Scholastic to Publish Manga Version of Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants
Posted on August 7, 2025
Scholastic announced plans to publish Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants & The First Epic Manga on April 7, 2026. This is the first time the series is being published in manga format. It features full-color illustrations by Japanese manga artist Motojiro.
The epic manga edition features English alongside stylized Japanese lettering. It contains full-color illustrations in classic manga panel style. The adaptation was overseen by a team of experienced manga consultants.
Dev Pilkey says in the announcement, "It is a huge honor to see Motojiro's rendering of the Captain Underpants illustrations into manga. His vibrant art inspired me to dig deeper, write new dialogue, and flesh out the story even further. Fans of the series will be thrilled about the new look and new content, and fans of manga will be impressed with Motojiro's dynamic style. I am grateful to Motojiro for his help in taking Captain Underpants to a whole new level and exciting format that I hope will create a new generation of readers."
Motojiro says, "When I was chosen to draw Captain Underpants, words couldn't express how thrilled I was. I had the chance to meet Dav Pilkey in Japan and read his amazing reimagined text. It was a wonderful experience to hear about his deep love and care for the series. I hope even more kids and families will enjoy the Captain Underpants manga that I had so much fun drawing. I am truly thankful for this wonderful opportunity."
There are more than 90 million copies of Captain Underpants books in print to date, with translations in 37 languages. The series was adapted as a critically acclaimed feature film by DreamWorks Animation as well as an original series on Netflix. The series was originally launched by Scholastic nearly 30 years ago with the first book The Adventures of Captain Underpants.
Image: Scholastic