Golden Week Enthusiasm in Japan: Hit Series Like Medalist and Ikoku Nikki Open for Free Access!
The Golden Week holiday, which is awaited with great excitement every year in Japan and began on April 29, has arrived with tremendous opportunities for manga lovers this year as well. The digital manga platform Comic Seymour announced that it will offer many popular series completely free of charge on a daily basis from April 29 to May 10 as part of its massive campaign called "Baku-Toku SALE." Among the most notable titles in the campaign are the award-winning sports drama Medalist and the emotionally profound Ikoku Nikki.
Written by Tsurumaikada and serialized in Monthly Afternoon magazine, Medalist handles the world of figure skating with striking realism. The series, which topped the "Best General Manga" category at both the Kodansha Manga Awards and the Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2024, is currently making waves in the anime world. While the second season of the anime, produced by Studio ENGI, will meet viewers in January 2026, producers have already announced that a sequel film is on the way for 2027. This free access opportunity is an unmissable chance for those who have not yet started the inspiring journey of Inori and her coach Tsukasa toward the world stage.
Another heavyweight of the campaign, Ikoku Nikki (Journal with Witch), is considered a masterpiece by Tomoko Yamashita. The manga, which concluded with its 11th volume in 2023, tells the touching story of an antisocial writer named Makio and her orphaned niece Asa living under the same roof. Following the live-action film in 2024, a 13-episode anime adaptation by Studio Shuka was released in early 2026 to great acclaim. Having frequently appeared at the top of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! lists during its run in Feel Young magazine, this series handles the complexity of human relationships and the grieving process in the most sincere way.
Golden Week celebrations are not limited to Comic Seymour. The Hana to Yume+ platform also opened the legendary mangaka Izumi Kawahara's classic figure skating manga Gin no Romantic... Wahaha for free access for two days between April 29 and May 1. This holiday period, which begins with Showa Day in Japan and covers national holidays such as Children's Day, has become a time when publishers offer their most aggressive discounts and free content to reach new audiences. For manga enthusiasts, this ten-day period continues to be the most productive time of the year to enrich their libraries and discover cult series.
