The debut of an obscure old classic, updates on the Darwin Jihen anime, and the massive success of OMORI.
TOC Monthly Afternoon #01 – (25/11/2024)
Moyashimon+ c01 (Cover and Lead Color Page)
02 – Blue Period c71
03 – Tengoku Daimakyou c68
04 – Leende Koku Monogatari c02
05 – Under 3 c122
06 – Dokudami no Hanasaku Koro c11
OMORI c06 (Color Page)
08 – Hellhound c29
09 – 7-nin no Nemuri Hime c61, c62 e c63
10 – Puu-Neko c246
Darwin Jihen c43 (Anime Information)
12 – Vinland Saga c216
13 – Medalist c48
14 – Nami yo Kiitekure c105
15 – Issak c95
16 – Fragile c120
17 – Tengu no Daidokoro c32
18 – Toppuu GP c102
19 – Quartz no Oukoku c19
20 – Meimeimeishoku Seiiki c19
Soshite Hakka suru Wakusei (Kiss Comic Serialization)
Tsureneko: Maruru to Hachi (Comic Days Abstent)
23 – Kaettekita Karasuya Satoshi
Abstent: Skip to Loafer, Mirai Rai Furai, Aono-kun ni Sawaritai kara Shinitai, Ookiku Furikabutte, Saihate no Serenade, Mugen no Juunin: Bakumatsu no Shou, Raise wa Tanin ga Ii (Hiatus), Historie (Hiatus), Bouken Erekitetou (Hiatus).
Greetings, black-and-white fans, dear readers. We are back for another edition of the mighty Afternoon. I missed the last analysis, and I belatedly apologize for that. End of the year, work, and college leave me with little time to write anything extra.
Besides, it’s never “just writing.” Research, even if basic, is always mandatory—following receptions, looking into sales, digital views, and reading the stories all take time. Well, it happens, it will continue to happen, and while it hasn’t happened again, let’s dive into the TOC, because it’s time to discuss the best monthly manga magazine in Japan.
On the cover of the magazine and its opening pages, we have a new/old debut, Moyashimon+. This manga is a direct sequel to a hit from the previous decade, Moyashimon: Tales of Agriculture. I don’t know how many of you are familiar with it; I only knew it by name. But after a little research, I found out the story has quite an impressive track record. Not only did it win Best Manga at the Kodansha Awards in 2008, but it also received, in the same year, the biggest and most prestigious manga award, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, in the main category.
The story revolves around a university student protagonist who has the ability to see bacteria with the naked eye, a blend of Gin no Saji and Hataraku Saibou, mixing biology with a university setting. The original manga has been fully translated into English. I haven’t read it yet, but I intend to.
It’s a successful story, but its success dates back 15 years ago, which leaves us wondering: what will its sequel achieve 20 years after its original release? That’s an answer we won’t get anytime soon.
Blue Period is our second-place holder, the flagship and leading story of the magazine. Its latest volume was released at the end of November and managed to sell 42,585 copies in just four days. An impressive result that should once again keep the series above 100,000 monthly copies, taking over the position previously held by Houseki no Kuni as Afternoon’s biggest commercial success.
It’s important to highlight the following: in Afternoon’s case, the sales of individual story volumes mean everything. When we think about the most successful weekly magazines (Jump, Magazine, Sunday), most or at least a significant portion of their revenue comes from the magazine sales themselves. These magazines sell up to 1,000,000 copies per quarter (Jump), and in the worst of the best scenarios (Sunday), they still sell 130,000 copies per quarter, which is a reasonably large number.
That’s far from the case for Afternoon, which sells around 23,000 copies per quarter—a modest figure. This means that the magazine sells approximately 7,600 copies each month, which is not very sustainable. Of course, these numbers don’t account for digital sales or other reading platforms that also generate revenue. These are gross generalizations meant to highlight a simple point.
For Afternoon, the physical sales that matter most are not of the magazine itself, as is the case with major weekly magazines. Instead, it’s the sales of individual manga volumes that truly count.
Take Blue Period, for example. The manga generated for the magazine in just four days a profit that would take about five and a half months to achieve otherwise. I think the conclusion is clear: individual volume sales are critical for the magazine, even more so than the magazine itself, which is why major successes like Blue Period keep the machine running.
This type of information and much more can be found on the website of the Japan Magazine Publishers Association (JMPA), though it’s entirely in Japanese and requires a subscription. Don’t want to pay for the information? Just trust my word without question and keep following Analyseit. We also talk a lot about sales on our Discord. End of the advertisement.
