On December 12th, 2025 a brand new shonen manga magazine titled Comic Zerise (comicゼライズ) has started publication. The new magazine will only be available in a digital-only format and will not have a print edition. New issues of the magazine will release monthly on the second Friday of every month.
The magazine is being produced by Starts Publishing (スターツ出版株式会社). The company’s first major success was the launch of the OZ Magazine in June 1987. The printed OZ Magazine focused on highlighting trendy locations that is still published today, every-other-month. This magazine then expanded into the Oz Mall in 1996, with a web-based platform for users to share their own experiences and items based on the latest trends. From this entrance into the digital space, Starts then expanded into digital novel publishing with Noichigo (野いちご) in 2007, Berry’s Cafe in 2011, and Novema! (ノベマ！) in 2019. From all of these digital platforms, they then expanded back into print volume imprints which included adding manga publishing under their services. Comic Zerise is now the digital manga magazine that is formed under the Manga Zegura (マンガゼグラ) online reading platform which launched in July 2025 by Starts Publishing.
The first issue of Comic Zerise is currently available for free on various digital platforms in Japan such as Bookwalker. New issues, once released monthly, will cost between 200 to 500 yen each. The magazine’s tagline is “Don’t give up on yourself…”, and the shonen manga series included in it want to share stories where the protagonists, motivated by their own strength, work with their friends to accomplish their goals. Unlike typical manga magazines which can have 10, 20, or up to 30 serializations within it, Comic Zerise only has 3 serializations to start. With a fluctuating price point, it appears likely that additional serializations will be added in the coming months. The cover is designed by Misaki Shimamura (Banana Grove Studio) and the internal layouts were designed by Nartis, hive&co, and Banana Grove Studio. The first 3 new serializations also have their first chapters available for reading for free on Manga Zegura.
The lead title for the magazine, and featured on the cover, is GEMIS (GEMIS-ゲミス-) by En Ouji (王子エン). GEMIS is the debut serialization for En Ouji and he noted on his Twitter (X) account that this is a story he has been waiting to tell. The story is about a boy, named Gemis, who lived a peaceful life on a remote island until orcs suddenly invade, which causes him to learn about his hidden abilities and the true nature of the world. The first chapter is 77 pages long.
The second title in the magazine is Kakuibokurawa (かくいう僕らは) by Hare Satsuki (佐月ハレ). This is also their debut serialization and commented on Twitter (X) that they will be trying to make the series enjoyable and they thank everyone for their support. The story is about a shut-in high school boy named Tsumugu who meets Satoko, a girl in a park, and this coming-of-age narrative about how both can break out of their shells in life. The first chapter is 54 pages long.
The last title in the magazine is Ryuzaki-san ga ore no mae dake de dereru riyu (竜崎さんが俺の前だけでデレるリユウ) by Yusha Asatsuki (あさつきゆしゃ) which the title roughly translates to Ryuzaki-san Suddenly Gets Lovey-dovey in Front of Me. The author has previously published the oneshot Kami No Inai Kono Basho De (神のいないこの場所で) in June 2025 on Comic Earth Star and won the August 2025 Rookie Award Finalist from Jump+ for Ryū-jin-chan Wa Boku To Shitai (竜人ちゃんはぼくとしたい). Additional previous illustrations and manga can be found on their Twitter (X) account which went previously under the pen name of Yuyu Yume. The story of Ryuzaki-san ga ore no mae dake de dereru riyu is a romantic comedy featuring the Ryuzaki, a half-dragon girl, who is falling in love with her childhood friend, Morinaga once reconnected in high school. The first chapter is 54 pages long.
The second issue of Comic Zerise will be released in Japan digitally on January 9th, 2026. It will continue the serialization of these 3 titles and will feature Kakuibokurawa on the cover with additional color pages. Additional news and updates will be posted on their Twitter (X) account, @zerise_comic.