Kadokawa

Ever wonder what it's like to sell comics at a Japanese bookstore? Honda provides a hilarious firsthand account from the frontlines! Whether it's handling the store, out-of-print books, or enthusiastic manga fans, Honda takes on every challenge!

Whether it's foreigners asking for "JAPANESE EROTIC MANGA", navigating the tricky government definition of "morally harmful material", or helping a customer who's awfully "criminally organized", there's rarely a dull moment for Honda-san. The true stories of a Japanese bookstore employee can be stranger than fiction!

When you work in a Japanese bookstore like Honda-san, there are a million and one things to keep track of. Managing new releases, accounting for the revival of titles from the grave, understanding the unique(ly maddening) quirks of each manga publisher - it's enough to leave anyone bone-tired!

Honda-san is stuck: It's hard to keep drawing about your bookstore job after you've quit! But being a full-time manga artist opens new doors-stories from the publishers' perspectives, to the nitty-gritty of e-books, and even to Taiwan's book industry. It's the final volume of Skill-face Bookseller Honda-san, but the joys and agonies of bookselling last forever!

In a world where fairies are caught and sold to the highest bidder, human aren't exactly on friendly terms with the fae folk. But friendship is exactly what Anne Halford seeks with Challe, her new fairy bodyguard, though he's not so keen on the idea. As his master, Anne tasks him with escorting her through a particularly dangerous area, but with a reluctant fairy bodyguard eager to escape a life of servitude, she'll have to deal with a lot more than she bargained for...

Rush To The Royal Candy Fair!

Anne Halford is a candy crafter determined to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master - a title bestowed only by royalty - by winning first place in the Royal Candy Fair. The journey to the capital will be dangerous, however, so she purchases Challe, a handsome but foulmouthed fairy, to be her bodyguard. Anne wishes to befriend her new companions, but in this kingdom where fairies are treated as property, Challe wants noting to do with humans. Will this journey with her change his mind? And will Anne arrive safely at the fair?

Every autumn, the royal family sponsors a candy-crafting competition in the capital, and - following in her late mother's foot-steps - Anne's got her eyes on the prize. To that end, she sets off with her bodyguard and two companions in tow, but her plans go awry when the silver sugar she refined to present at the event suddenly goes missing...

An Impossible Wish Granted

Winter has arrived in the Kingdom of Highland, and Anne Halford, aspiring Silver Sugar Master, is struggling to make ends meet. Barely scrapping by with her earnings, Anne is worrying about securing lodging for the upcoming holidays when she hears exciting news. The Duke of Philax will award and extraordinary amount of money to whoever makes the best sugar candy according to his wishes! Anne immediately jumps at the opportunity but finds herself competing against Jonas. The Duke is notoriously difficult to please - who will win his approval first?

With a renewed determination to become a Silver Sugar Master, Anne aims to participate in next year's Royal Candy Fair. But first, she must find a way to replenish her dwindling travel funds. After all, even the finest (aspiring) Silver Sugar Master has to make a living! When she hears of a money-making opportunity for candy crafters, Anne heads for the Duke of Philax's castle, where an old rival awaits...

No Sugar Apples, No Silver Sugar?!

The Royal Candy Fair approaches, and Anne Halford is ready to tackle the competition again to win the title of Silver Sugar Master! However, she is in bind due to the year's poor harvest of sugar apples - and the only way to obtain the limited few is by working at the Radcliffe Workshop. Despite having had terrible encounters with the candy crafters from that faction, Anne decides to go, as she won't let anything deter her from achieving her dream. Now she just needs to find a motif for her sugar candy sculpture...

After sending Challe away, Anne is left with only Mithril to assist her in her quest to make a candy sculpture to satisfy the Duke of Philax. But no matter what she does, her work is never good enough for her client, whose patience is wearing thin. With the pressure on and no time to waste, can she complete her sculpture and reunite with Challe? Find out in the heart-pounding conclusion to the series!

Save The Paige Workshop!

Anne has finally attained the title of Silver Sugar Master, but not without paying a price - Challe has sold his freedom to Bridget Paige, the daughter of the Paige Workshop maestro. Determined to get him back, Anne travels to the Paige Workshop and learns they'll return him if she agrees to work for them. But then she's assigned the difficult task of reviving the debt-ridden business, which is close to shutting down! Set on rescuing Challe, Anne doesn't shy away from the challenge, but with only five candy crafters, and their faction's long history of set traditions restricting her actions, how will she save the Paige Workshop...?

Failure Is Not An Option.

The Paige Workshop has successfully won the right to provide sugar candy for the First Holy Festival, but the real challenge has only just begun - making all the candy before time runs out. In a stroke of luck, Anne secures a castle with suitable room to serve as their workspace, only to discover upon arrival that it is in ruins and plagued by ghosts! Meanwhile, Bridget turns up on the arm of a beautiful and mysterious fairy, who Challe believes is more than he appears. As problems arise left and right, will Anne and the other candy crafters meet their increasingly impossible deadline...?

