One of the most notable collaborations between the Japanese manga industry and Marvel is coming to an end. Shueisha, the publisher behind Weekly Shonen Jump and hit series such as One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto, has officially confirmed that it will terminate its publishing agreement with Walt Disney Japan covering Marvel manga adaptations later this year.
The announcement was made through the official Shonen Jump+ X (formerly Twitter) account and confirms that the licensing agreement will expire on September 30, 2026. As a result, several officially licensed Marvel manga published by Shueisha will gradually disappear from print and digital storefronts.
While the company has outlined how the transition will affect readers, it has not disclosed the reason behind ending the long-running agreement. The news arrives just months before Marvel launches a major revival of its Mangaverse, ensuring fans will still have manga-inspired Marvel stories to look forward to despite the publishing partnership ending.
Shueisha confirms Marvel publishing agreement will end in September
In its official notice, Shueisha confirmed that its contract with Walt Disney Japan regarding Marvel comic adaptations will conclude at the end of September.
The publisher said:
“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.”
The announcement was published on the official Shonen Jump+ social media account and accompanied by a detailed schedule explaining how affected Marvel manga will be phased out.
Although licensing agreements between publishers frequently expire or are renegotiated, Shueisha has not provided any explanation for why this particular partnership is ending. As of now, neither Shueisha nor Disney has announced whether a new publishing arrangement is being negotiated.
Which Marvel manga will be affected?
The agreement’s conclusion will impact several fan-favorite Marvel manga released under the Shueisha banner.
Print editions of titles including Marvel × Shonen Jump+ Super Collaboration, Secret Reverse, Spider-Man: Octopus Girl, Spider-Man: Kizuna, and Deadpool: SAMURAI will remain on sale only while existing inventory lasts. Readers can continue placing orders, but Shueisha notes that some requests may not be fulfilled if available stock sells out before reorders can be processed.
Digital editions will remain available through participating storefronts until 11:59 p.m. JST on September 30, 2026. After that deadline, the titles will no longer be sold digitally.
However, readers who have already purchased digital copies will retain access to them in their personal libraries through their respective platforms, meaning previously purchased books will not disappear after distribution ends.
Shueisha’s Marvel legacy helped bridge comics and manga
The collaboration between Marvel and Shueisha produced several unique projects that blended Western superheroes with Japanese manga storytelling.
Among the most successful releases was Deadpool: SAMURAI, created by Sanshirō Kasama and Hikaru Uesugi, which became popular both in Japan and internationally. Other notable projects included Secret Reverse, written by Yu-Gi-Oh! Creator Kazuki Takahashi, and Spider-Man: Octopus Girl, a manga that reimagined one of Spider-Man’s most iconic villains in an original story.
The partnership also introduced Marvel × Shonen Jump+ Super Collaboration, bringing together several manga creators to reinterpret Marvel characters through standalone stories published on the Shonen Jump+ platform. These projects demonstrated Marvel’s growing interest in Japanese creators and manga audiences while giving established manga artists the opportunity to work with iconic superhero characters.
Marvel’s Mangaverse revival will continue its manga-inspired stories
While Shueisha’s publishing partnership is ending, Marvel is continuing to invest in manga-inspired storytelling.
Earlier this month, Marvel announced the return of the Marvel Mangaverse to celebrate its 25th anniversary. According to Marvel.com, the event will feature five interconnected one-shot comics releasing weekly throughout September.
The lineup begins with Marvel Mangaverse: Web of Blood on September 2, followed by Iron Knight, Arcane Avengers, Ghostlocke, and concluding with Web of Destiny on September 30. The new series introduces fresh manga-inspired interpretations of Marvel characters while presenting a reimagined Mangaverse as though it had continued uninterrupted for the past 25 years.
Although the end of Shueisha’s licensing agreement closes an important chapter in Marvel’s publishing history in Japan, the upcoming Mangaverse revival shows that the publisher remains committed to exploring manga-inspired stories through new creative teams and original projects.
