In this special mini episode of The Marvelists, Peter Melnick sits down with mangaka Sen and letterer Victoria at AnimeNYC for a fascinating conversation about the incredible rise of manga and its growing influence on comics and pop culture in the United States.
Peter, Sen, and Victoria discuss why manga has become more popular than ever with American audiences, what makes the medium so appealing to new generations of readers, and what American comics can learn from manga’s storytelling, accessibility, and connection with its audience.
Sen also talks about her newest project, Horon of the Closed Country, Vol. 1, a fantasy adventure manga now available in English from Manga Mavericks Books. The first volume is available in print and digital formats through the Manga Mavericks Store and major retailers, giving readers a chance to discover Sen’s work for themselves. {"fallbackMarkdown":"(Manga Mavericks)","reference":{"matched_text":"","prefix":null,"start_idx":1397,"end_idx":1429,"safe_urls":["https://comicon.com/2026/08/11/anime-nyc-2026-manga-mavericks-books-hosts-horon-of-the-closed-country-manga-creator-sen/","https://comicon.com/2026/08/11/anime-nyc-2026-manga-mavericks-books-hosts-horon-of-the-closed-country-manga-creator-sen/?utm_source=chatgpt.com","https://mangamavericks.com/2026/meet-horon-of-the-closed-country-manga-creator-sen-at-anime-nyc-2026/","https://mangamavericks.com/2026/meet-horon-of-the-closed-country-manga-creator-sen-at-anime-nyc-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com"],"refs":[],"alt":"(Manga Mavericks)","prompt_text":null,"type":"grouped_webpages","status":"done","style":null,"error":null,"fallback_items":null,"items":[{"title":"Meet Horon of the Closed Country Manga Creator Sen At ANIME NYC 2026! - Manga Mavericks","url":"https://mangamavericks.com/2026/meet-horon-of-the-closed-country-manga-creator-sen-at-anime-nyc-2026/?utm_source=chatgpt.com","attribution":"Manga Mavericks","pub_date":1787184000,"snippet":"","attribution_segments":null,"supporting_websites":[{"title":"Anime NYC 2026: Manga Mavericks Books Hosts ‘Horon Of The Closed Country’ Manga Creator Sen – COMICON","url":"https://comicon.com/2026/08/11/anime-nyc-2026-manga-mavericks-books-hosts-horon-of-the-closed-country-manga-creator-sen/?utm_source=chatgpt.com","pub_date":null,"snippet":"","attribution":"COMICON"}],"refs":[{"turn_index":0,"ref_type":"search","ref_index":1},{"turn_index":0,"ref_type":"search","ref_index":6}],"hue":null,"attributions":null}]},"showLoginRequiredCard":false}
From the growing popularity of manga in the West to the changing landscape of the comics industry, this special AnimeNYC conversation offers plenty of insight into where comics are headed—and what American creators can take away from manga’s success.
Tune in for this special AnimeNYC edition of The Marvelists!
