Introducing GalaXic Baseball League 

New York, May 8, 2026 – A brand-new galaxy is launching in 2026. In a historic partnership that bridges professional sports, Japanese pop culture, and global storytelling, MLB Players, Inc., OneTeam Partners, and Acky Bright’s BW NYC Studios, Inc. announce the launch of the new sci-fi manga: GalaXic Baseball League. The journey begins with a manga series published by VIZ Media, the world’s leading manga publisher.

The Story

In the distant future, baseball has rocketed into the cosmos. What was once America’s pastime is now a high-stakes interplanetary competition in which teams from every corner of the universe battle for glory. Amid a sinister plot to wreak havoc on the galaxy, legendary baseball players team up with two unlikely heroes in their quest to save Earth – and the heart and soul of baseball.

The Creative Vision

This is the world’s first original manga IP that includes active baseball players, with story and artwork created by the singular Acky Bright. A world-renowned Japanese visual artist and mangaka, Acky Bright is known for his iconic “WcDonald’s” global campaign and critically acclaimed work with DC Comics and Marvel.

“As I watched the 2023 World Baseball Classic final, I kept seeing people saying, ‘Reality just outdid manga!’ That became the seed for this entire story,’’ Bright said. “At the time, I never imagined that my dream of creating a baseball manga would one day become reality – together with MLB Players, Inc. Now, I’m excited to finally be able to share this story with everyone. I hope readers can escape into an epic that brings the heart and soul of baseball to life in another galaxy.”

A Historic Collaboration

 Conceived as a sprawling new saga, GalaXic Baseball League ventures into a new frontier of baseball and entertainment, drawing on the worldwide influence of manga and anime storytelling.

This historic collaboration with MLB Players, Inc. provides a unique and groundbreaking opportunity for VIZ Media to develop an original manga series that honors the game while exploring a bold and futuristic frontier. Guiding the editorial development of the series is Hisashi SASAKI of VIZ Media, the former editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump. The legendary manga magazine is home to cultural phenomena such as One Piece, Naruto, and Demon Slayer.

“When Acky shared his idea of fusing the global language of manga with the global passion for baseball, it ignited a spark in my manga editor’s soul,’’ said Hisashi SASAKI. “I am thrilled to be a part of this project and to have the opportunity to deliver this story to a global manga audience. It’s an honor to be involved in such a remarkable endeavor.”

The First Pitch

 The saga begins this summer.

•       Digital Serialization: July 2, 2026, exclusively on the VIZ Manga app.

•       Print Release: Volume 1 to follow in October.

As the first chapter of this new journey unfolds, GalaXic Baseball League marks the beginning of a journey sure to captivate the hearts and minds of baseball fans and sci-fi readers across the globe.

Welcome to GXBL

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About the Partners

About Acky Bright

Acky Bright is a world-renowned Japanese manga artist and illustrator whose creations are celebrated across various industries in many countries. Known for his "borderless" creative energy and his talent for approaching ideas from entirely unexpected angles, Bright has become a premier collaborator for global powerhouses, including DC Comics, Marvel, Netflix, Red Bull, Juventus and Meta. In 2024, he made history as the lead designer for McDonald’s global “WcDonald’s” campaign, marking the first time a single artist designed the iconic packaging for a worldwide rollout across 30+ territories. Beyond the page, Bright is a celebrated performance artist, famous for his live-drawing sessions, where he creates massive works on large canvases using only a single pen, without any preliminary sketches, at major venues like his critically acclaimed solo exhibition at the Japan Society in New York and Anime Expo. His work is a testament to the power of manga as a universal language, connecting fans across gaming, music, and high fashion. Acky is actively engaged in a wide range of collaborations around the world, with New York serving as his creative hub.

About MLB Players, Inc.

MLB Players, Inc. is the business arm of the Major League Baseball Players Association. The Major League Baseball Players Association is the collective bargaining representative for all professional baseball players of the 30 Major League Baseball teams. MLB Players, Inc. serves as the exclusive group licensing agent for all commercial business interests and licensing activities involving active Major League and Minor League Baseball players. Follow @MLBPA on Instagram and X.

About OneTeam Partners

OneTeam is a global leader in sports licensing, marketing, sponsorship, and media, focused on the commercialization and long-term development of group licensing rights for professional athletes. Founded in 2019 as a joint venture among the NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, MLS Players Association, and U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, OneTeam builds and scales athlete-centric businesses across sports, media, venture, technology, and consumer categories to generate sustainable revenue and expand opportunities for players on and off the field.

About BW NYC Studios, Inc.

BW NYC Studios is a New York–based creative studio founded by world-renowned manga artist Acky Bright. Rooted in art, storytelling, and Japanese pop culture, the studio creates distinctive visual worlds and characters that connect with audiences across borders. Inspired by Acky Bright’s signature style and contemporary culture, BW NYC Studios develops original characters, visual narratives, and collaborative projects at the intersection of art, sports, fashion, entertainment, and lifestyle. By leveraging Acky Bright's distinctive art style and the team's extensive expertise in cross-cultural collaborations, the studio pioneers innovative approaches, setting new standards in the global IP landscape.

About VIZ Media

Established in 1986, VIZ Media is a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine Weekly Shonen Jump and blockbuster properties like ONE PIECE, NARUTO, JUJUTSU KAISEN, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of content, as well as official licensed merchandise, and is dedicated to bringing the best titles to English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Contact: Silvia Alvarez, MLBPA, salvarez@mlbpa.org

David Cooper, OneTeam,david.cooper@oneteam.com