Highlights
- Shueisha will end its Marvel manga publishing agreement with Walt Disney Japan in September 2026.
- After the agreement expires, digital editions will also be removed from Shueisha’s e-book platforms.
- The decision affects 14 collected volumes across five titles, including Deadpool: Samurai and Spider-Man: Kizuna.
Shueisha will terminate its contract with Walt Disney Japan to publish manga based on Marvel Comics characters, effective from Sep 30, 2026. The publisher disclosed the decision on July 1 through the official Shonen Jump+ account on X.
As per the notice, already printed comics will be distributed until the stock lasts. Additionally, following Sep 30, 11:59 pm JST, all digital versions will be removed from Shueisha’s ebooks storefronts. The digital removal will gradually start from Sep 28.
The decision affects 14 collected volumes of five manga titles, including Deadpool: Samurai (Volumes 1-4), Spider-Man: Kizuna (Volumes 1-4), Spider-Man: Octo-Girl (Volumes 1-4), Marvel × Shonen Jump+ Super Collaboration, and Secret Reverse, the one-shot by the late Yu-Gi-Oh! creator Kazuki Takahashi.
All five titles have ended serialization, with Deadpool: Samurai being the most recent to conclude. Shueisha published the fourth and final volume of this manga on March 4, 2026.
Shueisha further stated, “Customers who wish to purchase these titles are encouraged to buy or order them at a nearby bookstore as soon as possible,” for interested buyers. On the other hand, Shueisha’s sister imprint ShoPro Books has already ended its own Marvel deal on March 31. Sho-Pro Books used to handle Japanese-language Marvel Comics reprints
The Termination Ends Shueisha x Disney’s Seven-Year Collaboration in Manga Publishing
The partnership between Shueisha and Disney helped introduce Japanese original interpretations of Marvel superheroes. The publishers first signed the licensing agreement in March 2019, launching the crossover title Secret Reverse.
The arrangement later expanded into other series, notably Deadpool: Samurai (2020) and Spider-Man: Octo-Girl (2024), both licensed for English release by Viz Media. The collaboration represented one of Marvel’s most visible efforts to localize its intellectual property across Japan’s manga market.
As of writing, Shueisha has not disclosed why the licensing agreement is ending. Walt Disney Japan has not revealed any plans for a successor publishing arrangement, keeping the long-term status of the affected Marvel manga titles unclear.
The termination contrasts with DC Comics’ ongoing manga partnership with Kodansha, which launched some of the popular crossover manga, including Batman: Justice Buster and One Operation Joker. The partnership is currently working on a new anime project, Joker: Laugh Riot.
