During their Manga Mavericks Monday licensing event, the North American publisher announced BROTHERS OF JAPAN by critically-acclaimed creator Taiyo Matsumoto

The titular short story centers on two brothers who dig a hole in their dreams to reach the other side of the world.

Whether this is your first foray into Matsumoto’s body of work or you are a veteran manga lover, Brothers of Japan is crucial reading, demonstrating the simplicity and rawness of manga as a storytelling art form.

Manga Mavericks Books, a manga publisher serving the North American market from Manga Mavericks LLC, announced a newly licensed title during its online licensing event Manga Mavericks Monday.

The latest release is the anthology manga BROTHERS OF JAPAN by Taiyo Matsumoto (published in Japan by MAGAZINE HOUSE) and will be released in February 2027 in both print and digital formats.

Brothers of Japan, by Taiyo Matsumoto ∙ Print SRP: $14.99 / Digital SRP: $6.99 ∙ 216 pages ∙ ISBN: 9781968054540 ∙ For Readers 13+ ∙ Available February 2027 

An essential collection from manga maestro Taiyo Matsumoto, the acclaimed creator of Ping Pong and Tekkonkinkreet!

Created back when Taiyo Matsumoto was in his 20’s, this never-before-released collection contains 11 stories that embody the foundational cornerstones of Taiyo Matsumoto’s artistic universe.

BROTHERS OF JAPAN was originally published in Japan by MAGAZINE HOUSE in 1995, and an updated edition of the manga was later published in 2010. The English release by Manga Mavericks Books will be based on the updated 2010 edition.

Manga Mavericks Books will be releasing the manga as a paperback book at A5 (5.83″ x 8.27″) size.

BROTHERS OF JAPAN creator Taiyo Matsumoto has received worldwide critical acclaim for his work, having won multiple Eisner Awards and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. Some of his notable manga have included PING PONG, SUNNY, and TEKKONKINKREET.

Taiyo Matsumoto provided the following message to share with English readers:

I’m very happy that English speakers will now be able to read Brothers of Japan.

As I drew this when I was in my 20s, it contains a lot of my own immaturity, which is embarrassing. But at the same time, it also contains soft and painful expressions that only young people can draw, and I’m fond of it.

I hope you all enjoy it as well.

• Taiyo Matsumoto (2026)

Print pre-orders are live now on the Manga Mavericks Store:
https://store.mangamavericks.com/products/brothers-of-japan

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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The information above was provided by Media Lab Public Relations.