The popular Fūto Tantei manga, a celebrated sequel to the Kamen Rider W series, concluded its recent hiatus and returned with a brand new arc in April, not this fall as some might anticipate. The series, which had previously entered its “last stage” in January 2024, resumed serialization in Shogakukan’s Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine, ushering in a highly anticipated new phase for fans.
Details of the Hiatus and Resumption
The temporary pause in the Fūto Tantei manga’s publication was announced in the 11th issue of Shogakukan’s Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine. This hiatus allowed the creative team, led by scriptwriter Riku Sanjō and illustrator Masaki Satou, to prepare for the narrative’s next major development. Fans eagerly awaited its return, which officially took place in April with the launch of a new story arc. The manga had entered its “last stage” in early 2024, with its 17th compiled volume indicating that the series was on the cusp of its final arc.
The Expanding World of Fūto Tantei
Fūto Tantei (also known as FUUTO PI) continues the story of Shotaro Hidari and Philip, the two detectives who transform into Kamen Rider W to protect Fūto City from various Dopant threats. The manga launched in Weekly Big Comic Spirits in August 2017 and has since garnered a dedicated following, recognized for its compelling blend of mystery and dynamic action sequences. Riku Sanjō, a key writer for the original Kamen Rider W television series, pens the manga’s scripts, with Masaki Satou providing the artwork. Toei producer Hideaki Tsukada supervises the manga, and Katsuya Terada is credited for creature design.
As of March 2025, Shogakukan has published 18 compiled book volumes of the series.
Recent Adaptations and Franchise Growth
Beyond the manga, the Fūto Tantei franchise has seen significant expansion. An anime adaptation titled FUUTO PI premiered in August 2022, bringing the beloved characters and their adventures to a wider animated audience. Crunchyroll streams the anime in numerous regions, including North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and CIS.
Furthermore, an anime film, Fūto Tantei: Kamen Rider Skull no Shōzō (FUUTO PI: Portrait of Kamen Rider Skull), had a limited screening in Japanese theaters starting November 8, 2024. The film delved into the origins of Kamen Rider W, adapting the story from the manga’s sixth volume. The manga has also inspired a stage play adaptation, Fūto Tantei The STAGE, which ran from December 2022 to January 2023 in Tokyo and Osaka.
The enduring popularity of Fūto Tantei underscores the lasting legacy of the Kamen Rider W series, which originally aired from September 2009 to August 2010 as the 11th Kamen Rider show in Japan’s Heisei era. With the manga now back in serialization and advancing into a new arc, fans have much to look forward to from the windy city’s resident detectives.
