For years, BILLY BAT occupied a unique place in the manga world: one of Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki’s most acclaimed works, yet one that many English-speaking readers feared they might never be able to read officially. That changed when Kana, Abrams ComicArts’ manga imprint, announced the first-ever English-language release of the series. Starting with the release of Volume 1 earlier this week, the publisher aims to release the complete series over a span of 5 years.
Spanning decades of history, conspiracy, politics, and mystery, BILLY BAT is widely regarded as one of Urasawa’s most ambitious works. Bringing a series of that scale to a new audience is no small undertaking, particularly for a young imprint still establishing its identity in the English-language manga market.
To learn more about the project, Anime Corner spoke with Kana Editor Kristiina Korpus about why now was the right time for BILLY BAT, the challenges of adapting such a dense and historically layered work, and the production decisions that helped preserve the spirit of the original Japanese release. Read on for the full interview.
Q: BILLY BAT was long unavailable in English, and Urasawa said in 2019 that he had some concerns about how parts of the series might be received overseas. When did Kana realize an English edition was truly possible, and what made this the right moment to bring it to market?
A: BILLY BAT has been one of the most requested manga series for English publication for years, so there has always been interest from readers. The challenge was making sure we could bring the series to market in a way that respected the creators’ intentions and gave the book the attention it deserves.
For Kana, the timing was right because the English-language manga market has matured significantly, particularly among adult readers who are looking for ambitious, genre-defying series beyond the most mainstream series. BILLY BAT is exactly that kind of book. It’s a sprawling mystery that blends history, conspiracy, politics, and suspense in a way that showcases the full range of what manga can do as a medium.
Once the opportunity came together, we knew there was an audience ready for it. Readers have embraced complex, long-form series like Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto, and BILLY BAT belongs in that conversation. We were excited to finally give English-speaking readers the chance to experience this remarkable series.
Q: Kana launched with a clear emphasis on adult-oriented manga and on editions that preserve the feel of the original Japanese books. In what ways did BILLY BAT feel like a defining mission-statement license for the imprint, rather than simply another major acquisition?
A: Kana is still a young imprint in the world of manga, and so for us to license a creator such as Urasawa in what is essentially our infancy, was a defining moment for what we stood for. We promised readers an authentic reading experience, a localization which honors the intent of the author, and BILLY BAT became the stage for us to really shine in that way. People are going to pick it up expecting the kind of riveting story that Urasawa and Nagasaki are known for, and we hope that we’ve delivered.
Q: English-language readers already associate Naoki Urasawa with Monster, 20th Century Boys, and PLUTO. Where do you think BILLY BAT fits within that legacy, and what does it reveal about Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki as storytellers that those earlier English editions do not show in quite the same way?
BILLY BAT stands alongside Monster, 20th Century Boys, and PLUTO as one of Naoki Urasawa’s most ambitious projects, but it takes his fascination with mystery and conspiracy into even more unexpected territory. The series blends real historical events with fiction, creating a story that spans decades and explores the connections between culture, politics, and power.
It also showcases the range of Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki as storytellers. While their earlier English-language releases are known for suspense and character-driven drama, BILLY BAT demonstrates their willingness to tackle larger historical and philosophical questions while still delivering a gripping page-turner.
Q: BILLY BAT moves between 1949 Los Angeles, postwar Japan, and a much wider historical canvas, while also centering a Japanese American cartoonist and the history of comics itself. What have been the biggest editorial or translation challenges in making that mix of period voice, cultural context, and comics history feel natural for English readers today?
A: I am blessed with a really talented team of people who work on BILLY BAT, especially because of all the cultural and period context. Our translation team does a lot of heavy lifting by providing us with distinctive character voices and giving context to their choices in the script and our copy editors do considerable fact checking to make sure that historical record we’re quoting is accurate when it needs to be.
We really wanted this edition to reach fans of Urasawa but also be accessible for readers who maybe don’t have a history reading manga, so the letterers made the choice to replace all the sound effects with the English translations. With the considerable influence of western comic style and main character Kevin’s own dual identity as both American and Japanese, we worked really hard to preserve the balance of BILLY BAT feeling like both a western comic and a manga.
Q: Kana has spoken about preserving jackets, color pages, and other details that make manga editions feel collectible. Which production choices were non-negotiable for BILLY BAT, and where did the team have to be especially careful balancing fidelity to the Japanese edition with the practical realities of the English-language market?
A: We absolutely had to keep the color pages of the Japanese edition, but it was easily one of the more challenging aspects of getting this book to print. Fans will notice that we kept the first 26 pages of color comic in volume 1 as well as the single color page that occurs in the middle of the book. That was hard to arrange! Without getting too technical, it’s because a lot of printers can’t split color pages like this. Ultimately we managed to get it done, but we did have to consider other options.
Q: One of the things that makes BILLY BAT stand out is how freely it weaves fiction through real historical figures and politically charged periods. Did Kana discuss whether the English edition needed any editorial framing or contextualization for new readers, or was the priority to let the story speak entirely for itself?
A: With a powerhouse duo like Urasawa and Nagasaki at the helm, we knew that we had to let BILLY BAT speak for itself. Even with the charged political commentary that’s heavily throughout BILLY BAT we wanted to trust our readers to parse it out and interpret Urasawa’s story on their own. There was never any question of censoring or needing to frame the story.
Q: Kana announced an ambitious plan to publish the full 20-volume series, with early reporting saying four volumes a year. What does it take behind the scenes to commit to a rollout of that scale for a dense, reference-heavy work like BILLY BAT, and what would success look like for the release beyond straightforward sales numbers?
A: Those of us at Kana are so glad to hear you call it ambitious! (laugh) We know fans are clamoring to get this series in their hands, and we are committed to doing it right! We are on track to four volumes a year and we’ve been churning through preparations since we announced the acquisition last year. Our translator is way ahead and that means we have an eye on the plot many volumes out, which is vital for a book as heavy on references as BILLY BAT is. Beyond sales numbers, and perhaps naively, I think a successful BILLY BAT release is one that fans say was worth the wait. If fans read volume one and go to preorder volume two, that’s amazing, but above all, we want them to enjoy the ride.
With the plan to release all 20 volumes and a commitment to preserving the core of the original edition, Kana is clearly treating BILLY BAT with the care it deserves. As Kristiina Korpus said, its success is not simply measured by sales, but by whether longtime fans will feel the wait was worthwhile.
As such an anticipated manga finally reaches English-speaking audiences, BILLY BAT now has the opportunity to take its place alongside Monster, 20th Century Boys, and PLUTO with Naoki Urasawa’s global fans.
We would like to thank Kristiina Korpus and the Kana team for taking the time to answer our questions. BILLY BAT Volume 1 has been available for purchase since June 2, 2026.
© Naoki Urasawa, Takashi Nagasaki / Kodansha
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