Disaster Strikes At The Worst Possible Time!

As Anne and the other candy crafters race to finish their sugar candy in time for the First Holy Festival, the unthinkable happens. Lafalle, a beautiful but dangerous fairy with a strange attachment to Challe, attacks the Paige Workshop and kidnaps Anne and her fairy companion. But even now, when she's being held prisoner, all Anne can think about is the approaching deadline...

LIMITED-EDITION EMINENCE IN SHADOW #11 PREMIUM SET

Step into the world of The Eminence in Shadow with this exclusive limited-edition premium set. Featuring the latest English comic and a beautifully illustrated 2026 postcard calendar set, this bundle is specially curated for fans who want something truly collectible.

Premium Set Components:

1. The Eminence in Shadow #11 English Comic

Enjoy the newest instalment of the series, featuring artwork and illustrations from Volume 11

2. Y2026 Postcard Calendar Set

12 individual postcards with cover illustrations from The Eminence in Shadow #1 - #11 and insert artwork from The Eminence in Shadow #1

• Postcard size: 18 cm (H) × 12 cm (W)

• Perfect for displaying, collecting, or gifting

3. Premium Packaging Envelope

The entire Y2026 Postcard Calendar Set is neatly wrapped in a specially designed envelope featuring the official title art of The Eminence in Shadow

• Envelope size: 31.4 cm (H) × 26.4 cm (W)

• Folded size: 19 cm (H) x 12.5 cm (W) x 0. 8cm (Depth)

Cid Kagenou has a dream. Not being some typical protagonist or the Final Boss - he has his eyes set on becoming a hidden mastermind working in the shadows! Now that he's been reborn in another world, Cid has been hard at work building the perfect stage to act out his long-desired role. The only issue? His imaginary adversaries and plot devices seem to actually exist in this new realm... and his alone is left in the dark!

One Big Fat Lie And A Few Twisted Truths

Even in his past life, Cid's dream wasn't to become a protagonist or a final boss. He'd rather lie low as a minor character until it's prime time to reveal he's a mastermind... or at least, do the next best thing - pretend to be one! And now that he's been reborn into another world, he's ready to set the perfect conditions to live out his dreams to the fullest. Armed with his overactive imagination, Cid jokingly recruits members to his organization and makes up a whole backstory about an evil cult that they need to take down. Well, as luck would have it, these imaginary adversaries turn out to be the read deal - and everyone knows the truth but him!

I honestly can't remember what catalyzed this desire.

All I know is I've admired shadowbrokers for as long as I can remember.

Was it a certain anime? Or was it a manga - or a movie?

Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. I was all in for anything that featured a mastermind, or an eminence in shadow, as I like to call them. These characters were never the protagonists or final bosses but were relegated to a role behind the scenes where they flaunted their powers and meddled in the affairs of others. I've always looked up to the men in the shadows.

I wanted to be one of them.

Think of children who worship their favourite superheroes.

That was me but with master puppeteers.

When the foul-tempered Princess Alexia is captured by the Cult of Diablos, the Shadow Garden takes the stage, assaulting the cult's hidden base. Crossing swords with the kidnapper, Cid gets the chance to make his true debut as an eminence in shadow (and show off his totally awesome secret technique). As the attack lights up the night sky over the capital, all will know of the hidden powers that lurk in the darkness!

Nothing Could Be Further From The Truth

Cid pays a visit to the Sacred Land, where he finds himself getting roped into the Goddess's Trial. It's a ritual event that summons warriors from the past to engage with only the most worthy from the present. When Cid squares off against the witch who brought devastation to the world, the door to the Sanctuary creaks open, granting the Shadow Garden valuable insight into the possessed and the Cult of Diablos. That is until Cid, blissfully ignorant of the conspiracies playing out behind the scenes, runs amok!

I honestly can't remember what catalyzed this desire.

All I know is I've admired shadow brokers for as long as I can remember.

Was it a certain anime? Or was it a manga - or a movie?

Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. I was all in for anything that featured a mastermind, or an eminence in shadow, as I like to call them. These characters were never the protagonists or final bosses but were relegated to a role behind the scenes where they flaunted their powers and meddled in the affairs of others. I've always looked up to the men in the shadows.

I wanted to be one of them.

Think of children who worship their favourite superheroes.

That was me but with master puppeteers.

The Midgar Academy for Dark Knights is occupied by terrorists posing as the Shadow Garden! Faced with a stressful, high-intensity hostage situation... Cid is having the time of his life! Whether it's being the first student struck down as an example of swooping in dramatically from the rooftops in the nick of time, there's no better opportunity for him to show off his prowess as a shadowy mastermind!

