Most Anticipated Manga Releases and Continuations in 2025

Originally published as a look ahead at 2025’s manga calendar — updated in July 2026 with what’s actually been confirmed since, including Hunter x Hunter’s return and Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo.

The manga industry delivered on plenty of these predictions: compelling new series, anticipated continuations of beloved franchises, and the long-awaited return of hiatus manga. This guide covers the releases, continuations, and debuts that defined 2025 and rolled into 2026 — flagged below where the outcome is now confirmed.

⚡ TL;DR — A look back at 2025’s most-anticipated manga releases, updated with what’s actually happened since — Hunter x Hunter’s mid-2026 return, Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo, and more.

Highly-Anticipated New Series Debuts

New Manga from Established Creators

Several acclaimed creators are debuting new series in 2025 after concluding previous works or completing hiatuses.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo (confirmed and concluded) Gege Akutami returned in September 2025 with Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo, a short sequel series illustrated with Yuji Iwasaki and set 68 years after the Culling Game. It ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from September 8, 2025 to March 9, 2026. Read our Jujutsu Kaisen ending explained guide for how the original series wrapped up and what Modulo revealed about the characters’ futures.

Chainsaw Man Part 2 Continuation Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man Part 2 continues serialization throughout 2025 with anticipated story developments, new character introductions, and escalating stakes. Readers eagerly anticipate how Fujimoto develops this ambitious narrative.

My Hero Academia Spinoffs Following My Hero Academia’s conclusion, spinoff series and compilations continue releasing, expanding the My Hero Academia universe. New student-focused stories and character explorations are anticipated.

Fresh Voices and Unique Concepts

New debut series from emerging creators often bring innovative perspectives and fresh storytelling.

Isekai Innovations The isekai genre continues evolving with new high-concept takes—genre subversions, unique world-building, and creative protagonist situations continue attracting readers and creators.

Slice-of-Life Experimentation New slice-of-life manga exploring underrepresented perspectives and unconventional character types promise fresh storytelling within a familiar format.

Gender-Bending and LGBTQ+ Narratives New manga exploring diverse gender identities and LGBTQ+ relationships continue gaining prominence, offering representation and diverse storytelling perspectives.

Most-Anticipated Volume Releases

Dandadan New Volumes

Dandadan’s phenomenal success with both manga and anime continues driving anticipation for new volumes. Readers eagerly await next volume releases featuring continued character development and expanding supernatural mysteries. New volumes are anticipated quarterly throughout 2025.

Expected Content: New chapters resolve cliffhangers from previous volumes, introduce mysterious new antagonists, and develop the central romance in unexpected directions. Fan theories about upcoming revelations circulate enthusiastically.

Kaiju No. 8 Continuation

Kaiju No. 8’s intense action sequences and monster-fighting narrative continue captivating audiences. New volumes in 2025 promise escalating stakes, deeper character relationships, and increasingly impressive kaiju designs and battle sequences.

Expected Content: New volumes advance the military’s kaiju-fighting capabilities, develop the protagonist’s relationship with his kaiju nature, and introduce increasingly powerful threats.

Solo Leveling Continuation

While Solo Leveling originally serialized online, its manga adaptation continues releasing collected volumes throughout 2025. Each volume brings the beautifully-illustrated action sequences and protagonist power progression that define the series.

Expected Content: Continued adaptation of the original web novel story, increasingly impressive power displays, and raid sequences that showcase the manga’s exceptional artwork.

Sakamoto Days Ongoing Series

The humor-action series Sakamoto Days continues its engaging blend of comedy and action with regular volume releases. The series’ unique blend of hilarious character dynamics and surprising action keeps readers eager for new releases.

Expected Content: New volumes balance comedic character interactions with genuine action sequences, maintaining the series’ signature tone.

Wind Breaker Continuation

Wind Breaker’s school action narrative and compelling character development continue gaining popularity. New volumes throughout 2025 promise continued character growth and expanding action sequences.

Highly-Anticipated Returns from Hiatus

Hunter x Hunter’s Return (confirmed, mid-2026)

This was the most anticipated return in manga, and it delivered. After roughly 22 months on hiatus, Weekly Shonen Jump resumed Hunter x Hunter serialization with chapter 411 on June 29, 2026, continuing the Dark Continent arc. Volume 39 went on sale July 3, 2026. Yoshihiro Togashi’s chronic back issues mean the series no longer follows a fixed weekly schedule — chapters release in batches when ready rather than on a set calendar.

