emaqi Announcing Spring 2026 Manga Exclusives

Date: 2026 April 25 09:45

Posted by Joe

The folks from digital manga service emaqi have sent us details of their new exclusive titles. They'll have Izakaya of Extinct Animals by Kuromaru, The Gene of AI by Kyuri Yamada, A Witch's Journal to Otherworldly Parenting: Raising Familiars and Fluffy Magical Creatures by Mokuhachi.

Fans will also note that this is the first official English translation of The Gene of AI.

emaqi is currently available only in North America. emaqi also uses AI translation, something we do not condone or support.

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Press release as follows:

EMAQI KICKS OFF SPRING LINEUP WITH THREE NEW MANGA TITLES, INCLUDING THE GENE OF AI

Featuring the first-ever official English release of The Gene of AI manga, alongside two additional titles for North American readers



FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026 | TOKYO, JAPAN - emaqi, the digital cross-publisher manga app, today announced three exclusive manga additions coming this spring to its North American catalog: Izakaya of Extinct Animals, The Gene of AI, and A Witch's Journal to Otherworldly Parenting: Raising Familiars and Fluffy Magical Creatures.

The spring lineup highlights works that tell relatable stories in fantastical settings. The Gene of AI, releasing May 1, headlines the month ahead with its first official English translation a decade after its initial run. The title offers a thought-provoking story about what it means to be human and what artificial beings mean to us. Izakaya of Extinct Animals, out today, crafts a fantasy with bygone creatures experiencing everyday dilemmas similar to our own, and on May 15, A Witch's Journal to Otherworldly Parenting: Raising Familiars and Fluffy Magical Creatures focuses on the real struggles of balancing an ambitious career with the art of parenting, all while being set in a magical world. These additions reaffirm emaqi's continued commitment to introducing manga across all genres and themes to English-speaking audiences-including titles that have never been officially translated into English.

Izakaya of Extinct Animals (R13)


Author: Kuromaru
Publisher: SHONENGAHOSHA CO., LTD.
Genres: Seinen, Drama, Nature, Food
Release Date: April 24, 2026

Official Synopsis: As night falls, the bar's lights gently flicker to life... Weary from their daily work and lives, customers seeking solace and drinks to wash away their fatigue gather at the establishment of a beautiful and kind-hearted Mama-san. But these patrons are all-believe it or not-extinct creatures!? Kuromaru presents an unprecedented tale: the shocking grand opening of the Izakaya of Extinct Animals!

Team Comment: There's a special kind of freedom unique to manga in the way it can bring to life an imagined world like this-where creatures from the Cambrian period gather in an izakaya, sharing drinks and lively chatter.

Though their forms are nothing like our own, there are moments as you read when you catch yourself thinking, "I get that... that might be me." These are creatures we can no longer meet, yet the more you read, the more endearing they become-a work that gently draws you closer to them with every page.

The Gene of AI (R16)


Author: KYURI YAMADA
Publisher: AKITASHOTEN Co., Ltd.
Genres: Seinen, Sci-fi, Drama, Medical
Release Date: May 1, 2026

Official Synopsis: Humanity's dream and the crystallization of technology: Humanoids. Just like humans, they can fall "ill," but they have different options for "treatment." A new doctor, Sudo, dedicated to helping these troubled A.I.s, takes the stage! A humanoid medical story of the near future!

Team Comment: Since the days of Astro Boy, stories in Japan have repeatedly explored the question of "what it means to be human" through the lens of robots. In the era when Astro Boy was first depicted, artificial intelligence stood as a symbol of future technology. Today, however, it has become something familiar to everyone-and perhaps, as a result, these questions feel closer to us than ever before.

Where does the mind reside? What proves that you are truly yourself? For those who find themselves drawn to such unanswerable questions, this is a work we wholeheartedly recommend you pick up.

A Witch's Journal to Otherworldly Parenting: Raising Familiars and Fluffy Magical Creatures (G)

Author: Mokuhachi
Publisher: SHONENGAHOSHA CO., LTD.
Genres: Josei, Slice of Life, Fantasy
Release Date: May 15, 2026

Official Synopsis: Senobia, a witch striving to surpass her father as a magical scholar, intended to conjure a sheep familiar; however, an ingredient mishap involving her own hair results in the accidental creation of a human child. Already balancing a hectic schedule as a part-time lecturer and researcher, Senobia now faces her toughest assignment yet: motherhood! It's a fantasy featuring a career-driven witch and the trials of parenting!

Team Comment: This is a story we hope every adult struggling to balance parenting and their career will pick up. By placing child-rearing alongside the study of magic, the fantasy setting keeps things from feeling too heavy, while still offering plenty of moments that make you want to say, "I know exactly how that feels."

The challenges of working while raising a child are surely not unique to Japan. As you follow the witch's tireless efforts and the child's irresistible charm, you'll find yourself smiling-and feeling just a little more ready to take on another day.

About emaqi
emaqi is a digital platform designed to offer new discoveries and immersive experiences for manga lovers. With its intuitive, seamless interface, it provides manga fans in North America an effortless way to explore, purchase, and read their favorite titles.

Through its "Dig" feature, which allows users to intuitively browse manga through vertical and horizontal swipes, emaqi creates opportunities for discovering new titles. It also offers flexible reading options, including a "Wait Until Free" system for selected titles, allowing users to access new chapters for free over time..

Through partnerships with a wide variety of publishers-both Japanese and international-emaqi offers an extensive catalog of classic and modern manga across all genres. In addition, emaqi is actively expanding its lineup of titles that have never been officially translated into English, offering them as platform-exclusive releases.

Aiming to become the go-to platform that North American manga fans pick up first and continue using for years, the emaqi smartphone app launched in May 2025. emaqi continues to evolve beyond a typical digital bookstore, delivering experiences that allow users to fully immerse themselves in manga culture.