During their panel at Anime NYC 2026, Manga Mavericks Books revealed two fresh English manga acquisitions: Yohei Sajita’s sci-fi action series MIDNIGHT ROBOT and Akahachi’s boys’ love romance ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI. Additionally, the publisher gave progress notes regarding their upcoming English rollout of The Sword of Paros.
The debut volume of MIDNIGHT ROBOT is slated for a simultaneous print and digital launch in May 2027. Spanning 236 pages, the book will retail for $19.99 physically and $6.99 digitally, carrying a recommended reading age of 13 and up.
Sajita initially launched MIDNIGHT ROBOT as an independent project back in 2015 before Hayakawa Publishing picked it up for serialization on the Hayacomi web manga platform in 2024. Manga Mavericks Books plans to retain the striking red-and-black dual-tone color scheme for their A5-sized English release, which will officially serve as the series’ very first physical print run anywhere globally.
Boys and girls, it’s time to get in the robot!
Fumiko Daidouji has grown accustomed to a life without her father—until he suddenly reappears bearing a bizarre gift: a metal screw embedded right into her skull! He insists it’s a vital shield against an unnamed, shadowy cabal, leaving Fumiko to rightfully suspect her old man has lost his mind.
However, the organization is all too real, and they are hunting for Fumiko’s cranial screw to summon a colossal robot. Plunged unwillingly into a global conflict, Fumiko watches her normal routine vanish overnight as she confronts imminent world destruction, a parallel dimension, and the midnight machine tying them all together.
As for their second license, ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI is set to debut digitally in December 2026, with a physical print edition following in June 2027. This 152-page release will be available for $6.99 in digital formats and $14.99 in print.
Haruma Ohara is the charming, athletic upperclassman. Ao Arai is the adorably shy, chubby underclassman. Simply a match made…in an elevator?
A chance elevator run-in between a flustered introvert and a magnetic jock blossoms into a heartwarming, slow-burn romance. The reserved Arai quickly finds himself drawn into the orbit of the outgoing Haruma, leading to exchanged numbers and a series of accidental campus encounters. While Haruma’s crush is glaringly obvious to everyone else, it remains to be seen how long it will take Arai to recognize his own growing feelings.
Akahachi’s past bibliography includes titles such as A BUSINESSMAN AND A DRIVER, COUPLES, and TONARI NO LUNCH.
Restoration Efforts Underway for The Sword of Paros Color Pages
Manga Mavericks Books also provided an update regarding their upcoming English release of The Sword of Paros. Working with the authorization of Fairbell Inc. and creator Yumiko Igarashi, the team is actively tracking down and restoring the original color spreads featured during its initial 1986–1987 run in Monthly Asuka.
While several pages have already been successfully salvaged, the publisher is still searching for specific vintage copies of Monthly Asuka—namely the June, August, and November issues from 1986, as well as the January and February issues from 1987.
Fans who provide a successful tip that leads directly to the acquisition of any of these missing magazines by September 15, 2026, will earn a special name credit inside the English publication of The Sword of Paros along with a free copy upon its launch.
Physical pre-orders for MIDNIGHT ROBOT, ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI, and The Sword of Paros are currently live via the publisher’s webstore.
Source: Press Release