Manga Up! Global, Square Enix’s official manga reading platform, has announced the addition of three new titles to its growing English-language catalog: Monster Eater, Schoolteacher to Swordmaster, and Stalker Stalks Stalker. These new series offer a diverse range of genres, from adventurous fantasy to suspenseful drama, further enhancing the platform’s offerings for international readers.
New Adventures Await on Manga Up! Global
Square Enix launched the global version of Manga Up! in July 2022, providing English translations of many series from its Gangan Comics imprint. The platform, accessible via iOS, Android, and a web-based version launched in November 2024, utilizes a virtual currency system for chapter access.
Delving into Monster Eater
One of the new additions is TATE’s manga adaptation of Renkinō’s Monster Eater (Mamono Kurai no Bōkensha) novel. The story introduces Rudd, an E-Rank adventurer shunned as a “Grubby Forager” due to his constant ventures into the Noxious Labyrinth for medicinal herbs, a task he survives thanks to his “status immunity” skill. His luck appears to change when he’s recruited as a party porter, but a deadly dungeon monster and a betrayal by his fake allies leave him for dead. To survive, Rudd breaks a forbidden taboo: eating monsters, a practice that unexpectedly grants him increasing power and kicks off a thrilling, adventurous gourmet fantasy. The manga adaptation by TATE began serialization on Square Enix’s Manga UP! platform in August 2024.
From Classroom to Combat in Schoolteacher to Swordmaster
Another notable addition is Katsura Rick’s manga adaptation of Sakasagiri’s novel, Schoolteacher to Swordmaster (Saikyō Ranking ga Aru Isekai ni Seitotachi to Shūdantenishita Kōkō Kyōshi no Ore, Mob Kara Kensei e Nariagaru). This fantasy series follows high school teacher Shigeto Kusunoki, who, along with his students, is transported to another world governed by a “Divine Ranking.” While his students gain powerful abilities, Shigeto finds himself at the bottom with meager skills. Armed with only a sword, he embarks on a journey to transform from an unassuming schoolteacher into an unrivaled swordmaster, completely flipping the usual power dynamic with his students. The manga is described as shounen and fantasy.
The Thrill of the Chase in Stalker Stalks Stalker
Completing the trio of new titles is Yuo Yodogawa’s Stalker Stalks Stalker (Sutosuto: Stalker ga Stalksareteru Hanashi). Launched on Manga Up! Global on a Saturday, this title adds a layer of suspense to the platform. While specific plot details from Manga Up! Global are concise, the title suggests a complex narrative involving individuals observing each other. Other platforms list titles such as Stalker x Stalker by Merryweather, which explores the dynamic when two yandere stalkers fall in love, highlighting intense emotions and complex relationships. Meanwhile, another “Stalker” manga can involve a reclusive, disfigured man who stalks a housewife and then witnesses her daughter’s kidnapping, leading to an intriguing plot with elements of mystery and unexpected turns. The themes often involve suspense, unique character dynamics, and an exploration of obsessive behaviors.
These new titles demonstrate Manga Up! Global’s continued effort to bring a wide array of Square Enix manga to a global audience, catering to various tastes with ongoing serializations.
