The wave of manga cancellations in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine hits one of the most promising series of the year, Kaedegami by Jun Harukawa. Although the manga didn’t have the initial popularity compared to Kagurabachi and Ichi the Witch, it had a strong start, with many praising the concept and the gorgeous art style. However, as the interest around the series died down shortly after its debut, WSJ wasted no time in axing the series even before it released its first volume. Usually, the grounds for cancellation are when the manga volumes fail to bring profits to the publisher, but prematurely ending a series isn’t unheard of either. The manga’s discontinuation sparked dissatisfaction among readers who were looking forward to how the story unfolded.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Kaedegami was the first serialized manga by Harukawa, who promised to return to the magazine again with a new series, although there hasn’t been an official confirmation so far. Since the manga ended in only 17 chapters, it will be released in two volumes, and the first one has already unveiled its stunning cover. The volume will be released on November 4th, 2025, but only in Japan. There hasn’t been any announcement regarding the English release date, and it’s unclear if it will be released internationally after the way it was abruptly axed.
Kaedegami Had Potential in the Beginning, But It Didn’t Get a Chance
Since ancient times, mankind has feared Shenguai, mysterious monsters who abduct and eat humans, and whose very existence defies all reason. The story follows a young orphan, Kou, who was abandoned by his father in the woods and continues to live there. He often goes into town to restock daily supplies and notices the locals pitying him since they think he lives all alone in the mountains. However, no one knows that he has been living with Chiyou, a Shenguai god of war, since his childhood, who showed up in front of him several years ago.
Plagued by loneliness, the two form an unshakable bond over the years as they find solace in each other’s company, despite knowing what it would mean for the rest of the world if they found out a human and a Shenguai were living together. It took Kou several years to find out that Chiyou lost her body a long time ago after being defeated in a fight, and now she lives in misery. Despite her intentions to use Kou to steal his body as a means to survive, Chiyou grew fond of him and decided it was best to leave once the truth was out. However, after learning about her horrible past, Kou is determined to save her at all costs.
The manga had an incredible debut, with most of the comments filled with positive reviews. Kaedegami is available to read on the official Manga Plus app. Although the release date of Volume 2 hasn’t been unveiled, it will most likely be out three months after the first volume’s release. Weekly Shonen Jump series usually release new volumes each quarter in Japan, after which they are translated and distributed internationally based on demand and the series’ popularity.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Warner Bros. Animation / Cartoon Network Studios -
Image courtesy of The CW. -
Image Courtesy of Disney+ -
Image Courtesy of Shueisha
