Kodansha’s July Spring lineup for 2022-2023 is packed with classic literature, fan favorites, and new series to discover. And when I say packed, I mean 20 series!
In one month, most of them will be available in print! So if you like participating in Summer reading challenges, Kodansha has plenty to help you end summer break with a bang.
Print Releases for Spring 2023
All the cover art for the print releases is not final, and the exact date they’ll be available is unknown. Keep checking the Kodansha website for updates.
The Yakuza’s Bias
What happens when the next leader of a Yakuza gang is introduced to the world of K-pop? You get the scariest stan!
Fans of Spy x Family, The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting, and Way of the Househusband will feel at home with this one.
Lovely Muco!
A fun, upbeat tale for animal lovers of all ages, Komatsu-san is a glass smith living with his dog Muco. But Komatsu-san doesn’t know that Muco’s wish is for Komatsu-san to become a Shiba breed dog.
Seraph of the End: Guren Ichinose: Catastrophe at Sixteen
Before the apocalypse, Guren enrolled in Daiichi Shibuya High when he was fifteen. But, of course, you already know how this will go if you’ve watched Seraph of the End.
If you haven’t, and you love vampires, demons, and angels, this is for you. Guren Ichinose is one of the most memorable characters in the series, and watching and reading about his past is sure to be entertaining.
Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement
Kodansha announced the manga version in their August lineup, and now we get the light novels! So what would you do if you had the power to travel between worlds?
Mitsuha decides to save up for early retirement. But first, she must buy modern weapons and possibly find out who pushed her off a cliff.
There’s also going to be a Saving 80,000 Gold in Another World for My Retirement anime in 2023!
Prophey Omnibus Edition
A newspaper-masked vigilante is broadcasting his crimes before he commits them. A newly-formed police unit attempts to end this crime style, while a group of friends at the bottom of the Social ladder try to avenge their fallen friend.
Are you ready for the Era of Information?
I Cross-Dressed for the IRL Meetup
Cocoa has three best friends in her online game, and she’s finally getting to meet them at a dessert cafe. There’s just one problem; Cocoa hasn’t told them that she’s a man.
And to make matters more complicated, Cocoa starts developing romantic feelings for one of them. Can Cocoa tell the truth and be accepted for who she is?
Tsugumi Project
In the far future, Leon is forced to go on a suicide mission to find a weapon in Japan. But he doesn’t know what it looks like or what it does.
All he knows is the name Tsugumi.
The Surgery Room
The Surgery Room is the only novel on this list and is a true classic. Not only is Kyoka Izumi’s works known for bringing the supernatural into the natural.
But The Surgery Room will keep you on your toes until the final page. Kyoka Izumi has appeared in several series, like Teito Monogatari, Bungo Stray Dogs, and Meiji Tokyo Renka.
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun
Iruma is a good boy. He aims to please, but his parents are abusive and selfish. So much so that they sell Iruma to a demon.
But that’s where Iruma’s luck changes because the demon adopts him as his grandson and gives him the love and care he deserves. But, unfortunately, there’s one problem: Iruma can’t reveal that he’s human, or he’ll be killed.
And Granpa just enrolled him in Demon School.
The Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 3 release date is in Fall 2022.
Medaka Kuriwa Is Impervious to My Charms
Medaka is a monk-in-training, and the temple he’s raised in has a strict rule. Never get close to women.
But Medaka still needs to attend school, and the cutest girl in school won’t leave him alone. So can Medaka make it to graduation without falling in love?
Twilight Out of Focus
Mao and Hisashi are in their second year at an all-boys school. They’re roommates with three simple rules.
Mao must never tell anyone that Hisashi is gay and has a boyfriend. Hisashi will never fall in love with Mao.
And most importantly, they will always knock before entering the dorm room. Breaking a rule means the rule-breaker must move out of the dorm immediately.
But Mao is asked to recruit Hisashi for a boy-love play. Will these roommates stay friends, or will love bloom?
A Condition Called Love
Hotaru doesn’t need a boyfriend, but when she helps a classmate with a broken heart, Hotaru finds herself going through a door she never thought she’d step through.
This shojo romance is by Megumi Morino, the creator of Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty!
The Great Cleric
Luciel was the hardest working salaryman in Japan until he died. But when he’s reincarnated to Galdardia, a magical fantasy world.
Luciel decides to reinvent himself as a healer and begins to sell his services. Now Luciel knows how to make money and takes his job as a healer seriously.
But he knows nothing about Galdardia. Can a good heart and robust work ethic make him The Great Cleric?
Am I Actually the Strongest?
It’s bad enough when you find out you died. That should be the worst thing to happen, especially when you’re given a chance to reincarnate in another world with a magic “cheat” power.
But then, your royal parents abandon you as a baby because they think you’re powerless? Fortunately, this is not our hero’s end, and he has magic.
It’s so powerful it’s off the charts.
Quality Assurance in Another World
You think you’re living in the countryside and everything is peaceful. But then, a dragon shows up and threatens your home.
But don’t worry because Haga is here to debug the situation and ensure your life gets back on track.
Digital releases in July 2022
With 15 physical releases to pursue, you might be hesitant to pick anything on the digital side of things. Fortunately, Kodansha understands this, and you can read the first chapter of these mangas for free on their website.
Desert Eagle
Ichigo is not the brightest, but he does have a great future in the Shinjuku gangs. He meets his best friend Ringo under a storm grate where Ichigo is trying to look up women’s skirts.
But Ringo has more important things to worry about. He’s on a mission to get revenge on a man who took everything from him and his mother.
Desert Eagle was created by Ken Wakui, the author of Tokyo Revengers! Look for it on July 5, 2022.
My Wonderful World
My Wonderful World is an eye-opening experience. Shinobu grew up without knowing he had dyslexia.
He couldn’t read or write, and he wasn’t able to go to high school. Keeping jobs is difficult, and he’s accused of slacking off whenever he tries to find a way to adapt so he can do the work.
But a chance meeting with a cafe worker changes everything. Find out more on July 5, 2022.
My Maid, Miss Kishi
Kiichiro has everything and is one of the most desirable bachelors in town. But he’s so clumsy; he can’t be trusted with anything at home.
Luckily, he has a team of maids to help him, and the one in charge of taking care of him is Miss Kishi. A woman who he’s never seen smile since she was hired.
Chapter one is hilarious as Kiichiro attempts to make Miss Kishi happy so she won’t quit. See for yourself on July 12, 2022.
Hella Chill Monsters
What happens when you’re not good enough to get to Paradise but not bad enough to go to Hell? You wind up in Limbo and enjoy a peaceful existence.
Unless you’re Bonzo, who wants to see bad things happen, he can use his detective skills and be a hero. Along with his assistant Vampy, Bonzo will solve all Limbo City’s problems.
But does it still count as solving if you or your friends caused it? Check this out on July 19. 2022.
My Tentative Name
You wake up in an unknown place, and you have no memories. After searching the house, you discover a decapitated body in the bathroom!
Did you kill her? Who is she? But you have no time to figure this out because someone is at the door, and they’re letting themselves in!
This typical horror trope is the situation that our main character finds himself in. But there’s more, the woman who let herself in called him Iori and claimed to be his girlfriend.
She even helps him hide the body when someone sends Iori a mysterious text, telling him what to buy and to get rid of the body. Or they’ll call the police because this person claims to know Iori’s dirty secrets.
I love how the chapter ends, and you can start reading on July 26, 2022.