Image courtesy of Kodansha
©Ray Kindo/Kodansha Ltd.
The July issue of Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine announced on Thursday that special Young Magazine US English issue artist Ray Kindō’s The Knight of Blasphemy (Tokushin no Chevalier) manga will launch in the August issue on July 16. Kindo announced on X (formerly Twitter) the series will also simultaneously launch on K MANGA.
Kindo launched the original one-shot as part of Kodansha’s special Young Magazine US English issue in August 2025. Readers voted for their favorite series, with The Knight of Blasphemy ranking third.
The top five winners are guaranteed serialization on Kodansha’s K MANGA app. The winners will also be serialized in Japan in Monthly Young Magazine and/or YanMaga Web, serializing at the same time on K MANGA.
The staff of the magazine stated in November, “Following this immense response, we are already moving forward with preparations for the 2nd Yanmaga US project.” In addition, due to “tremendous support,” the staff have decided to select four additional works, placing importance not just on the poll results but “also on the ‘brilliance of the talent’ and ‘lingering impact’ of the works.” The staff will reveal details about the additional works on the Young Magazine US’ X/Twitter account at a later date.
One of the winning manga, Daisuke Itabashi’s The Journey of a Dark Elf with Fading Powers, began serialization in Japan in the January 2026 issue of Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine on December 20.
The Young Magazine US special issue commemorates the magazine’s 45th anniversary. The 1,044-page magazine has 18 new series from Japanese artists, as well as the first chapter of Kengo Hanazawa’s Under Ninja manga, and Shūichi Shigeno’s (Initial D, MF Ghost) new manga Subaru and Subaru. The magazine also features a cover illustration by Ghost in the Shell creator Masamune Shirow.
The magazine’s special issue was distributed for free to attendees at Anime NYC on August 21-24, and was distributed at specific Kinokuniya locations from August 21 to November 10.
The titles are also available to read on the magazine’s official website, which launched on August 21. Digital reading and distribution platform GlobalComix also released the special issue for free. Azuki (now Omoi) also released the issue for free for all users, and it was available until December 31.
Sources: Monthly Young Magazine July issue, Ray Kindō’s X/Twitter account
