Ioannis Mentzas ’94

Yani died Feb. 17, 2026.  

The son of a Greek father and Japanese mother, Yani came to Princeton from Kobe, Japan, where he attended the Marist Brothers International School. A quiet and gentle young man, Yani is remembered as a serene presence around Terrace Club, where his mind was recognized as freakishly special even amidst a sea of intelligent people. Known for enjoying reading, drinking coffee, and smoking, Yani majored in comparative literature. He embraced his love of books and followed them first to Columbia, where he earned a master’s in English and then to Vertical, a company he founded with Micah Burch ’95 that specialized in translating Japanese manga and novels into English. (There is an article about them in the May 2003 PAW.) 

Kodansha USA acquired Vertical in 2020 and Yani continued his editorial work at the larger firm, where he served as a respected mentor and was recognized as a key figure “introducing and shaping the presence of Japanese literary and graphic works in the English-language publishing world.” 

Those fortunate enough to catch Yani between books discovered a remarkable conversationalist, a true polymath, and the type of person you only meet at a place like Princeton. He will be missed.