Why the Anticipation Was Justified: Togashi’s series is a cultural phenomenon, and the Dark Continent arc is redefining the series’ scope and ambitions. The writing quality and world-building of Hunter x Hunter remain unmatched by many contemporary series.

Learn more about Hunter x Hunter and read our Volume 39 return guide for the full timeline.

Vagabond’s Potential Return

Takehiko Inoue’s historical epic Vagabond has been on hiatus for years. While confirmation of return remains uncertain, each year fans hope for the series’ continuation. The series’ artistic quality and narrative depth make any return significant news.

Berserk’s Continued Publication

Following Kentaro Miura’s death, Berserk’s continuation was uncertain. However, the series continues with new chapters authored by Miura’s assistant and team, continuing one of manga’s most ambitious narratives.

Final Volumes and Series Conclusions

Blue Flag Final Volumes

Following anime announcement and adaptation development, Blue Flag’s manga continues toward conclusion. 2025 likely brings final volumes resolving the central narrative and character relationships.

Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Final Arc

The supernatural comedy series approaches its conclusion with an anticipated final arc bringing resolution to the series’ mysteries. Fans eagerly await the final volumes’ release.

Jigokuraku (Hell’s Paradise) Final Volumes

The dark fantasy adventure nears completion with final volumes anticipated in 2025, bringing resolution to the perilous journey and character developments.

Anime Adaptation Announcements and Releases

Several manga adaptations receive anime announcements in 2025, with corresponding manga volume releases celebrating the adaptations.

Solo Leveling Season 2: The anime adaptation’s continuation brings heightened attention to the manga, driving increased volume sales and reader interest.

Dandadan Anime Continuation: Following the anime’s successful first season, continued adaptation drives renewed interest in manga volumes.

New Anime Announcements: Several popular manga receive anime adaptation announcements in 2025, generating excitement across both communities.

Manga Industry Trends for 2025

Increased Serialization Speed

Publishers continue experimenting with faster serialization schedules and increased volume release frequencies, particularly for hot properties. This accelerates reader access to new content.

Expanded International Publishing

More manga titles receive simultaneous international release, reducing delays between Japanese and English releases. This expands the audience for emerging series.

Digital-First Releases

Increased digital-first publishing allows rapid release and potentially weekly manga serialization, contrasting with traditional monthly or serialized schedules.

Collaboration and Crossover Events

Major properties occasionally host crossover events or special collaboration chapters, creating excitement and expanding fictional universes.

Anime Adaptation Acceleration

The speed from manga success to anime adaptation continues accelerating. Series gaining popularity in 2025 might announce anime adaptations within months rather than years.

How to Stay Updated on Manga Releases

Official Publisher Websites

Major publishers maintain release calendars on their websites. Checking publisher sites provides official release dates and information.

Bookstore Pre-Orders

Bookstores often display anticipated releases prominently. Pre-ordering secures copies and provides release date reminders.

Social Media and News Sites

Manga news sites like MyAnimeList, AniList, and specialized manga journalism outlets provide comprehensive release coverage and announcements.

Community Discussion

Reddit communities, Discord servers, and manga forums discuss anticipated releases and share release date updates.

Library Holds and Requests

Libraries often accept requests for anticipated releases, adding them to acquisition lists and notifying patrons upon arrival.

2025 Manga Expectations and Predictions

Continued Isekai Innovation

The isekai genre, while saturated, continues producing innovative concepts. Expect new takes on the genre exploring underutilized premises and subverting expectations.

Increased Female-Focused Action

Action manga increasingly features female protagonists and combat-focused heroines. Expect continued expansion of female-led action narratives.

Deeper LGBTQ+ Representation

LGBTQ+ representation in manga continues expanding beyond niche categories into mainstream shonen and shoujo, reflecting evolving audience demographics.

Mental Health and Social Themes

Manga increasingly explores mental health, anxiety, depression, and social pressures authentically. Expect continued thematic exploration and representation.

Artistic Innovation

Digital tools enable increasingly ambitious visual experimentation. Expect continued artistic innovation pushing manga’s visual language.

Preparing for 2025’s Manga Releases

Make Your TBR (To-Be-Read) List

Compile anticipated releases you want to read. Prioritize based on interest and reading speed. Realistic TBR lists prevent overwhelming yourself.

Plan Your Reading

Space manga reading throughout the year. Balancing anticipated releases with backlog reading prevents series from piling up unread.

Budget for Releases

Popular releases sell quickly. Budget for pre-orders to secure copies. Monthly manga spending averages $20-50 depending on reading habits.

