San Diego Comic-Con, July 24, 2025 – Manga Mavericks Books, the newly established publishing arm of the popular Manga Mavericks website and podcast, announced the acquisition of two new manga titles: Takuji Umihara’s Pipe Machine and Shinkuro Koma’s Path From Tanuki Temple. The announcement was made during their panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday. Both series will be available digitally and in print, with early access provided to paid subscribers of the company’s Substack newsletter.
Diving into “Pipe Machine”
Pipe Machine, created by Takuji Umihara, is an ongoing indie manga series that currently has six volumes in Japan. Manga Mavericks plans to release the series in five A5-sized volumes (5.83″ x 8.27″). The first volume is slated for release in March 2026.
The Bizarre Adventures of Saburo
The story follows Saburo, a seemingly ordinary boy whose life is repeatedly disrupted by the bizarre. His adventures begin with a peculiar, underwear-clad man with a samurai haircut appearing in his town, followed by his grandfather’s creation of a time machine disguised as a giant metal smoking pipe. A test run of this “pipe time machine” thrusts Saburo into the far reaches of space, where he encounters robots, space captains, and a girl strikingly similar to a friend from home. The series promises a humorous, fast-paced, and highly unusual journey.
Creator’s Inspiration
Takuji Umihara stated that Pipe Machine originated as both a study and a way to reconnect with the excitement he felt for Osamu Tezuka’s works as a child. What began as a means to become a professional mangaka evolved into a story that completely captivated him. Umihara expressed gratitude to Manga Mavericks CEO Varun Gupta and the Manga Mavericks team for producing the English version, hoping that American readers will enjoy the work.
Exploring “Path From Tanuki Temple”
Alongside Pipe Machine, Manga Mavericks also licensed Path From Tanuki Temple by Shinkuro Koma. Further details regarding the release date and volume count for Path From Tanuki Temple were not immediately available in the initial announcement.
Manga Mavericks Books: A New Endeavor in Manga Publishing
Manga Mavericks Books launched in April 2025 as a new manga publisher committed to working directly with Japanese creators to license, localize, and distribute their stories globally. The company, an extension of the Manga Mavericks podcast and website, aims to bring diverse manga titles to English-speaking audiences.
Initial July 2025 Releases
Before these new acquisitions, Manga Mavericks Books had already announced an initial slate of six manga titles set for release in July 2025. These include three titles directly licensed by Manga Mavericks LLC: Bonds, Alternative [Self Liner Note], and Zigoku’s Foreman. Additionally, they are supporting the marketing and print distribution in the United States for three titles acquired by their localization partner Red String: Now No One Lurks Beneath the Snow, The Murderer and Her Runaway Desire, and Senpai no Kohai. All six of these titles are available in both digital and print formats through the newly launched Manga Mavericks Books Store.
Fall 2025 Lineup
In addition to the July releases, Manga Mavericks Books previously announced four other titles for Fall 2025 during Anime Expo 2025. This lineup includes:
- First Time in Taiwan: A Delicious Adventure! by Muta Yuki (October 2025): A manga travelogue told through cute animal avatars, exploring Taiwan’s cuisine and culture.
- Great Metal God by Iwakuni Kogyo (November 2025): A mostly wordless sci-fi fairy tale about an unknown steel visitor and humanity’s struggle against it.
- Princess Da Huang & Other Tales by Ohtori (December 2025): An anthology of fairy tale-like stories set in a world where humans and bizarre creatures coexist.
- I’ll See You at Ebisu Studios (October 2025): A two-volume boys’ love series set in an anime studio, sold in partnership with Red String.
The strategic licensing of diverse manga titles like Pipe Machine and Path From Tanuki Temple demonstrates Manga Mavericks Books’ commitment to expanding its catalog and providing unique storytelling experiences to its readership.
