Naoki Serizawa’s action-packed manga, Tokyo Death Race, published via Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket app, released its final chapter on Friday, January 2, 2026. The series, which debuted in December 2024, brought its futuristic, brutal racing narrative to a close after a relatively short run.
The High-Octane Premise of Tokyo Death Race
Set in the near future of 205X, Tokyo Death Race plunges readers into a deadly competition where the Shuto Expressway transforms into a lethal battleground. The manga centers on Soma Hayate, a former genius racer who is abducted by a sinister organization. To clear his debts, Soma is forced to participate in the titular Tokyo Death Race, a no-holds-barred public road race spanning the entirety of Tokyo’s metropolitan roads where weapons are permitted. His survival hinges solely on his exceptional driving skills as he navigates a world of conspiracy and high-stakes racing.
Publication History and Volumes
Tokyo Death Race began its serialization on Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket app on December 20, 2024. Kodansha released the first compiled book volume in Japan on March 7, 2025, with the second volume following on August 7, 2025. The manga is officially described as a brutal death race set in the future, incorporating weapons and extreme action.
Naoki Serizawa’s Diverse Manga Portfolio
Naoki Serizawa is a prolific manga artist known for a range of works across different genres. His notable contributions include horror, action, and sports titles.
Resident Evil and Biohazard Series
Serizawa is particularly recognized for his work on the Resident Evil (known as Biohazard in Japan) manga adaptations. He was the artist for Resident Evil: The Marhawa Desire, which launched with a prologue in 2011 and concluded in 2013. Viz Media published the five-volume series in North America. He also contributed to Biohazard: heavenly island, which ran from January 2015 to February 2017.
Other Notable Works
Beyond the Resident Evil franchise, Serizawa’s other significant manga include:
- Saru Lock: An action-comedy manga that ran from 2003 to 2009 and inspired both a live-action film and a television series in 2009. He later launched Saru Lock Reboot in October 2018.
- Billion Dogs: Co-created with author Muneyuki Kaneshiro, this series concluded in February 2017.
- Psycho Bank: Serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Young Magazine.
- Sports Doctor “MAMA” (Mama wa Sports Doctor): Launched in Nihon Bungeisha’s Weekly Manga Goraku.
- Seiheki Club (Propensity Club): An ongoing manga launched in 2021 with Akitsugi Mizumoto.
Serizawa has also ventured into character design, notably as the monster designer for Yoshitaka Amano’s Gibiate anime project. His diverse body of work showcases his versatility and significant presence in the manga industry.
