For years, the manga crossover space has helped Marvel reach readers in a different way, especially in Japan, where familiar heroes like Spider-Man, Deadpool, and the X-Men have been reimagined through a distinctly anime-influenced lens. That partnership connected two massive pop-culture worlds in a way that felt both playful and strategic. But now, that chapter is closing, and the change is set to reshape how those licensed manga projects are distributed.

Shueisha has officially announced that it will end its publishing agreement with Disney covering manga adaptations of Marvel characters. The termination is set to take effect on September 30, 2026, which means several officially licensed Marvel manga titles will soon disappear from shelves and digital storefronts.

According to the notice, print editions will remain available only while existing stock lasts, while digital versions will stay up through the end of that day before being removed from sale. That means readers who already bought digital copies will still keep them in their libraries, but new purchases of the affected titles will no longer be possible after the cutoff.

The impacted books include titles such as MARVEL x Shonen Jump+ SUPER COLLABORATION, SECRET REVERSE, Spider-Man: Octopus Girl, Spider-Man: Kizuna, and Deadpool: SAMURAI. Shueisha has not publicly explained why the deal is ending, which leaves the move open to speculation even though licensing changes are common in publishing. The timing is notable because Shueisha is celebrating its 100th anniversary, making this a symbolic end to a long-running collaboration.

While Marvel’s publishing strategy shifts, its animated universe is heading in the opposite direction with bigger stakes and familiar threats.

Marvel's X-Men ‘97 season 2 raises the stakes with Apocalypse

X-Men ‘97 Season 2 is shaping up to be a major escalation, with the return of Apocalypse turning the animated revival into something far bigger than a simple continuation. The first season already ended with the X-Men scattered across time, and now the new season is leaning into that chaos with a threat that can impact the past, present, and future at once.

What makes the setup especially exciting is that the original creators are back guiding it. Eric Lewald, Julia Lewald, and Larry Houston have made it clear that this return feels like a true continuation of the classic ‘90s series, not a reboot or reimagining. That gives the show a sense of continuity that longtime fans will immediately recognize, especially as it digs deeper into Apocalypse’s mythology and his role as one of the X-Men’s most dangerous enemies.

The new season also appears to balance epic stakes with character focus. While several mutants are trapped in different timelines, Jubilee is left to hold down the present day with help from Sunspot, which adds a more grounded layer to the larger conflict. At the same time, the show seems poised to explore En Sabah Nur’s rise, giving Apocalypse a backstory that the original series never fully explored in depth.

What do you think about Marvel’s manga partnership ending and the future of these crossover stories? Let us know in the comments.

Written by

Pratham Gurung

Edited by

Itti Mahajan