Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine has revealed that Rin Shimokawa’s supernatural manga “Godmother” will launch as a full series in the magazine’s next issue on November 18.
Godmother (Credits: Kodansha / Rin Shimokawa)
The announcement came in the November issue of the magazine, which confirmed that the original one-shot — first published in Kodansha’s special Young Magazine US English issue — is being promoted to an ongoing serialization.
A Supernatural Family Secret in Yokohama
The original one-shot follows Kinryu, a college girl whose life is turned upside down when she is suddenly forced to drop out of college and move to Japan. Her mission: look after a 114-year-old grandmother she never even knew existed.
Angry and disgruntled, Kinryu still makes the trip — only to find her grandmother living behind a mahjong parlor in Yokohama. And once she gets there, she is pulled into a supernatural secret that has been passed down through the women of her family. The setup is classic occult-drama material, mixing family obligation with a hidden world lurking behind an ordinary neighborhood storefront.
Part of a Bigger English-Language Push
Shimokawa’s one-shot debuted as part of Kodansha’s special Young Magazine US English issue back in August 2025 — a contest-style project aimed at bringing new manga talent to English readers first. The top five winners were guaranteed serialization on Kodansha’s K MANGA app, and the winners also serialize in Japan through Monthly Young Magazine and/or YanMaga Web at the same time.
“Godmother” isn’t the only winner making waves. Other victorious titles include Still You, To Dusk and Twilight, Boys Run the Riot -In Transition-, Protocol Ryugu, and The Last Terran — the last three of which are already in active serialization. The Last Terran was the most recent to launch, starting in Monthly Young Magazine on August 20.
Other contest winners are finding success elsewhere too. Daisuke Itabashi’s The Journey of a Dark Elf with Fading Powers began serialization in the January 2026 issue, while Ray Kindo’s The Knight of Blasphemy launched in the August issue. Seven Seas Entertainment has already licensed The Journey of a Dark Elf with Fading Powers for a print release in March 2027.
With a built-in English audience from its one-shot debut and a juicy supernatural hook, “Godmother” looks like one of the most promising series to come out of Kodansha’s English-first experiment. Fans won’t have to wait long — the first serialized chapter drops November 18.
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Source: Anime News Network — read the full story there.
