Anime NYC '26: Manga Mavericks Books announces MIDNIGHT ROBOT and ARAI-KUN & HARUMA-SENPAI
- Ollie Kaplan
- Aug 22
- 3 min read
Manga Mavericks Books used its panel at Anime NYC 2026 to unveil two new manga licenses, plus a restoration project digging up lost color art from a decades-old shoujo classic.
During its panel, Manga Mavericks announced Midnight Robot, an alt-sci-fi action series from Yohei Sajita, and Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai, a boys' love slice-of-life romance from Akahachi. The publisher also revealed it's restoring never-before-collected color pages from The Sword of Paros for the series' upcoming English release, and is asking fans for help tracking down the last few source magazines needed to finish the job.
Read the official descriptions below:
By Yohei Sajita
Fumiko Daidouji has become used to her dad not being in her life, until he suddenly returns home with a gift: a screw lodged into her cranium! He claims it's to protect her from a secret, nameless organization, and not surprisingly, she figures her dad has a screw loose himself. However, the organization is very real—and they want Fumiko's screw to summon a giant robot! Dragged against her will into a battle to save the world, Fumiko quickly realizes that her once ordinary life is gone. Now, she faces world destruction, a parallel cosmos, and the midnight robot that connects them all.
Midnight Robot began life as a self-published webcomic in 2015 before Hayakawa Publishing picked it up for serialization on its Hayacomi platform in 2024. Manga Mavericks' print edition will preserve the manga's signature red-and-black two-color palette and marks the series' first print release anywhere in the world.
Volume 1 arrives in print and digital in May 2027 ($19.99 print / $6.99 digital), and pre-orders are already open.
By Akahachi
Haruma Ohara is the charming, athletic upperclassman. Ao Arai is the adorably shy, chubby underclassman. Simply a match made…in an elevator? A chance encounter between a rushed introvert and a charismatic jock grows into a fluffy, slow-burn love story. Arai is swept up in the charm of the extroverted Haruma, and before he knows it, they've exchanged contact information and keep running into each other all over campus. It's clear to everyone that Haruma's crush is immediate—but how long will it take for Arai to notice his own feelings?
Originally self-published by Akahachi in 2022, Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai hits digital shelves first in December 2026, with a print edition ($14.99) following in June 2027. Both formats are up for pre-order now.
On the restoration front, Manga Mavericks is working with Fairbell Inc. and creator Yumiko Igarashi to recover and restore color illustrations from The Sword of Paros's original 1986–87 run in Monthly Asuka, for inclusion in the series' English edition. The publisher is still missing the June 1986, August 1986, November 1986, January 1987, and February 1987 issues, and is asking anyone with leads to reach out at contact@mangamavericks.com.
Fans whose tips lead to a successful find before September 15, 2026, will get a name credit in the English release and a free copy of the book.
Midnight Robot creator Yohei Sajita, who's been self-publishing the series online since resuming manga work in 2014, shared a message for Anime NYC attendees:
I'm Yohei Sajita, and it's a pleasure to meet you.
The notion that people will be able to read Midnight Robot in English has me overcome with emotion. When reading this manga, you might think the style is reminiscent of a certain type of absurdist sci-fi manga from the 60s and 70s, and thus, it's the type of work that likely wouldn't catch on nowadays.
It's for that reason that I've been drawing this manga on my own for some time now. I drew this manga with the mindset of creating something I'd want to read myself. A manga that, as a child, I would have been excited to experience, while simultaneously standing up to adult scrutiny as well. Striving for both of those ideals was my goal.
If readers were to experience that same feeling, then I'd experience a high like no other.
So please read and enjoy.
Akahachi, known for BL hits like A Businessman and a Driver, Couples, and Tonari no Lunch, shared their own message for the con:
Hello, manga lovers!
Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai is finally coming out in English! Releasing my manga in other languages has always been something I've deeply wished for, but making that happen has never been easy, and there were many times it left me feeling disheartened. For Arai-kun & Haruma-senpai, I've been getting requests for an English edition for years.
And now, at last, Manga Mavericks Books has made this dream come true. I couldn't be happier, and I can't wait for the release date!
Whether you've read my manga before or are just discovering it for the first time, I'd love for you to grab a copy!
Source: Manga Mavericks Books
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