Manga Mavericks Books Names Erica Friedman Managing Editor
Friedman's appointment brings decades of yuri and LGBTQ+ manga expertise to a new publisher aiming to release over 40 titles in its first year, signaling a focus on niche genres that mainstream publishers often overlook.
Key Facts
- Manga Mavericks Books announced Erica Friedman as Managing Editor on August 18, 2026.
- The publisher plans to release over 40 alternative, shojo, josei, LGBTQ+, and classic manga titles in the upcoming year.
- Friedman has written for Anime News Network, Forbes, Slate, and other outlets, and authored "By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime and Manga."
- Manga Mavericks Books was established in April 2025 and has distribution deals with Pathway Book Service and Gazelle Book Services Ltd.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Okazu.
Manga Mavericks Books, the publishing division of the Manga Mavericks website and podcast, announced on Monday that it has appointed Erica Friedman as its Managing Editor. Friedman will help the company through its upcoming year, during which it plans to release over 40 alternative, shojo, josei, LGBTQ+, and classic manga titles. Friedman is a longtime yuri commentator who has written for Anime News Network, Forbes, Slate, and other outlets. She authored "By Your Side: The First 100 Years of Yuri Anime and Manga" and contributed to DK's "Manga: A Visual History." She has lectured at universities and film festivals, including MIT, Harvard, and the San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Friedman holds a Master's Degree in Library Science and a B.A. in Comparative Literature. She founded Yuricon and ALC Publishing. Manga Mavericks Books was established in April 2025 to license, localize, and distribute works from indie creators in Japan. The division entered distribution deals with Pathway Book Service and Gazelle Book Services Ltd for Europe in February.
Friedman, who has covered yuri on her blog Okazu since 2002, will continue to lead Okazu while taking on the Managing Editor role at Manga Mavericks Books. She described the announcement as "officially official" on her blog, noting that she will still be reviewing yuri manga. Her background includes writing for Eureka, Animerica, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Dark Horse, Del Rey, Huffington Post, Hooded Utilitarian, Anime Herald, and The Mary Sue.
Manga Mavericks Books, launched in April 2025, focuses on licensing and distributing works from independent Japanese creators. The company's distribution partnerships with Pathway Book Service and Gazelle Book Services Ltd cover warehousing and retail distribution in the U.S. and Europe. Friedman's academic credentials include a Master's in Library Science and a B.A. in Comparative Literature, and she has lectured at institutions such as Kanagawa University and Keio University in Japan.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.