Join Communities

Manga communities discuss anticipated releases, share predictions, and provide recommendations. Community engagement enriches the reading experience.

Follow Creator News

Many creators maintain social media accounts announcing new projects. Following your favorite creators provides advance notice of upcoming works.

Genre-Specific Release Predictions

Shonen Action Manga Developments

The shonen genre continues dominating manga sales, with numerous action series anticipated to deliver intense battle sequences and character development throughout 2025. Established shonen properties like My Hero Academia successors and new combat-focused series promise continuing the genre’s legacy.

Shonen manga’s focus on protagonist growth, intense battles, and friendship themes continues attracting both younger and adult readers. New shonen debuts often emphasize unique power systems, fresh battle mechanics, and compelling character arcs that distinguish them from predecessors.

Romantic and Slice-of-Life Expansion

Romance manga increasingly explores mature relationships, diverse representations, and unconventional narratives. 2025 likely brings new romantic series challenging traditional love story frameworks while maintaining the emotional depth romance readers appreciate.

Slice-of-life manga continues providing comfort reading, with new series exploring daily adventures, found families, and character relationships. The genre’s accessibility makes it approachable for all age groups and reading experience levels.

Dark Fantasy and Psychological Manga Growth

Dark fantasy and psychological manga gain audience share, with sophisticated storytelling, complex morality, and atmospheric world-building attracting readers seeking narrative depth. 2025’s anticipated releases in this genre promise ambitious storytelling and challenging thematic exploration.

Long-Term Series Considerations

Some manga running for 5+ years continue serialization with no conclusion date. Understanding where long-running series stand in their narratives helps readers appreciate ongoing developments:

One Piece Status: Still serializing with no announced conclusion, continuing its weekly schedule. New story arcs and character developments are expected throughout 2025.

Dr. Stone Status: Recently concluded its main narrative, though spinoffs and side stories continue. New volumes compile recent conclusions and potentially expand the universe.

Assassination Classroom Legacy: The series concluded, but new spin-off content and commemorative releases celebrate the franchise’s continued popularity.

Food Wars Status: Recently concluded its primary narrative, with special chapters and spin-offs continuing the franchise’s presence in the manga market.

International Release Coordination

2025 marks improved coordination between Japanese serialization and English publication. Simultaneous or near-simultaneous releases reduce the gap between original Japanese publication and English translation, allowing global readers nearly-concurrent access to content.

This international expansion particularly benefits emerging series, allowing global audiences to experience new manga without significant delays. Publishers increasingly recognize global manga potential, investing in simultaneous international releases.

Creator Wellness and Serialization Models

The manga industry increasingly acknowledges creator wellness challenges. Long-running serialization demands take physical and mental health tolls on mangaka. 2025 might see continued experimentation with alternative serialization models—reduced schedules, seasonal hiatuses, and collaborative systems—allowing creators sustainable careers while maintaining quality.

These industry shifts could affect release schedules and story pacing as creators prioritize sustainable work practices over burnout-inducing acceleration.

Digital Platform Evolution

Digital manga platforms (ComiXology, Webtoon, Tapas) continue expanding their libraries and exclusive content. Simultaneous physical and digital releases allow flexible reader access, with digital increasing in importance for younger audiences.

2025 likely brings increased digital-exclusive content, simultaneous physical-digital releases, and platform experimentation with narrative formats optimized for digital consumption.

Fan Community Engagement Opportunities

2025’s manga releases generate community engagement through:

• Fan Art Contests: Creator communities host artwork contests celebrating manga and rewarding fan creativity
• Discussion Forums: Online communities debate plot developments, character arcs, and predict story directions
• Cosplay Events: Manga conventions and community gatherings celebrate popular series through cosplay competitions
• Fan Translations: Before official translations, dedicated fans provide translations facilitating discussion

These community activities enrich the reading experience beyond individual consumption, creating shared cultural moments around major releases.

Conclusion

2025 delivered an eventful year for manga readers — highly-anticipated releases, beloved series continuations, and the hiatus return every fan was waiting for. Whether you were tracking a specific series’ new volume, hoping for Hunter x Hunter’s comeback, or discovering new manga along the way, the period spanned diverse content across action, romance, psychology, and fantasy genres.

Staying informed through official sources and engaging with communities remains the best way to catch the next wave of releases as it happens. The combination of established series evolution, new creator voices, and industry innovation continues to drive manga’s growth globally heading into the rest of 2026.

What manga are you most looking forward to next? Engage with the community, share your predictions, and check back for our ongoing coverage of new releases, returns, and debuts.