Kamen Rider fans in the west have two new official releases to look forward to, thanks to Titan Comics.
The publisher announced today that it has partnered with StoneBot Studios to release two new Kamen Rider titles under its Titan Manga imprint. The first of these, Kamen Rider Kuuga, is the manga adaptation of the fan-favorite tenth installment in Toei's long-running tokusatsu (masked hero) franchise. The manga was drawn by Hitotsu Yokoshima and was written by tokusatsu veteran Toshiki Inoue, who served as a writer on multiple Kamen Rider shows throughout the Heisei era. The first volume will be released on Nov. 8, and the second will drop on Jan. 10. The second title in the partnership, Kamen Rider Zero-One, will be based on the world of the 2020 live-action TV series of the same name. The comic will be written by Transformers' Brandon Easton and will premiere in fall/winter 2022.
Titan describes Kamen Rider Kuuga with the following synopsis:
Based on the original concept and story by Tokusatsu legend Shotaro Ishinomori, Kamen Rider Kuuga marks the return of a classic manga character adapted for the 21st century that’s sure to surprise both new and veteran fans alike.Kamen Rider Kuuga goes beyond the bounds of a normal adaptation and redefines its hero for modern audiences, expanding its universe and connecting it to other incarnations of the bug-eyed hero in a completely approachable way for new readers who haven’t encountered a Kamen Rider story before.
In addition to the two new Kamen Rider titles, Titan and StoneBot will also collaborate on the release of Masami Yuki and Tetsuro Asahara's ATOM: The Beginning, a manga that serves as the official prequel to Osamu Tezuka's highly influential Astro Boy series. The manga was originally released in Japan in 2014 and is still on-going; while it is currently on hiatus, the series' creators plan to resume the series with a new story arc, which will begin publication next fall. Titan will release the first volume of the manga in English on Oct. 11, which will be followed by the second volume on Dec. 13."We are so excited to be working with StoneBot," said Titan's publishing director John Dziewiatkowski on the new collaboration. "We have a successful history with manga publishing, but this new partnership will bring the imprint to new levels."The notably Ferbus-free Kamen Rider Zero-One TV series is now available for streaming through Shout! Factory. The newest entry in the franchise, Kamen Rider Revice, is currently airing on Japanese TV. A new movie, entitled Shin Kamen Rider, is being directed by Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno is scheduled to premiere in 2023.Source: Titan Manga press release