10 Years of Kodansha Comics—June Spotlight: Hiro Mashima

10 years of Kodansha Comics! The year 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the first Kodansha Comics manga published in English. Please join us in celebration as we select one classic Kodansha Comics series each month for exclusive content, promotions, and other surprises!  

Fairy Tail Volumes 1-63 (complete series) and Edens Zero Volumes 1-3 are now available from Kodansha Comics!

Our June Spotlight is the one-and-only Hiro Mashima, the superstar manga creator of classic shonen sagas Fairy Tail and newcomer Edens Zero! So what kind of “special surprises” do we have waiting for you this month? Check these out …

Surprise 1: New Kodansha Comics mascot reveal! Remember back in February, we've ask you all to vote for the best candidate for the new intern mascot, designed by Hiro Mashima? Well, here's the moment of truth ... Today, we're happy to announce the new hire! Plus we've interviewed Mashima-sensei about his thought process of creating the new character! 

    About Hiro Mashima One of the world's bestselling and most prolific comics artists, Hiro Mashima is the creator of the 63-volume magical epic Fairy Tail as well as its prequel Fairy Tail ZERO, fantasy series Rave Master, the game spinoff Monster Hunter Orage, and a variety of other manga series and short stories. Then check out this Kodansha Comics’ exclusive interview with Hiro Mashima from 2016!        Q. How did you come up with the different character sketches? Where did your ideas come from? Hiro Mashima (HM): The inspiration came from a variety of characters from my past works. Q. What is the standout feature of the Kodansha Comics mascot? What do you think the personality of the character is like? HM: His most charming feature is the triangle fur patch on his tummy. I imagine he’s a bit of a prankster! Q. Message to Kodansha Comics and US fans? HM: Please enjoy what’s coming next for Fairy Tail and Edens Zero!

Surprise 2: Hiro Mashima Digital Sale Already read all of Fairy Tail and all the spinoff series? But wait, whattabout every true manga lover's favorite classic, Rave Master? For all ten years of Kodansha Comics's existence, Hiro Mashima has been our one constant atop our manga artist roster, the one who keeps on knocking out one manga hit after the other! To showcase his works, this week, we're hosting Hiro Mashima Creator Spotlight Sale where all volumes of his epic sagas, spinoffs, and one-shots are up to 50% off at our digital retail partners: BookWalker, comiXology, Google Play, Kindle, and nook. (Sale ends June 10.) …More Details  

Surprise 3: Fairy Tail and Edens Zero Survey Sweepstakes! Wanting to check out Fairy Tail but unsure where to begin? Looking to jump into Edens Zero as Mashima-sensei’s new series just as it's getting started? Well here’s your lucky chance: for the month of June only, ONE lucky winner will win a set of Fairy Tail manga Volumes 1-63, Fairy Tail S Volumes 1-2 the Fairy Tail Day Planner and Edens Zero Volumes 1-3. Not only that, you'll get Blue-Ray/DVD combo of Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry, Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess, and Fairy Tail Zero, courtesy of our friends at Funimation! All you have to do is take this survey by June 30 to enter for a chance to win! Wow, what a bundle! Surprise 4: Exclusive Happy and KC Mascot pin! Update June 7–– As a part of the 10 Years of Kodansha Comics project, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Rightstuf to bring you these awesome exclusive Happy from FAIRY TAIL and EDENS ZERO and new Kodansha Comics mascot pins! Visit Rightstuf and order any volume of Hiro Mashima’s Manga and you’ll receive an exclusive pin for FREE! Available this month (June 2019) only or while supplies last.

The new Kodansha Comics mascot Kacey pins will be also available at Kodansha Comics convention appearances!  Come to our booth and collect this exclusive item!