Another key player keeping everything in check is Tengoku Daimakyou, another major success both commercially and critically. With over 40,000 copies sold per volume, it’s one of the magazine’s main stories. Season 2 is coming soon.
Leende Koku Monogatari is our fourth-place contender, another promising newcomer. The story is an adaptation of a popular Japanese fantasy novel written by Ray Tasaki. Usugumo Nezu will be responsible for writing and illustrating the story, alongside character design artist Jiji.
The plot follows a young noblewoman, daughter of a legendary hero, who ventures into the cursed lands of Leende. There, she meets a mysterious and handsome archer while exploring a fascinating world filled with conflict. That’s the synopsis—it doesn’t reveal much but says enough: action, adventure, a magical world, and a touch of romance.
I’m ashamed to admit that I haven’t read any manga from this issue. Again, I lacked the time. Because of this, I have to write in the way I hate most—breaking down sales and scavenging sparse receptions of each story instead of actually commenting on the narratives.
I haven’t read it, so I don’t know if it’s good, but I noticed that the first chapter has been translated into English, which is exciting. Skimming through the chapter, I noticed beautiful art and an interesting world introduction. I just don’t know if the rest holds up. I’ll read it for the next analysis. Hopefully, by next month, I’ll have a more concrete opinion on the story.
Next up, we have Under 3, the magazine’s comedy series that neither stands out nor gets in the way. Following it is Dokudami no Hanasaku Koro, a release from earlier this year that’s still finding its footing. The manga is preparing for its second volume, set to release in December. For now, there’s little to expect.
The first volume had a dismal performance, selling just 2,000 copies in its first week. It sold more than those canceled—but not by much—which doesn’t inspire confidence.
In seventh place, with another color page, is OMORI. Looking back at the number of color pages and covers it’s received, it’s clear that the Afternoon editorial team was aware of OMORI’s potential.
The series sold 7,619 copies in just four days—a truly impressive number. What’s even more striking is its unrealized potential. The story ranked ahead of Darwin Jihen on its first day of sales on the Shoseki rankings, losing positions throughout the week. The likely culprit was the perennial enemy, stock-kun, which failed again, requiring reprints within a week of sales.
The reception of OMORI hasn’t been outstanding in Japan or the West, so it’s unclear how much of its success is due to new readers discovering the series versus existing fans of the game supporting its adaptation.
Right now, I don’t have the resources to solve this mystery, nor am I particularly interested in it. It’s better to observe the incredible start of the series, which should exceed 15,000 copies for its first volume—something increasingly uncommon.
[Translation continues in the next message due to length limits.]
Continuing:
Next, we have another perfect example of immense potential: Hellhound. Outside the magazine’s circle of big hits, Hellhound is the smallest name that stands out the most. The series, with just over two years of life, already sells more than 20,000 copies per volume—a figure that continues to grow steadily. It’s certainly a story to keep an eye on.
In comparison, 7-nin no Nemuri Hime doesn’t achieve similar success. The series sells a little over 5,000 copies per volume but still earns ongoing respect from the editorial team, which keeps it safe from the threat of cancellation. Following it is Puu-Neko, another short comedy meant to lighten the heavy dramas surrounding Afternoon.
Next in line is Darwin Jihen. The series sold 13,669 copies of its eighth volume in four days—again, a very good result. It also revealed more details about its anime, including the studio, director, and a promotional image. We still don’t have a release date or voice actors involved in the project, but at least something has been shared.
Vinland Saga appears in its usual position, twelfth place. The series is entering its final stretch and is expected to bid farewell to the magazine in the second half of 2025 or possibly early 2026. There’s not much left, but in a monthly magazine, every “little” takes longer than expected.
Speaking of little, let’s talk about Medalist and its anime. Only two months remain until its release, and most of the fandom has no expectations for it, predicting complete disaster—a work that won’t do justice to the original manga. If you’re interested but haven’t followed the manga yet, I see no reason to start with the anime.
From an economic perspective, rather than as a fan, the situation isn’t all doom and gloom. It’s far from the first “bad” adaptation inconsistent with the original material. If it does end up as terrible as anticipated, it’ll just be another among many industry failures.
We know that a weak artistic adaptation doesn’t necessarily negate the commercial potential of a story. Look at Blue Period as an internal example—it didn’t have the best adaptation in the world but still managed to double its sales.
