Kodansha Editor Talks What Shonen Manga Can’t Show (EXCLUSIVE) appeared first on ComicBook.com.