During Anime Los Angeles, the North American publisher announced DIVINE MESSENGERS AND DEMONIC GUARDIANS and VEGETABLE SANDWICH

Los Angeles, CA – Manga Mavericks Books, a manga publisher serving the North American market from Manga Mavericks LLC, announced 2 newly licensed titles during its panel at Animé Los Angeles that will be added to its catalog later this year.

The latest releases include the adventure mystery series DIVINE MESSENGERS AND DEMONIC GUARDIANS by indie manga creator duo KOUKOKU BROTHERS, the first volume of which is scheduled for release in digital format in April 2026, and the 1980’s inspired action comedy VEGETABLE SANDWICH by Banjo Saitou (published in Japan by TWO VIRGINS), the first volume of which is scheduled for release in both print and digital formats in September 2026.

DIVINE MESSENGERS AND DEMONIC GUARDIANS, VOLUME 1, by KOUKOKU BROTHERS ∙ Digital SRP: $2.99 ∙  76 pages ∙ eISBN: 9781968054311 ∙ For Readers 13+ ∙Available April 2026 (Digital)

 What lurks beneath?

The land is split between a heavenly realm where angels dwell and a lower realm made of wastelands. A band of angels is chosen to journey to the lower realm as an envoy from heaven, but the lower realm is fraught with danger. Luckily, they have masked demonic bodyguards to protect them. The two sides have a purely transactional relationship until one angel, Dori, curiously peeks under a demon guard’s mask, only to find that demons have feelings, dreams, desires, and the same visage as the angels.

Could the demons they have been told not to fraternize with have more in common with them than they thought? And if so, what is preventing them from creating relationships in the first place and why? As their journey commences, they find that the danger of the lower realm may come from a source close to them…

DIVINE MESSENGERS AND DEMONIC GUARDIANS is an ongoing indie manga that is being sold at independent comic markets in Japan such as COMITIA. Manga Mavericks Books intends to release the series in English as a digital-first title, with a print release to be determined at a later date.

DIVINE MESSENGERS AND DEMONIC GUARDIANS creator duo KOUKOKU BROTHERS provided the following message to share with convention attendees:

“Hello everyone, we’re the KOUKOKU BROTHERS, Takenami (writer) and Yoshino (illustrator). We’re a manga artist duo! To have our manga Divine Messengers and Demonic Guardians introduced to the world here at Animé Los Angeles is a great honor! The theme of the manga is children experiencing personal growth and going on exciting adventures while befriending people of different cultures. We’re sure readers will be on the edge of their seats as they anticipate what mysteries will come next as they turn the pages! Our name “KOUKOKU” means “large bird”, so we’d like to invite you to soar on a flight of fancy into a new land of adventure via this story! Thanks so much!”

VEGETABLE SANDWICH, VOLUME 1, by Banjo Saitou ∙ Print SRP: $14.99 / Digital SRP: $6.99 ∙  192 pages ∙ ISBN: 9781968054366 ∙For Readers 13+ ∙Available September 2026   

High school student Tsukushi has got the look of a thug, but he has one pressing issue: he’s a weakling through and through.

Sure, he has the earnestness to learn, but that can only take a person so far. Warabi, on the other hand, is a crazy strong elementary school student, but doesn’t have anyone she considers a friend. A chance encounter with a lion escaping from a zoo brings the two together, where they realize, despite their myriad of differences, they have plenty in common too. If anyone can be a student in the pursuit of strength, can anyone also be a  teacher?

With art inspired by 80s shōnen manga, this is a vegetable you’ll not only want to enjoy first but all the way till the last bite!

VEGETABLE SANDWICH is a complete series collected into 2 volumes in Japan by publisher TWO VIRGINS. Manga Mavericks Books will be releasing the series at A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size.

VEGETABLE SANDWICH creator Banjo Saitou provided the following message to share with convention attendees:

“Nice to meet you! I’m Banjo Saitou and I live in Okinawa, Japan. I’m extremely honored that my manga Vegetable Sandwich will be published in English, as it’s been a dream of mine to have my manga translated into English and read by overseas fans. This is so awesome! Vegetable Sandwich is a manga I wrote when I wasn’t as accomplished as I am now, so there are a few parts that aren’t as polished as my current work. Still, I hope that it’s the kind of manga that readers can relax and enjoy without thinking too much about it, and it’d bring me so much happiness if it brings just a bit of levity to readers daily lives. I look forward to seeing readers’ impressions!”

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About Manga Mavericks LLC

Originally launched as a manga news podcast in 2016, Manga Mavericks has grown into a multimedia company anchored by a successful podcast network and a team of journalists and reviewers dedicated to exploring manga as both a medium and as an industry across the world. With the launch of Manga Mavericks Books, the company seeks to expand further into the manga industry, highlighting the eclectic storytelling, artistry, and creativity of Japanese creators and comics.

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This press release was provided by Erik Jansen of Media Lab Public Relations.