The partnership between Shueisha and Walt Disney Japan for Marvel character manga adaptations will officially end on September 30, 2026. This means five popular manga series featuring Spider-Man, Deadpool, and other Marvel heroes will soon disappear from digital storefronts and physical shelves.
The announcement came through the official Shonen Jump+ X account on July 1, 2026. Shueisha confirmed that its contract with Walt Disney Japan to publish manga adaptations of Marvel Comics characters is ending. This decision affects multiple titles that have gained dedicated followings worldwide.
Which Marvel Manga Titles Are Affected
Five manga series are part of this publishing agreement termination. The complete list includes:
- Marvel x Shonen Jump+ Super Collaboration – a collection of short stories
- Secret Reverse – featuring Spider-Man and Iron Man
- Spider-Man: Octo-Girl – Volumes 1 to 4
- Spider-Man: Kizuna – Volumes 1 to 4
- Deadpool: Samurai – Volumes 1 to 4
All these titles have already completed their serialization runs. Deadpool: Samurai was the latest to finish, ending its second season on February 26, 2026. The fourth and final compiled book volume released on March 4, 2026.
Digital and Physical Sales End Dates
Fans who want to own these manga need to act quickly. The removal process follows a clear schedule:
Physical copies – Print editions will remain available at bookstores and retailers only while existing stock lasts. Shueisha encourages readers to purchase or order copies as soon as possible, but warns that some orders may go unfulfilled if stock sells out faster than expected.
Digital versions – E-book distribution will end across all platforms on September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM JST. Digital storefronts will gradually remove these titles between September 28 and September 30.
The good news for digital buyers is that any volumes already purchased will remain accessible in personal digital libraries after distribution ends. Readers can still view these purchased books through their e-book store accounts even after the titles are delisted.
Why Is Shueisha Ending the Marvel Contract
Shueisha has not provided specific reasons for ending the publishing agreement. The company’s official statement simply announced the contract termination effective September 30, 2026, with an apology for any inconvenience to customers.
Shueisha Inc. will terminate its contract with Walt Disney Japan Co., Ltd. regarding the publication of comic adaptations of MARVEL characters, effective September 30, 2026. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our customers. We kindly ask for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
This development follows an earlier licensing change. Sho-Pro Books (Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions) ended its contract to publish Marvel Comics titles in Japanese on March 31, 2026. The current announcement extends this trend to Shueisha’s direct publishing agreement.
What About English Versions of These Manga
Viz Media publishes English translations for four of these titles: Secret Reverse, Spider-Man: Octo-Girl, Spider-Man: Kizuna, and Deadpool: Samurai. These English editions are available through Viz Media’s publishing line and digital platforms.
The contract termination between Shueisha and Walt Disney Japan affects the Japanese publication rights. English editions published by Viz Media operate under separate licensing agreements, so availability may differ. Viz Media announced its partnership with Marvel in 2021 to bring these manga to Western audiences, with Deadpool: Samurai and Secret Reverse becoming popular stateside releases.
What Made These Marvel Manga Special
Deadpool: Samurai gained a strong following for its wild humor. The story follows the Merc with a Mouth taking a job from Tony Stark that sends him to Tokyo. There, he teams up with Sakura Spider and Neiro Aratabi, an idol harboring a symbiote. The manga is packed with references to Shueisha properties like Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Dragon Ball.
Spider-Man: Octo-Girl has one of the most unusual premises. After a battle with Spider-Man leaves Doctor Octopus in a coma, he wakes up to find himself in the body of a middle school girl in Tokyo. Spider-Man: Kizuna follows Yu, a boy from Ohakama City, who ends up fused with Spider-Man in a story inspired by henshin heroes like Kamen Rider.
Secret Reverse takes a simpler approach, following Spider-Man and Iron Man at a game convention in Japan. The Marvel x Shonen Jump+ Super Collaboration features short stories written by various Shonen Jump Plus authors.
Connection to New Marvel Projects
Marvel and Japanese creators continue to collaborate despite this contract ending. In December 2025, Kia Asamiya and Marvel announced Silent Möbius x Avengers (read as Silent Möbius Cross Avengers), a full-color comic book series. Asamiya handles the story, line art, and colors personally. Writer Akihide Yanagi translates Asamiya’s Japanese story into English.
Marvel plans to launch this series in the United States in spring 2026. However, there are currently no plans to release it in Japan. The series credits Marvel and Asamiya for the original story, with Marvel Comics’ C.B. Cebulski serving as editor.
Past Marvel and Manga Collaborations
This isn’t the first time Marvel has worked with manga creators. Legendary artist Tsutomu Nihei (known for Blame! and Tower Dungeon) created a five-issue series called Wolverine: Snikt! back in 2003. Kamome Shirahama, the artist behind the acclaimed manga Witch Hat Atelier, has done extensive illustration and concept work for Marvel Comics over the years.
However, those projects operated under different publishing arrangements. The current contract termination specifically affects Shueisha’s publishing agreement with Walt Disney Japan for these five manga titles.
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What This Means for Marvel Manga Fans
For collectors and readers, this is the final opportunity to obtain these manga legally. Physical copies will become harder to find once stores sell out. Digital versions will disappear from storefronts after September 30, though existing purchases remain accessible.
The contract termination marks the end of an era for Marvel manga published through Shueisha. These collaborations brought Western superheroes into the shonen manga style, creating unique stories that appealed to fans of both mediums. Whether this decision leads to new publishing arrangements or different collaborations remains to be seen.
For now, readers interested in these titles should purchase or download them before the September deadline. The manga will remain available through Viz Media’s English editions, but the Japanese originals will soon become collectibles as supplies run out.
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