The popular manga series On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance (Japanese: Kaisha to Shiseikatsu: On to Ofu), created by Shinnosuke Kanazawa, has announced it will be entering a long-term hiatus due to schedule changes. The announcement was made on Friday via Kanazawa’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Details of the Hiatus
The indefinite pause in serialization for On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance comes as a result of the author’s shifting schedule. While the manga’s immediate future is on hold, the announcement did suggest that Kanazawa might still provide illustrations or updates related to their other series, Gojū Nen-Go no Rōjin Home (Nursing Homes in 50 Years), during this period.
About On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance
On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance centers on the contrasting lives of two office workers. During their professional “on” hours, they appear conventional, but their private “off” lives reveal drastically different personalities. The male protagonist dresses in Lolita fashion, while the female protagonist prefers punk attire. The manga explores the “heart-pounding antics” that ensue when their professional and private worlds unexpectedly collide.
The series initially began as a webcomic on Kanazawa’s Twitter account in April 2023. It then moved to serialization on Pixiv in May 2023. Square Enix later acquired the series, beginning its serialization on the Pixiv Comic website under their Gangan Pixiv brand in December 2023. Square Enix’s Manga Up! platform publishes the series in English. As of June 2025, four compiled book volumes of the manga have been shipped. The series has also garnered recognition, having been nominated for the Next Manga Awards in the web category twice, ranking eighteenth in one instance.
Understanding Manga Hiatuses
Manga hiatuses, or breaks in a series’ publication, are not uncommon in the industry. They can occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from the creator’s health and personal life to the demands of their rigorous production schedules. Mangaka often face intense deadlines, requiring them to produce chapters on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. This demanding pace can lead to physical strain or the need for more time to develop the story and artwork.
While some hiatuses are brief, others, like the one announced for On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance, can be extended. These longer breaks allow creators to manage other projects, attend to personal matters, or simply take a much-needed respite from their demanding work. For fans, such announcements can be disappointing, but they are often a necessary part of the manga creation process, ensuring the long-term well-being of the artist and the quality of the series.
