Manga artist Daisuke Hagiwara, widely recognized for the popular romance series Horimiya, is set to launch a new original manga series on October 10. The announcement comes from Square Enix’s Monthly Shonen Gangan magazine, which will serialize the new work in its upcoming November issue (issue #11/2025).
The new manga marks Hagiwara’s first original series, generating considerable anticipation among fans eager to see the artist’s next creative endeavor following the success of Horimiya. While the official title and plot details remain under wraps, a promotional image shared by Hagiwara teases a theme of ambiguous feelings, with text translating to: “It’s too bittersweet to be called admiration, and too meager to be called love. What should I call this feeling?”
A New Chapter for the “Horimiya” Creator
Daisuke Hagiwara gained widespread acclaim for her artwork in Horimiya, an adaptation of HERO’s webcomic Hori-san to Miyamura-kun. The manga, which ran in Square Enix’s Monthly G Fantasy magazine from 2011 to March 2021, captivated readers with its heartfelt romantic comedy and slice-of-life storytelling. The series concluded with 16 compiled volumes, with an epilogue chapter penned in July 2021.
The success of Horimiya extended beyond manga, inspiring a highly popular television anime adaptation that premiered in Japan in February 2021. Funimation streamed the anime, which also received an English dub. A subsequent anime, Horimiya: The Missing Pieces (Horimiya -piece-), animated stories from the original manga that had not been covered in the initial adaptation, further cementing the series’ legacy. The manga itself has sold over 10 million copies in circulation.
Anticipation Builds for Hagiwara’s Original Work
The upcoming October 10 launch is particularly noteworthy as it represents Hagiwara’s first original serialization, where she will be crafting both the art and the story. Prior to Horimiya, Hagiwara also worked on the Ne Ne Ne manga series, also serialized in Shonen Gangan, and contributed to Studio Ponoc’s film Mary and the Witch’s Flower.
Fans are keenly awaiting whether the new manga will lean into the romantic themes that made Horimiya a beloved series or venture into an entirely different genre. The cryptic promotional text suggests a narrative exploring complex emotions, hinting at a potentially profound and engaging story. The initial visual shared by the magazine showcases protagonists in a fresh style, while still bearing Hagiwara’s characteristic blend of tenderness and dynamism.
With Horimiya‘s significant impact on the romance manga landscape, expectations are high for Daisuke Hagiwara’s new series as she embarks on this original creative journey. The manga is scheduled to appear in the November 2025 issue of Monthly Shonen Gangan.
