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20th Century Boys, Monster's Naoki Urasawa Launches New Series in 2017
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
This year's 49th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine revealed on Monday that Naoki Urasawa (Billy Bat, Pluto, Master Keaton, Monster, 20th Century Boys) will launch a new manga in the magazine next year. The issue didn't provide any other information about the new manga.
The same issue published a one-shot titled "DAMiYAN!" by Urasawa. The one-shot (pictured at right) opens with two slightly different members of a yakuza group talking together at a family restaurant. The yakuza group is in the middle of a dispute, and some members visit a young man named "Damiyan" who has a mysterious power.
Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki ended their Billy Bat manga in Kodansha's Morning magazine on August 18. The duo launched the manga in Morning magazine in October 2008. Kodansha published the 20th and final compiled book volume of the series on September 23.
Viz Media has published Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, 21st Century Boys, Monster, and Pluto manga. Monster inspired a television anime series in 2004-2005, and 20th Century Boys inspired a live-action trilogy film adaptation in 2008-2009. Additionally, his Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl manga inspired an anime series in 1989-1992, an anime film in 1992, and an anime special in 1996.
Viz Media is currently releasing Urasawa, Hokusei Katushika, and Takashi Nagasaki's Master Keaton manga. The series inspired a television anime adaptation in 1998, and an original video anime (OVA) continuation in 2004.
Sources: Comic Natalie, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web
Update: Magazine's serialization frequency corrected. Thanks, poor yorick
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