New Manga by WATATEN! Creator Nanatsu Mukunoki: Barikyari JK Mone-senpai Starts on July 16
WATATEN! series creator Nanatsu Mukunoki returns with a new manga. According to an announcement by publisher Kadokawa, the new series Barikyari JK Mone-senpai will begin publication on July 16, 2026, on the Comic Newtype platform.
The series revolves around two adult women. Although the abbreviation "JK" in the title is typically used for high school girls (joshikousei), Mukunoki this time focuses on adult characters. According to Anime News Network, the manga will explore the dynamics of two mature women who meet in everyday life.
Nanatsu Mukunoki is especially known for WATATEN!: anata no tonari de yorokobi no uta (abbreviated WATATEN!). This series was a yuri manga about the sweet relationship between a high school girl, her senior, and a classmate. Published from 2018 to 2023, the series was adapted into an anime by Silver Link in 2020, reaching a wide audience. Mukunoki's new series shows a shift toward a new theme with adult characters.
The mangaka has previously drawn various short series such as Kanojo ga Scut F ni (She's into Scut F) and Bocchi no kikou. Barikyari JK Mone-senpai has the potential to be Mukunoki's first long-running series since the conclusion of WATATEN!. Manga fans expect to see the creator's soft art style and character-focused storytelling in this new series.
The new series will be published on Comic Newtype, Kadokawa's digital manga platform, which has previously hosted popular series like Gushing over Magical Girls. Fans can expect the first chapter of Barikyari JK Mone-senpai to be available for free on July 16. The periodic release schedule and chapter count have not yet been announced; however, Mukunoki's loyal followers eagerly await this new story.
