Aoashi Brotherfoot Returns: Shun Aoi’s Football Journey Continues Where It Left Off
The news that football enthusiasts and Aoashi fans have been waiting for has finally arrived! Aoashi Brotherfoot, written by Yugo Kobayashi and serving as the official spin-off to the main series, has returned with its 9th chapter, published in the 19th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine (April 6). The manga, which began in 2021 but took a long hiatus due to the intensity of the main series, is preparing to complete the unfinished story of Shun Aoi.
Aoashi Brotherfoot focuses on Shun Aoi, the older brother of the main series' shining star, Ashito Aoi. Although Shun was as talented and passionate a footballer as his brother when they were children, he was forced to give up his dreams due to severe asthma attacks. This spin-off follows Shun's journey to rediscover the fire for football within him and his challenging comeback struggle to become a professional by joining the AC Ehime youth team. The story is not just a sports drama, but also a tale of a brother's effort to revive his overshadowed dreams.
The main series, Aoashi, became a phenomenon among modern sports manga, selling over 25 million copies during its 10-year run from 2015 to 2025. Winning the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2020, the series is considered one of the best in its genre for its realistic football tactics and character development. Although Yugo Kobayashi concluded the main series in June 2025 with its 410th chapter, he continues to expand this universe with Brotherfoot. Additionally, it was recently confirmed that the second season of the series' anime adaptation will return to screens in October 2026.
This return proves that the Aoashi universe is not over yet and that there are many more stories to tell. Fans are eagerly waiting to see how Shun's development will run parallel to Ashito's career in the main series and whether the paths of the two brothers will cross on the pitch at some point. It is also known that Yugo Kobayashi will begin an entirely new manga series in the summer of 2026, so how Brotherfoot will bring the story to a point before this new project is a matter of great curiosity.
