Creators Hiromi Morishita and Syohei, known for their work on the Seishōnen Ashibe manga, are set to launch a new series titled The Palace at the Edge of Japan (Hate no Ōkyū) on Futabasha’s Web Action manga website on December 19. Morishita is credited with the original story, while Syohei is handling the art for this new venture.
A New Narrative Unfolds: “The Palace at the Edge of Japan”
The upcoming manga, The Palace at the Edge of Japan, will introduce readers to a fresh narrative centered around a young man named Agata. Following a personal betrayal where his fiancée cheated on him with his friend, Agata finds himself without a sense of purpose. His path then leads him to participate in a project focused on revitalizing the largest village in Japan. The story will follow Agata as he dedicates himself to this endeavor, working alongside the people he encounters to breathe new life into the struggling village.
The End of an Era: Seishōnen Ashibe Concludes
The announcement of their new manga comes shortly after the conclusion of Morishita and Syohei’s Seishōnen Ashibe series. The final chapter of Seishōnen Ashibe was published on Futabasha’s Web Action manga website on November 8, 2024, with its ninth and final compiled book volume scheduled to ship on February 27, 2025.
Journey of Seishōnen Ashibe
Seishōnen Ashibe began its serialization in Futabasha’s Monthly Action magazine in 2017. It later transitioned to the Web Action website after the magazine ceased publication in February 2024. This manga served as a sequel to Morishita’s original Shōnen Ashibe manga, which ran in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump magazine from 1988 to 1994. The original Shōnen Ashibe followed the daily life of a schoolboy named Ashibe Ashiya and his pet baby spotted seal, Goma-chan.
Legacy of Shōnen Ashibe
The Shōnen Ashibe franchise has a rich history, spawning multiple manga sequels and anime adaptations. An earlier manga sequel, ComaGoma, was serialized in Weekly Young Jump from 2000 to 2004. The original manga also inspired a television anime series in 1991 and a second one from 1992-1993. More recently, a new anime adaptation titled Shōnen Ashibe GO! GO! Goma-chan premiered in 2016, with its second season following in 2017. Morishita also launched another Shōnen Ashibe manga titled Shō 3 Ashibe QQ Goma-chan in 2020, focusing on Ashibe as a third-grade student.
The Creative Duo Behind the Manga
Hiromi Morishita is a prolific manga artist, born on September 7, 1962, in Nara, Japan. She debuted in 1982 and is recognized for her diverse works, including Shounen Ashibe. Her talent was recognized in 1992 when Koko dake no Futari received the highest prize from the Japan Cartoonists Association.
Syohei has also contributed to various manga titles, including collaborations with other writers and independent works, often in the boys-love (Yaoi) genre. Their continued collaboration promises an exciting new chapter in the world of manga.
