June 2018 Top 5 Manga Releases

Heads up! This content uses referral links. Read our disclosure policy for more info.

I’ve been biding my time this month, waiting for the very last week to spend my money. Why, you ask? Manga, duh! June’s got a huge lineup of new manga releases, with so many cool titles coming out on the 26th. Read on to see what I’ve got on my list.

Captain Harlock: The Classic Collection, Vol. 1

Original Title: 宇宙海賊キャプテンハーロック
Author: Leiji Matsumoto
US Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Staff: Zack Davisson (translator), Jennifer Skarupa & CK Russell (letterers)
Release Date: 6/12/2018
Purchase: Amazon

From the publisher: After a mysterious sphere collides with Tokyo, legends seemingly born of the ancient Mayan civilization appear. But in truth, the beings are alien invaders known as the Mazone, plant women who wandered the earth in bygone ages–and have now returned to make it theirs. With a ragtag crew of renegades at his side, only the space pirate Captain Harlock has what it takes to save the planet.

It’s finally here: Leiji Matsumoto’s original manga that launched the Captain Harlock saga! The Seven Seas Entertainment hardcover edition beautifully showcases Matsumoto’s classic space opera, complete with select color pages and a special bonus story. The first book collects chapters 1-16, and at 396 pages, there’s enough Harlock here to keep us busy until the next volume.

Hatsu*Haru, Vol. 1

Original Title: ハツ＊ハル
Author: Shizuki Fujisawa
US Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: 6/26/2018
Purchase: Amazon

From the publisher: Playboy Kai definitely knows his way around girls’ hearts, but when he has a run-in with tomboy Riko, he may be in for more than he bargained for! Riko definitely doesn’t fit Kai’s usual type of girl: she’s short-tempered, scary, and can (has) easily beat him up. There’s no way a rough and tumble girl like Riko is capable of a delicate feeling like love! So imagine his surprise when he finds out about her secret, one-sided crush… But it’s none of his concern, right?

It’s been a while since I’ve read shoujo manga, so I’m thinking of jumping back in with Hatsu*Haru. This manga ran in Shogakukan’s Betsucomi shoujo magazine, the same publication that printed Sand Chronicles, Dengeki Daisy, and Black Bird, all of which I really love. With company like that, not to mention a cute art style, I’m excited to see where Hatsu*Haru takes me.

Claudine

Original Title: クローディーヌ…!
Author: Riyoko Ikeda
US Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
Staff: Jocelyne Allen (translator), CK Russell (letterer)
Release Date: 6/26/2018
Purchase: Amazon

From the publisher: Born as “Claudine” in a female-assigned body that doesn’t reflect the man inside, this heart-wrenching story follows Claudine through life, pain, and the love of several women. Master shoujo mangaka Riyoko Ikeda explores gender and sexuality in early twentieth century France in this powerful tale about identity, culture, and self-acceptance.

Riyoko Ikeda, best known for her international hit Rose of Versailles, finally gets her first official US release! Claudine is truly a milestone moment in LGBTQ+ manga history, especially since it was first published in the 1970s. I’m hoping that readers here in the US give this title the support it deserves. Please give Claudine a try so that we get more retro manga in the future!

Caterpillar Girl and Bad Texter Boy, Vol. 1

Original Title: 芋虫少女とコミュ障男子
Author: Sanzo
US Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: 6/26/2018
Purchase: Amazon

From the publisher: When a beautiful girl asks her childhood friend out, his response is a shocker: “You’re too perfect.” What’s a girl to do, except transform into a giant caterpillar and try, try again?

This is the second bug-themed manga that’s caught my eye this year and to be honest, aside from the cover and the brief description, I know next to nothing about this book. So after some light research, I learned two things: 1) The mangaka behind this title is the same one who wrote My Girlfriend is a T-Rex, and 2) Like Giant Spider & Me, this manga is another pixiv original. Color me curious.

Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Vol. 1

Original Title: 東京タラレバ娘
Author: Akiko Higashimura
US Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: 6/26/2018
Purchase: Amazon

From the publisher: Rinko has done everything right. She hustled her way through her 20s to make it as a screenwriter, renting her own office in a trendy Tokyo neighborhood. Everything should have gone according to plan… So at 33, she can’t help but lament the fact that her career’s plateaued, she’s still painfully single, and she spends most of her nights drinking with her two best friends in their favorite pub. One night, drunk and delusional, Rinko swears to get married by the time the Tokyo Olympics roll around in 2020. But finding a man–and love–may be a cutthroat, dirty job for a romantic at heart.

From Akiko Higashimura, the mangaka behind Princess Jellyfish, comes another josei hit: Tokyo Tarareba Girls. Kodansha originally published this manga as a digital-only title, but due to popular demand, they’re now selling physical copies. Princess Jellyfish definitely scored a spot on my top josei manga list, so I’m super excited for this manga. (P.S. You can read a free preview here!)

What manga are you reading in June? Share your list in the comments below!