Shiro Kuroi, the acclaimed manga artist behind the sci-fi survival horror series Leviathan, is set to launch a new manga titled Ryūkari no Nato (Dragon Hunter Nato). The series will debut in the upcoming October issue of Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine, hitting shelves on October 6. This marks a new chapter for Kuroi, who has garnered international recognition for his unique storytelling and brutal artwork.
Delving into the Dragon Hunter Nato Saga
The new series, also referred to as “Dragon Hunt Tribe,” pivots from the deep-space horror of Leviathan to a dark fantasy setting. The narrative introduces a tribe of formidable Dragon Hunters whose world is upended when they encounter a mysterious human girl named Nato, who has been raised by dragons. This intriguing premise suggests a blend of action, fantasy, and potentially poignant exploration of identity and conflict.
Prior to its Japanese serialization, the French publisher Éditions Ki-oon began releasing a manga by Kuroi titled Dragon Hunt Tribe in July 2024, indicating an earlier international launch for the work.
Shiro Kuroi’s Acclaimed Work: Leviathan
Kuroi first rose to prominence with Leviathan, a three-volume sci-fi survival horror manga. The series originally premiered in France in January 2022 through Ki-oon and was later serialized on Shueisha’s Manga platform Shōnen Jump+ in Japan starting August 2022. Leviathan quickly became one of the top-selling new manga titles in France and gained a significant international following, leading to its release in nine languages by early 2025.
The gripping story of Leviathan unfolds on an enormous, derelict spaceship adrift in a distant galaxy. When scavengers board the abandoned vessel, they discover the diary of a middle-schooler named Kazuma, which chronicles the horrific events of a school trip gone awry. Trapped with dwindling oxygen, the students descend into a brutal battle for survival, realizing that a single cryopreservation unit is their only hope. The manga is celebrated for its intense psychological depth, brutal illustrations, and tightly paced plot, drawing comparisons to works like Battle Royale, The Hunger Games, and Lord of the Flies, but with a distinctive space survival twist.
The success of Leviathan, praised for its intricate character writing and powerful visuals, has established Shiro Kuroi as a rising star in the manga world. Fans eagerly anticipate how his storytelling prowess will translate into the new dark fantasy realm of Ryūkari no Nato.
Publication and Availability
Ryūkari no Nato will be serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine, with its first chapter available from October 6. Readers interested in Shiro Kuroi’s previous work, Leviathan, can find its English release through Abrams ComicArts, an imprint of Abrams Books, which began publishing the series in October 2024. The manga has also been released in other languages, including German by Carlsen Manga! in 2024.
