Digital manga platform Omoi announced at its Otakon 2026 industry panel that it has secured the rights to the seminal shojo crime thriller Sukeban Deka. The series, created by the late Shinji Wada, will be available in English for the first time through the Omoi: Manga Reader app starting this fall.
Originally serialized in Hakusensha's Hana to Yume from 1976 to 1982, the story follows Saki Asamiya, a high-school delinquent recruited by the police to infiltrate elite schools and dismantle criminal syndicates. Armed with her signature steel yo-yo, Saki’s mission is to save her mother from execution by acting as an undercover operative in places the law cannot reach. The series is widely recognized as a foundational work in the delinquent subgenre, having influenced numerous modern titles, most notably Kill la Kill.
Beyond the acquisition of this classic, Omoi is expanding its library with 54 titles from Kodansha. This diverse selection includes major works such as Osamu Tezuka’s Black Jack and Dororo, as well as modern favorites like Nichijō and Blood on the Tracks. These titles are available for individual volume purchase, with Omoi Premium members eligible for a 20% discount on all transactions.
While the original Sukeban Deka manga remains a piece of 70s history, its legacy has persisted through multiple adaptations, including a 1991 OVA, several live-action films, and more recent spin-offs like Toki o Kakeru Sukeban Deka and the Reiwa-era reimagining Re: Sukeban Deka. This digital release marks the first time international readers can access the source material that defined the archetype.
