Kara Dennison
November 6, 2024 
Want to get a jump on next month’s manga reading? We’ve got the scoop on three Kodansha manga hitting the shelves in December 2024! Whether you’re a lover of the classics, hunting for something new, or want a stand-alone experience, we’ve got you covered. Keep your eyes peeled for this trio of titles!
Confession
The December Kodansha manga slate kicks off with Confession, a single-volume thriller from Kaiji author Nobuyuki Fukumoto and Zipang artist Kaiji Kawaguchi. Set atop a snowy mountain, the story begins when the injured Ishikura makes a dark confession to climbing partner Asai. But as luck would have it, Asai finds the shelter they sought. If the two can make it through the night until a rescue team arrives, they can get home safely. But Ishikura’s confession has changed everything. Asai suddenly feels deeply unsafe, and a tense and terrifying overnight stay begins.
Confession is a magnificent stand-alone story, with the deeply personal horror of Edgar Allan Poe and the claustrophobic terror of The Lighthouse. Kawaguchi’s art melds perfectly with Fukumoto’s story to get inside the heads of both of the story’s protagonists, placing the readers in their extremely uncomfortable shoes. Nothing is ever as it seems, and the final pages deliver a brutal twist. This is one every thriller fan should have in their library.
Confession goes on sale December 17.
Re:Anima Vol. 1
In the not-too-distant future, a solar flare has vaporized the ozone layer, forcing humans underground. Fortunately, they can live a virtual life on the surface via Re:Anima: artificial bodies that allow users to exist (mostly) in the manner to which they’re accustomed. Of course, new tech comes with new exploits, and some seek to make illegal mods to their Re:Anima for their own gains. That’s where the Enforcement Bureau comes in. This group takes down illegally-modded Re:Anima, keeping the populus safe. But Kara, one of their lead operatives, hides a scientifically fascinating secret.
Gate of Nightmares writer/artist Yoshinori Matsuoka offers an interesting take on a recurring theme. While many climate change and post-apocalyptic stories focus on human hubris, Re:Anima takes the superheating of the world out of human hands. But that doesn’t mean there’s no musing on human selfishness. Rather than a broad stroke, it’s more granular. The wrongs of humans are person-to-person, rather than cumulative and catastrophic. It also brings into question the nuance of human experience. What does the removal of consequences like pain and death do to a person’s willingness to commit heinous acts? We’re eager to see these concepts continue to be explored in later volumes.
Re:Anima Vol. 1 goes on sale December 17.
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow Vol. 1
Ashita no Joe is one of the most important, enduring series ever. It’s referenced constantly in other series, and its final page is so iconic that it’s been displayed in the British Museum. Now, thanks to Kodansha manga, we can read it starting from the beginning. And it starts very simply: with the orphaned Joe Yabuki being a bit good at hitting things. After trying to swindle the locals, he’s sent off to juvie. But washed-up boxer Danpei Tange sees promise in him. And nothing—not prison, and not even Joe’s disinterest in boxing—will stop him from training Joe up into a champion.
Volume 1 is a weighty book, taking us all the way up to Joe’s first big fight. The translation is pitch-perfect, nailing the late-60s vibe with its speech patterns and slang. Revisiting older works is difficult, even if you’re only working on something from the 90s, so this tone-matching is especially impressive. The pages themselves look amazing, too. This is a beautifully put-together volume from people who clearly care about the material.
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow Vol. 1 goes on sale December 24.
