Caring for Aging Monsters: First Volume of "Kai-i no Kaigo" Manga Released
Hello manga lovers! Today we have some quite unusual news that will both make you laugh and feel a bit sentimental. Natsuki Koike's highly anticipated work Kai-i no Kaigo (Care for Supernatural Beings) hit the shelves in Japan with its first volume as of May 9, 2026. Serialized on Shinchosha's Kurage Bunch platform, this "office comedy" takes a very original perspective on what happens to classic Japanese horror figures when they get old.
The story of the series takes place in a special care facility called "Amida," managed by a mysterious figure named Miroku. Our main protagonist, Kuze Kannon, steps into this facility with dreams of becoming a special care worker, but the scene she encounters is much different than she expected. At the facility, supernatural beings (Kai-i) who were once everyone's nightmare are now struggling with the physical and mental problems brought on by old age. For example, the legendary Kuchisake-onna (Slit-Mouthed Woman) can no longer hear her victims' answers of "You are beautiful" because she is hard of hearing, and a werewolf has forgotten how to transform due to old age.
Natsuki Koike blends one of Japan's biggest social issues, elderly care, with rich Japanese folklore in this first series work. The author had previously drawn attention with one-shot works such as "The World's Last Manga Editor," published in the same magazine. Kai-i no Kaigo receives full marks from readers not only for its comedy elements but also for exploring deep themes such as the loneliness and sadness felt by forgotten beings as they age. The series also features tragicomic characters such as a Dullahan who has to return his driver's license and a Noppera-bo who cannot remember his own face.
