A New Breath in the Manga World: Taiyo Matsumoto’s International Collaboration and New Series Begin
The manga world is having quite a busy week! We are witnessing a historic collaboration and setting sail on new adventures that stretch from the mystical streets of Kyoto to modern love stories. The most notable news of the week is Nanbanjin (Foreign Outcast), where Taiyo Matsumoto, the name behind masterpieces like Ping Pong and Sunny, joins forces with the famous French comic artist Cyril Pedrosa.
Starting its publication on April 20th in Shogakukan's Big Comic Original magazine, Nanbanjin takes us to the year 1543, to Japan's Tanegashima island. The series focuses on the first historical contact between the Portuguese and the Japanese. The story begins with a massive man washing ashore being rescued by Shōbē, a former fisherman. This project is not just a manga, but also a magnificent meeting of Eastern and Western narrative art. It is worth remembering that Taiyo Matsumoto previously achieved great international success with Cats of the Louvre, while Cyril Pedrosa has reached the pinnacle of the European comic world (BD) with works like Portugal and The Golden Age.
On the other hand, for those who want to embark on a cultural journey, Arisa Yukimiya launched her new series titled Hare no Hi Ke no Hi ~Hannari Okami Ouchi-san~ in the June issue of Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine. Describing the traditional charm of Kyoto and the daily life of a landlady (okami), this manga sheds light on the city's deep-rooted traditions. In the first chapter, we discover the deep meaning behind the interesting ritual of a character striking iris flowers into the ground. If you are curious about Kyoto culture, this series is for you!
We haven't forgotten those who love romantic comedies! Urara Akaike started her series titled Itsuka, Otogibanashi ni Naru made (Until It Becomes a Fairy Tale One Day) in Kodansha's Dessert magazine on April 23rd. The story centers on the contentious and fun relationship between a university student struggling with the job search process and an arrogant but wealthy heir. Processing the classic "rich boy, poor girl" theme with a modern perspective, this series has already entered the radar of shojo fans.
These new beginnings show that the manga industry both preserves its historical and cultural depth and expands its borders through international collaborations. Projects like Nanbanjin, in particular, offer a wonderful example of how the artistic understandings of different cultures can be blended. We will see together how the popularity of these series will grow in the coming months and whether they will open the door to new anime adaptations.
