Manga artist Kouji Seo announced on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, that his romantic comedy series, The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses (Megami no Café Terrace), will continue with an irregular serialization schedule. This announcement follows the manga’s conclusion of its regular serialization in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine in November 2025.
The End of Regular Serialization and a New Beginning
The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses concluded its regular run in the 49th issue of Weekly Shōnen Magazine on November 5, 2025, marking the end of its approximately four-and-a-half-year serialization. The manga, which began in February 2021, has been compiled into 21 tankōbon volumes as of October 2025, with the 22nd and final volume slated to ship on January 16, 2026.
The decision to move to irregular serialization comes as Seo prepares to launch a new romantic comedy manga titled Ano Shima no Umine-sō (Umine Boarding House on That Island). This new series is set to debut in Weekly Shōnen Magazine‘s seventh issue of 2026, scheduled for January 14, 2026. A mini-chapter of The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses was published in the combined second and third issue of Weekly Shōnen Magazine on December 10, 2025, bridging the gap to the new phase of the series.
Plot and Popularity of The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses
The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses follows Hayato Kasukabe, who, after his grandmother’s passing, returns to his family’s struggling café with the intention of selling it. However, he discovers five young women who were living there under his grandmother’s care and considered themselves her family. Convinced by their passion to keep the café open, Hayato decides to re-open it, embarking on a new life managing the seaside shop with the five “goddesses.”
The series quickly garnered a dedicated fanbase, surpassing one million copies in print by April 2023. Its popularity led to an anime television series adaptation produced by Tezuka Productions, with the first season airing from April to June 2023, and a second season airing from July to September 2024. Crunchyroll streamed both seasons as they aired. Kodansha USA Publishing has been releasing the manga digitally in English since September 2022.
Kouji Seo’s Legacy in Romantic Comedy Manga
Kouji Seo is a well-known name in the manga industry, particularly recognized for his romantic comedy and drama series often serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Born in Shobara, Hiroshima, Seo debuted in 1996 with the one-shot “Half & Half”. His works frequently blend sports and high school romance, drawing from his own experiences as a member of his high school’s track and field team and his love for baseball.
Some of his other notable works include:
Suzuka (2004-2007)
A romantic sports manga that follows Yamato Akitsuki as he moves to Tokyo and falls for the high jumper Suzuka Asahina. The series focused on track and field and was a significant hit, inspiring an anime adaptation.
A Town Where You Live (Kimi no Iru Machi) (2008-2014)
This manga explored a more dramatic and intricate romantic storyline, following Haruto Kirishima and Yuzuki Eba. It ran for 27 volumes and also received a television anime adaptation and several original video anime volumes.
Fuuka (2014-2018)
Serving as a sequel to Suzuka, Fuuka blended romance with music, following Yuu Haruna and the band he forms with Fuuka Akitsuki. The series ran for 20 volumes and was adapted into an anime.
Hitman (2018-2021)
A romantic comedy that delves into the manga industry itself, following an editor’s journey to make an aspiring manga artist the number one in Japan. This series ran for 13 volumes.
Seo’s consistent output and ability to craft engaging romantic narratives have cemented his place as a prominent figure in the genre. The transition of The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses to an irregular schedule and the simultaneous launch of a new series demonstrate Seo’s continued dedication to creating fresh stories for his audience.
