The final week of December 2024 and the beginning of January 2025 sees a fresh wave of anime and manga releases in North America, offering fans a variety of new series, continuations, and collected editions to enjoy. From exciting new manga debuts to the latest anime episodes, here’s a breakdown of what’s hitting shelves and screens.
Manga Releases: A Diverse Selection
This period boasts a wide range of manga releases, catering to various tastes. Several new series are making their debut, while established favorites continue their runs with new volumes.
New Manga Series
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Shining Diamond’s Demonic Heartbreak, Vol. 1: A new spin-off in the popular JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise. This series is highly anticipated by fans of the long-running manga and anime.
- Rainbows After Storms, Vol. 1: A brand new series, offering a fresh story and characters for manga enthusiasts.
- Do Retry, Vol. 1 & 2: A new series that launched at the end of December with two volumes being released, however, they are digital only.
Continuing Manga Series
- Akane-banashi, Vol. 9: This popular series continues to release new volumes, further exploring its storyline.
- Blue Box, Vol. 13: The sports-themed manga continues with another exciting volume.
- Blue Exorcist, Vol. 30: The long-running supernatural manga progresses with the release of its 30th volume.
- Call of the Night, Vol. 18: Fans of this vampire-themed series can delve into the latest chapter.
- Dandadan, Vol. 10: A blend of sci-fi and supernatural elements, Dandadan continues to intrigue readers.
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu Academy, Vol. 4: A fun spin-off to the main Demon Slayer series.
- Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 22: The ongoing adventures of Goku and his friends continue in this latest volume.
- Fool Night, Vol. 3: The third volume of this fantasy manga series becomes available.
- Haikyu!! (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 3: This sports manga continues to be released in collected editions.
- I Wanna Do Bad Things with You, Vol. 3: Another volume of this romantic manga series.
- Insomniacs After School, Vol. 8: This series continues its story with the release of its 8th volume.
- Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 24: A bestseller, Jujutsu Kaisen continues to captivate readers with its dark and exciting story.
- Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc., Vol. 5: This magical girl themed manga releases its latest volume.
- Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Vol. 18: The final volume of this action-comedy manga.
- Mission: Yozakura Family, Vol. 14: This action-packed family manga releases a new volume.
- Neighborhood Story, Vol. 4: The final volume of this series.
- One Piece (Omnibus Edition), Vol. 34: The epic saga of One Piece continues with another collected edition.
- Pokémon: Sword & Shield, Vol. 11: The popular Pokémon series continues with new adventures.
- Rainbow Days, Vol. 13: The latest volume of this romantic manga series becomes available.
- Show-ha Shoten!, Vol. 6: The 6th volume of this series is released.
- Splatoon 3: Splatlands, Vol. 3: The popular game series has its manga released.
- The King’s Beast, Vol. 14: The newest volume of this fantasy manga series.
- Ultraman, Vol. 20: The tokusatsu-inspired manga series continues with its 20th volume.
- Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, Vol. 16: The zombie-themed comedy manga keeps going with another release.
- Black Lagoon, Vol. 13: The latest volume in the action packed manga.
- Fist of the North Star, Vol. 15: The classic action manga continues its re-release.
Other Notable Manga Releases
- D.Gray-man (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 9: Collected editions of D.Gray-man continue to be released.
Anime Releases and Streaming
While specific anime releases for this week are more limited, there are still some notable events.
New Anime Episodes
- Dr. Stone: New World: New episodes of Dr. Stone: New World are available for streaming.
Ongoing Anime Series
Many popular anime series continue to release new episodes weekly on various streaming platforms. Some notable ongoing series include:
- Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-: The second season of this highly anticipated series premiered in January 2025.
- Dragon Ball DAIMA: A new Dragon Ball series started its broadcast, offering fresh adventures for fans of the franchise.
- Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Season 2: The second season of this supernatural anime continues.
- Shangri-La Frontier Season 2: This series continues to air new episodes.
- Re:ZERO Season 3: The third season of the isekai continues to be released.
Anime Streaming Platforms
Many platforms are offering a variety of anime series and movies. Some of the major platforms include:
- Crunchyroll: A leading platform for streaming anime, offering simulcasts of new episodes and a large library of older series.
- Netflix: Hosts a variety of anime, including both original series and licensed content.
- Hulu: Another popular platform for anime streaming, with a selection of both dubbed and subbed content.
Special Releases and Art Books
In addition to manga and anime, there are also some special releases to note:
- Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Official Art Book: An art book for fans of the popular mobile game, featuring illustrations and concept art.
- Studio Ghibli: Architecture in Animation: An art book that delves into the detailed architecture featured in Studio Ghibli films.
Looking Ahead
As we move into January 2025, the anime and manga landscape will continue to evolve, with new series and volumes constantly being released. January 2025 will bring manga releases such as A Suitable Fetish Volume 2, Beyblade X Volume 1, Case Closed Volume 93 and many more. Fans can look forward to more exciting content in the coming weeks and months.
Conclusion
The period between December 29 and January 4 offers a diverse array of anime and manga releases, ensuring that fans have plenty to keep them entertained. From new series debuts to the continuation of long-running favorites, there is something for everyone in the world of Japanese animation and comics.
