Kohei Horikoshi is working on a horror romance manga that will be out in early August.
The next manga from the acclaimed author behind My Hero Academia is right around the corner, and it isn’t what you’d expect. Comic Natalie just broke the news that Kohei Horikoshi’s next project is a “boy-meets-girl horror story” titled Don’t Laugh, Shijima-san (Warawanaide yo Shijima-san). It’s a 61-page one-shot that will be in full-color. The manga will be published in the 37/38 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, which is on sale Aug. 10. Based on the magazine’s other releases, it may be available in the Shonen Jump app on the same date.
Considering that Horikoshi is best known for the colorful superhero story My Hero Academia, it would be a bit surprising for him to suddenly pivot to horror if he hadn’t already hinted at the interest. In the April 10, 2022, issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, he wrote, “I have a small desire to draw a horror manga. Very small.”
Additionally, despite My Hero Academia’s generally optimistic outlook, there are plenty of hints of body horror and deep psychological distress. As the story goes on, series villain Tomura Shigaraki gains abilities that allow him to morph his body into distressing shapes, turning his limbs into a mass of writhing fingers. Himiko Toga is basically a slasher villain due to her desire to drink blood. The Nomus are more or less zombies that have been hitting the gym, and Kurogiri looks like a ghost. While My Hero Academia is a battle shonen targeted at a teen boy demographic, there are hints of unsettling subject matter throughout.
Since the My Hero Academia manga completed its 10-year run on Aug. 5, 2024, fans have joked that “unemployed Horikoshi” is a force of nature. He’s consistently drawn beautiful illustrations to coincide with the anime adaptation of his superhero series, leaving many impressed at what he can do when he’s not on a weekly schedule. With the TV series having finally wrapped up last December, it seems that the author is moving on to his next project. It will be exciting to see if Don’t Laugh, Shijima-san continues his hot streak.