While the anime business has seemingly never been bigger, there are plenty of manga series that have been ending in recent days. Some popular series, such as Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia have released their final chapters, while lesser-known series, such as Astro Royale, The Trembling Right Hand, and Kemonokuni, have done the same. While not planning to end, one major manga series that was released in 2023 is taking a break. Said series might not be a part of Weekly Shonen Jump’s line-up, but the Kodansha-published manga has hit the big time all the same.
Dead Rock first arrived in 2023 from manga artist Hiro Mashima, who fans might know best for his work on Fairy Tail and Edens Zero. At present, the mangaka has not just been working on Dead Rock, but the sequel to Fairy Tail, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest. The current hiatus is in accordance with the conclusion of the “Academy Arc,” one of the biggest stories that has been a part of Yakuto’s life so far. Luckily, the hiatus isn’t caused by any health issues related to Mashima, and the continuation of the manga with the “Godfall Arc” is planned to begin this winter. While a specific release date has yet to be revealed, it’s good to know that Hiro Mashima’s new manga will return this year.
You might be stunned to learn that Hiro Mashima is juggling two manga series at once, especially when you hear about the difficulties of manga artists handling one series. In the past, the manga artist’s work schedule has become something of a legend, as Mashima has stated that not only does he work six days a week, but he also spends seventeen hours a day when it comes to creating his printed stories. One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda also had a titanic work schedule akin to this, though he has focused entirely on the Straw Hats.
For those who haven’t had the chance to dig into Dead Rock, it has been brought to North America thanks to Kodansha. The series focuses on a demonic university wherein the manga’s star, Yakuto, feels like his dream has come true by being given a spot in the place of learning. This premise might sound similar to My Hero Academia’s UA Academy, but Mashima’s supernatural series is far more dangerous. As for whether Dead Rock will receive an anime adaptation, that question remains anyone’s guess. In recent years, Hiro’s Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest and Edens Zero were brought to life by J.C. Staff, so seeing the production house one day tackle Yakuto’s story would make sense. However, J.C. has been in some hot water as of late thanks to issues anime fans have had with One-Punch Man’s third season.
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