Kodansha, the storied Japanese publisher behind global manga landmarks “Akira,” “Attack on Titan” and “Sailor Moon,” is expanding its creative reach with “The Escape,” the company’s first U.S.-created manga.
The new title is co-written by Vinnie Hacker and Shakira Pressley, with artwork by manga artist Hiroto Oishi.
“The Escape” launches digitally Oct. 8 on Kodansha’s Comic Days platform in Japan and worldwide on KManga, where it will be available to read for free at release. The story follows Enkei, a prisoner trapped in a brutal underground world where captives fight to the death. Haunted by guilt over the lives he’s taken, Enkei’s refusal to kill again sets off a chain of revelations that could bring him redemption — or destroy him.
For Hacker, “The Escape” represents another evolution in a multifaceted career that spans fashion, gaming and entertainment. He recently reprised his role as Slur/Kei Uzuki in “Sakamoto Days Part 2,” the continuation of Netflix’s anime adaptation. The first installment spent 10 consecutive weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10 TV (Non-English) list, setting a record for the platform’s highest single-week viewership for an anime. He recently signed with WME for representation.
Timed to the release, an animated trailer is premiering across Hacker’s YouTube, Instagram and TikTok channels.
For Kodansha, founded in 1909, “The Escape” marks a significant step in its ongoing strategy to expand beyond Japan and embrace creators from global markets. The move follows the company’s 2023 rollout of KManga, a digital serialization app designed to deliver Kodansha titles directly to English-language readers without the traditional lag between Japanese and overseas releases.
Earlier this year, Kodansha also joined Netflix, Lionsgate and Sega as a founding partner in Roblox’s new licensing platform, which allows rights holders to register and license their IP directly to creators. The partnership brings Kodansha properties including “Blue Lock” and “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” into the Roblox ecosystem, part of the publisher’s broader effort to expand its manga and anime brands into interactive spaces.
Watch the trailer for “The Escape” here:
