Vertical, Inc., the J-pulp imprint that brought Ring-master Koji Suzuki to American readers, has announced a new English-language rights deal for Boy, a collection of stories from actor-director Takeshi Kitano (right). Takeshi's a superstar in Japan and a cult hero to American filmgoers, most recently seen here as the blind samurai Zatoichi. His stories will be translated by Alfred Birnbaum, best known for his work on early Haruki Murakami novels like A Wild Sheep Chase and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World. Vertical will publish the collection next summer.