Tokyopop Announces 7 New Manga Licenses, Including Garagarapon
On August 22, 2026, Tokyopop announced that it had acquired seven new manga licenses. According to Anime News Network, the licensed titles include Garagarapon, And Then, She Became Mina, and SIX: Paths of Horror. These three works stand out as the most notable parts of the publisher's move to expand its catalog in the horror and drama genres.
Tokyopop is one of the pioneering publishers founded in 1997 that popularized manga culture in North America. The company laid the foundation of the manga readership in the late 1990s with series such as Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura. After suspending its North American publishing operations in 2011, Tokyopop returned to publishing in 2017. Since this return, it has brought both Japanese manga and Korean-origin works to English-language readers. The new license announcement is an indication of the company's steady growth during this restructuring process.
Among the announced titles, Garagarapon draws attention with the Japanese onomatopoeic words in its name; “gara gara” evokes a shaking sound, while “pon” evokes an explosion sound. And Then, She Became Mina, based on its title, is interpreted as a drama themed around identity and transformation. SIX: Paths of Horror, on the other hand, gives the impression of an anthology bringing together six different horror stories. Tokyopop has not yet shared details about the authors and artists of these titles; however, the genre diversity of the series shows that it aims to appeal to different readerships.
This licensing move is in line with Tokyopop's aggressive catalog expansion strategy in recent years. The publisher, which particularly offers both digital editions and physical hardcover editions, has become an important stop for readers who gravitate toward independent and niche genres. Details of the remaining four titles among the seven licenses and their English release dates may be announced in the coming weeks. Readers who follow Tokyopop's official channels can access more information about the covers and first chapters of these series with new announcements.