The Red Moon Hangs Low In The Night – An Omen Of What’s To Come

Deep within the Lawless City lies the Blood Queen, a Progenitor Vampire, slumbering in her coffin for many moons. An expert at landing himself in trouble, Cid should know better than to go after her… but he’s dying to get a piece of the action. It’s time he shed his daytime persona to take on the role of Shadow! It seems, however, that he’s not the only one with this idea. Soon enough, he finds the three rulers of the Lawless City-Juggernaut the Tyrant, Yukime the Spirit Fox, and Crimson the vampire – are all on his tail. To complicate things even further, the Shadow Garden descends on the scene as the hour of the Blood Queen’s awakening looms closer and closer…

I honestly can't remember what catalyzed this desire.

All I know is I've admired shadow brokers for as long as I can remember.

Was it a certain anime? Or was it a manga - or a movie?

Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. I was all in for anything that featured a mastermind, or an eminence in shadow, as I like to call them.

These characters were never the protagonists or final bosses but were relegated to a role behind the scenes where they flaunted their powers and meddled in the affairs of others. I've always looked up to the men in the shadows.

I wanted to be one of them.

Think of children who worship their favourite superheroes.

That was me but with master puppeteers.

Cid is invited to Lindwurm, the Sacred Land, where a ritual known as the Goddess's Trial is held. Ancient warriors are summoned according to the strength of the challenger, providing an opportunity for honor and glory - all the stuff Cid specifically wants to avoid! If his true strength is revealed, all his work to play the part of a nobody will be for naught...

The Door Of Darkness Is Cast Open – The World Advances To A New Field

The specter of war hangs thick in the air of the Oriana Kingdom, where Princess Rose is expected to wed Duke Perv. This supposed marriage cannot and will not stand, though, as it would throw a major wrench in a certain shadowbroker’s plans. Not one to miss an opportunity for sleuthing, Cid makes his way to the royal capital to put a stop to the ceremony, but are there even bigger schemes at work behind this unholy matrimony?

I honestly can't remember what catalyzed this desire.

All I know is I've admired shadow brokers for as long as I can remember.

Was it a certain anime? Or was it a manga - or a movie?

Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. I was all in for anything that featured a mastermind, or an eminence in shadow, as I like to call them. These characters were never the protagonists or final bosses but were relegated to a role behind the scenes where they flaunted their powers and meddled in the affairs of others. I've always looked up to the men in the shadows.

I wanted to be one of them.

Think of children who worship their favourite superheroes.

That was me but with master puppeteers.

In the depths of the Sanctuary, where ancient memories of mighty warriors slumber, Shadow Garden lays bare the long-hidden truth behind the demon Diablos and the hero Olivier - all very critical plot information that Cid pays zero attention to because it's time for the semiannual Bushin Festival! Playing the part of a weak-looking guy who's actually super-strong is Cid's raison d'etre, and where better to strut his stuff than a tournament are?

Before Much Longer… The White Fog Will Engulf The World In Silence

All is well at the Midgar Academy for Dark Knights, but then something wicked suddenly draws near: The students are vanishing one by one – even Cid’s older sister, Claire! Zeta of the Seven Shadows sets off to investigate, while Cid and Alexia embark for Claire’s room where they find… An ancient script, cool magic circles, and incantations that seem important and yet don’t actually do anything whatsoever. What does it all mean, and why has Claire been talking to herself so much lately…?

I honestly can't remember what catalyzed this desire.

All I know is I've admired shadow brokers for as long as I can remember.

Was it a certain anime? Or was it a manga - or a movie?

Eh, I guess it doesn't matter. I was all in for anything that featured a mastermind, or an eminence in shadow, as I like to call them. These characters were never the protagonists or final bosses but were relegated to a role behind the scenes where they flaunted their powers and meddled in the affairs of others. I've always looked up to the men in the shadows.

I wanted to be one of them.

Think of children who worship their favourite superheroes.

That was me but with master puppeteers.

All eyes are on the Bushin Festival as the totally enigmatic Mundane Mann advances toward the finals, winning all his matches in an instant. Just who could this mysterious knight (who is certainly not mild-mannered Cid Kagenou in disguise) possibly be? However, beneath the festivities, a dark drama unfolds as Princess Rose goes on the run following her assault on her fiancé! Was the sordid affair simply a prenuptial argument gone too far, or is something more wicked afoot?

Cid's shadowbrokering fun is interrupted when his sister, Claire, drags him off to the Lawless City to hunt some vampire called the ''Blood Queen" or something. To fit in with the atmosphere of this hard-boiled town, he decides to give his normal background character persona a break and try out a new role - a young man who laughs mysteriously at the violence around him! However, the legendary Red Moon that rises over Cid's carefree head might be more than just an ill omen...

Cid's engaging in a little "fundraising" in the treasure vaults of the Crimson Tower to finance his future shadowbroker activities when he senses the presence of an upcoming boss battle! The newly resurrected Blood Queen is hosting a grisly banquet, and Shadow's not the only one on the guest list. With Cid's sister, Claire, diving into the fray on a misguided mission to save him, will she realize she's getting in over her head before it's too late...?