Kara Dennison
March 15, 2025 
Viz Manga is back with new releases for April! The publisher, which is the North American home to some of Japan’s most famous titles, will be publishing fresh volumes of both new and continuing series. And we’re taking a look at some first volumes coming your way in a few weeks!
Learn about the excitement of climbing, revisit a childhood crush, or check in with your favorite lovely pirate ladies. Which of these upcoming releases will you be ordering?
Pink Candy Kiss Vol. 1
Viz Manga is kicking off April with the first volume of Pink Candy Kiss, originally released in Japan as Tsumetakute Yawaraka. Ami Uozumi’s grown-up tale of two school friends reconnecting after 20 years twists together complicated feelings of love and friendship into a slow-burn yuri romance. After her latest boyfriend abruptly breaks up with her, Takara runs into Ema: a shy middle school friend who has since gotten married and now runs a bakery. It’s a surprisingly joyous reunion until Takara remembers why they drifted apart: she once tried to kiss Ema. And on closer reflection, those feelings haven’t changed.
After feeling unattached to multiple boyfriends, Takara finds this reemerging infatuation difficult to cope with. It’s difficult enough admitting her feelings for a woman for the first time. But that woman also happens to be happily(?) married. Not to mention Takara isn’t sure what her feelings mean. Seeing a manga like this focusing on women in their 30s is refreshing and brings a whole new set of considerations into the mix. Plus, Uozumi’s art is absolute eye candy. This will be one to stick with well past the first volume.
Pink Candy Kiss Vol. 1 goes on sale April 1
The Climber, Vol. 1
Looking for a sports manga that’s just a little different? The new Viz Manga release The Climber takes readers into the world of solo climbing. What starts as a dare issued by a new classmate soon turns into an obsession for loner Buntaro Mori. First he climbs the school; then he challenges a local cliff face. To keep him safe and encourage his talents, his teachers rope him into a climbing club. The people around Mori recognize his innate talent for climbing, but this is counteracted by lingering grief from a tragedy in his past.
The Climber is based on Jiro Nitta’s 1973 two-volume novel of the same name, bringing the story into the present day. Even if you know nothing about solo climbing, this manga will teach you—mainly so you can appreciate how off the wall Mori is being. This first volume includes over 400 pages of the manga, giving readers a big first step into its compelling story and hard-hitting art.
The Climber Vol. 1 goes on sale April 15.
One Piece: Heroines, Vol. 1
Viz Manga aren’t the only new titles coming out next month! The publisher is also releasing light novels, especially those tied to their major manga releases. Case in point, One Piece: Heroines—a collection of short stories highlighting days in the lives of the girls of the hit long-running manga. Vol. 1 follows Nami as she fixes relationships and shops for shoes, Robin as she decodes an ancient tablet, Vivi as she receives an anonymous love letter, and Perona’s ongoing battle to make the ultimate sangria.
These four low-stakes stories mostly do a great job of introducing the heroines. Even if you’re not an avid One Piece reader, you’ll understand these characters extremely well after their short stories. Sadly, Vivi figures into only a few scenes of her own story, with most of it focusing on the people around her. Nami’s is probably the strongest of the bunch, with Perona’s drinking party being a close second. Jun Esaka’s friendly writing style and Sayaka Suwa’s lovely illustrations make this an all-around solid read.
One Piece: Heroines Vol. 1 comes out April 22.