The exposure provided to the story and the possibility of reaching new audiences remains intact. For those already familiar with the series, it’s a crime against humanity; for newcomers, it’s a new story to follow.
From the fourteenth to the eighteenth positions, we have a group of veterans: Nami yo Kiitekure, Issak, and Fragile. Among them, Issak is the only one packing its bags. It’s the lowest-selling of the group (8,000 copies per month) but is naturally ending as its story concludes. It’s the second historical manga scheduled to finish next year. Enough wars in Afternoon.
Following the trio, we have Tengu no Daidokoro, a cozy and heartwarming slice of life. The story often ranks higher, and its placement near the end of the magazine is likely just a matter of organization. After it comes the excellent Toppuu GP, a manga about motorcycles, motorcycles, and motorcycle racing. Anyone interested in motorsports—or motorcycles—should read this story.
Now nearing the chopping block, we have Quartz no Oukoku and Meimeimeishoku Seiiki, both canceled. I informally mentioned their cancellations a long time ago, probably back in the June or July issue.
It wasn’t a prediction or anything. In the case of Meimeimeishoku Seiiki, it was quite explicit, as the author frequently tweeted about her struggles, particularly during the time she couldn’t stop lamenting her perceived incompetence and the manga’s cancellation.
It was tough witnessing this self-flagellation—constantly putting herself down and undermining her abilities. The author seems to be a sensitive person, and this is reflected in the story itself. I’m genuinely happy to see personal improvement in her social media posts; she seems to have come to terms with the ending and realized that there are indeed people who care about her stories and recognize her genuine talent.
Meimeimeishoku Seiiki is an excellent story—intense and sensitive—addressing themes like suicide, depression, and compassion. I don’t recommend it for those who can’t handle delicate topics, but for those seeking a heavy drama treated with great respect, it’s worth reading. The story is being fully translated into English. Despite its cancellation, it’s a concise and well-rounded work. It could have been more, but unfortunately, it wasn’t.
Quartz no Oukoku didn’t go through similar drama, as the artist is well-established and likely works on many things besides manga. There wasn’t the same insecurity expressed on social media, making for a “calmer” conclusion. Regardless of the lack of drama, the cancellation is the same, and it’s another story bidding farewell next week.
From the manga present in this issue, we’re done. There’s nothing more to say. However, I’d like to briefly mention two significant absences—one by choice and another seemingly out of spite. First, Houseki no Kuni.
Houseki no Kuni concluded at the end of April, just two days before my birthday. An incredible story—everyone knows that, and anyone who disagrees either hasn’t read it or is insane. If you don’t know the manga yet, seek it out immediately. I’m not highlighting its obvious quality to state the obvious but to emphasize the magazine’s economic structure and the importance of individual story sales.
The manga sold an incredible 92,728 copies of its final volume in just four days (combining the special and regular editions). This final volume promises to come very close to 180,000 monthly copies, further highlighting its greatness.
Houseki no Kuni represents Afternoon’s greatest strength—its enviable ability to balance critical acclaim with enormous commercial success. It’s not a magazine content with producing niche-quality stories; it prioritizes creating excellent narratives that are always well-regarded and consistently successful.
The other absence, for a different reason, is Raise wa Tanin ga Ii, also known as Yakuza Fiance. The series has its anime currently airing, which hasn’t been the best adaptation but continues to function. The anime gave the series a small boost, with older volumes regularly appearing on Shoseki’s daily rankings. The recurring mystery is: when will the manga return? Why did it go on hiatus?
We don’t have a clear answer—only rumors, which seem to come out of nowhere, from overzealous fans without much credibility. The circulating rumor is of a disagreement between the author and Kodansha over the Yakuza Fiance anime adaptation. Shortly after the anime was announced, the author announced the hiatus on Twitter and hasn’t commented since. A complete disappearance.
We know it’s not health-related, as the author clarified this. It’s also not a story issue, given nearly a year of pause—creativity problems would have been mentioned. It might be a family issue, but that too could have been vaguely disclosed and understood by everyone.
The remaining explanation is a clash of interests and dissatisfaction with the anime—a theory unsupported by real evidence, purely speculative. What we have is just a mystery of an author who decided to vanish. When will they return? Beats me…
For now, we’re done. It’s always a massive effort to cover this magazine, and that’s without reading or discussing the stories directly, which would double the workload. In any case, I appreciate everyone’s attention and hope to see you next time—though the next time isn’t necessarily soon. It always depends on your interest and my free time. That’s about it. See you next time.
