NEW YORK, NY – Abrams ComicArts’ Kana manga imprint has announced the highly anticipated English language release of Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki’s acclaimed manga series, Billy Bat. The first volume of the 20-volume conspiracy thriller is set to arrive in June 2026, marking a significant milestone for English-speaking manga fans.
A Long-Awaited English Release for Billy Bat
The decision by Kana, the manga imprint of Abrams ComicArts, to publish Billy Bat in English fulfills a long-standing desire among fans of Naoki Urasawa, known for his intricate storytelling and suspenseful narratives. The series, co-written with Takashi Nagasaki, was originally serialized in Kodansha’s Morning magazine from October 2008 to August 2016, compiling into 20 tankōbon volumes in Japan. Kana plans an ambitious release schedule of four volumes per year to bring the complete series to readers.
Kristiina Korpus, Editor at Kana, described the release as a “dream project,” highlighting the excitement surrounding the series’ availability in English. Billy Bat Volume 1 will be priced at $13.99 and available in bookstores and comic shops nationwide.
The Enigmatic World of Billy Bat
Billy Bat is an enthralling, genre-defdefying series that weaves together elements of mystery, historical fiction, conspiracy theory, and metafiction. The narrative unfolds across multiple eras and continents, beginning in 1949 with Japanese-American comics artist Kevin Yamagata. Kevin gains fame for his detective comic character, Billy Bat, a talking animal. However, his success is complicated by a unsettling discovery: the character of Billy Bat may have existed in Japan before his creation.
Fearing unintentional plagiarism, Kevin travels to Japan to uncover the truth, only to become entangled in a global web of murder, secret societies, and prophetic mysteries that span centuries. The truth he uncovers is far more expansive than he could have ever imagined, tracing back millennia.
The Acclaimed Creators: Urasawa and Nagasaki
Naoki Urasawa is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated storytellers in manga, with a reputation for creating gripping psychological thrillers and complex narratives. His extensive bibliography includes critically acclaimed titles such as Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto, all of which are recognized for their suspenseful plots and profound themes.
Takashi Nagasaki, Urasawa’s frequent collaborator, brings significant editorial expertise and a sharp narrative vision to their projects. Nagasaki has collaborated with Urasawa on the stories for several of his major works, including Monster and Pluto, and is credited with helping Urasawa in plotting and conducting research for their intricate narratives. Nagasaki’s role has been described as integral to the development of these stories, with some considering him to have “established a new relationship with manga artists” by bringing the concept of a producer into the manga industry.
The series itself has garnered international recognition, winning the 2012 Italian Lucca Comics Award for Best Series and the 2014 German Max & Moritz Prize for Best International Comic.
