Mitei Hattori's Chilling Manga 'Smile!' Licensed by Kodama Tales for English Publication

In a significant development for English-speaking manga enthusiasts, Kodama Tales, a prominent subsidiary of Kyodo Printing Co., Ltd., has officially acquired the licensing rights for Mitei Hattori's critically acclaimed psychological horror manga series, Smile!, also known colloquially as Smiley. This highly anticipated English edition is set for release in January 2026, promising a truly chilling narrative experience.

The groundbreaking announcement was made at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, specifically during the insightful 'The Legacy of Baki' panel. This marks Smile! as Kodama Tales' second major licensed title, following their successful English debut of Baki The Grappler.

Smile! has garnered widespread acclaim for its profoundly unsettling atmosphere, masterful psychological suspense, and its unflinching exploration of insidious cult manipulation alongside the inherent fragility of the human psyche.

At its heart, the narrative delves into the spiraling life of Yuushi Kamome, a journalist grappling with unimaginable grief after the tragic death of his daughter and the bewildering disappearance of his wife. His harrowing ordeal intensifies when two enigmatic women, representatives of a clandestine organization known as the Smiling Hearts Society, appear at his doorstep, presenting a flyer emblazoned with the unnervingly cheerful face of his missing spouse. Driven by a desperate need for answers, Yuushi embarks on a perilous undercover mission to infiltrate this eerie collective. What unfolds is a terrifying descent into a world where joy is manufactured, and psychological torment becomes a chilling reality.

Originally serialized with immense success from 2021 to early 2025 within Nihonbungeisha's esteemed Weekly Manga Goraku magazine, Smile! concluded its run across eleven compelling compiled volumes, selling an astounding 1.4 million copies and cementing its place as a genre standout. Its critical acclaim was further solidified in May 2024, when it clinched the second-place honor in the prestigious 'I Want to Deliver It to the World! Top Recommended Manga' category at the Rakuten Kobo E-book Awards.

This strategic acquisition underscores Kodama Tales' forward-thinking approach to diversify its portfolio beyond action-centric titles, deliberately broadening its appeal by embracing gripping psychological horror narratives. Enthusiasts of intricate storytelling and deeply dark thematic content can eagerly anticipate a meticulously crafted English edition, with pre-order opportunities expected to become available imminently.

Smile! stands poised to deliver an unforgettable manga experience, seamlessly weaving disturbing cult themes with a powerful, resonant emotional core that promises to linger long after the final page is turned.