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Manga Mavericks Books Licenses Town Walking With Ghost Dog, 'Oni King,' 'Royd' Manga
posted on by Alex Mateo
Manga Mavericks Books announced during its Otakon panel on Friday that it has licensed the following three manga.
Creator: Zenzo
Release: December 2026 (digital), print release at later date
Summary: Like many things, revenge is a choice. A choice where the results may not be worth the price…
In what should have been a straightforward tale, Oniou is a demon child whose mother is kidnapped by the nefarious monster Kurokazemaru. He's powerless to stop the fiend, but happens upon the cursed club Gako which will grant him power to defeat his foe at…the cost of his life force. Pouring everything into revenge sounds good in the moment, but when the dust settles, will he find that revenge truly is a dish best served cold or not served at all?
"Oni King" debuted at Comiket in 2023 in the indie manga anthology Revengers.
Creator: Zenzo
Release: December 2026 (digital), print release at later date
Summary: Who determines a heart's worth?
Royd is a boy with abundant magical potential. So much so, that a goddess takes him under her tutelage and is impressed with his growth…except she deems his heart full of kindness to be an obstacle. Under pressure to pay back the one who raised him, Royd “gives” his heart to a sentient, nameless golem. Upon receiving Royd's heart the Golem witnesses the beauty of the world, while Royd becomes a powerful mage—at the cost of his humanity. Will the Golem, now entranced with the world, have the “heart” to return what was once Royd's, or is the magician's humanity too far gone to be saved?
"Royd" premiered at Comitia 154 in 2025.
Creator: Ippan Nakamura
Release: May 25, 2027
Summary: Travel along with Ghost Dog!
See Japan through trails, trains, back alleys, and of course, on foot. Pulling triple duty as a guidebook, memoir, and manga, Town Walking with Ghost Dog takes on the streets of Japan with picture-book-esque artwork framed by the personal experiences of the manga creator Ippan Nakamura. From a hot bath in Sangenjaya to the recesses of Okutama, you'll feel immersed in a side of Japanese history and locales like never before, in this travelogue of Japan as seen through the eyes of a lone traveler and their ghostly canine companion.
Nakamura provided the following comments: "It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Ippan Nakamura, an artist, illustrator, and mangaka living in Tokyo, Japan. I'm overjoyed that my work Town Walking with Ghost Dog will be published in English. This manga, drawn during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, is the first work I've ever serialized. At the time, to distract myself from the loneliness of being locked up at home, I took many walks around town.
It's when walking around a quiet town that you realize how many traces of other people's lives are everywhere. Be it flowerpots after watering, stuffed animals picked up by others and placed upon fences, or graffiti in back alleys, I often felt a sense of relief upon seeing those things. If you ever feel like you're sinking into depression due to solitude, I suggest putting your smartphone away and taking a leisurely walk.
And should you ever have the opportunity to visit Japan, I recommend visiting Sangenjaya, a town I absolutely adore."
TWO VIRGINS published the single compiled book volume in Japan.
Source: Email correspondence
