The nightmare of any collector came true this week in Japan. The acclaimed original manga of romance and sports, Blue Box (known as Ao no Hako), published its long-awaited final chapter in the 33rd edition of Weekly Shonen Jump, but thousands of true fans were left empty-handed. Despite the publisher printing an extra half-million copies to prevent chaos, the volume sold out in record time at nearly all physical stores. Complaints quickly flooded forums, pointing out that speculators and resellers of collectible cards were to blame for this brutal shortage, clearing the shelves and preventing regular readers from keeping this historic conclusion as a paper souvenir.

In the midst of the intense drama over sold-out magazines, mangaka Kouji Miura decided to speak out, but his message ended up making the community laugh. After deeply thanking the unconditional support he received during all these years of uninterrupted serialization, the author used the spotlight to launch a funny job plea. With great honesty, Miura asked any interested company to contact the editorial department immediately, concluding with a direct “please give me a job… freedom is scary.” Used to the demanding schedules of the manga industry, the sudden free time left him disoriented, though his followers quickly filled him with warm messages demanding he take advantage of this break to rest and take care of his physical health.

Although the story has closed its cycle in print format, there is still plenty of content to enjoy within this massive franchise. For fans who already have a reserved spot on their bookshelf, the twenty-eighth and final compiled volume is scheduled for release on December 4, 2026. Additionally, the committee behind its spectacular animated adaptation does not plan to slow down in the short term, as the long-awaited second season will land on our screens in October, guaranteeing that the emotional legacy of Taiki and Chinatsu will remain extremely alive in the coming months.

Seeing the curious anxiety Japanese authors suffer when facing free time after years of exploitation on their drawing boards, do you think major Japanese publishers should require their talents to take long vacation periods before allowing them to start a new story?