Gege Akutami’s Weekly Shonen Jump hit manga, Jujutsu Kaisen, became an explosive hit after the anime adaptation by renowned studio MAPPA. The anime debuted in 2020 and continued to rise in popularity thanks to the intense battles, visually striking animation, OSTs, intriguing plot, and many other reasons. The series only continued to grow after the anime debut, eventually becoming one of the most famous manga in history after selling over 100 million copies worldwide. A huge credit for the anime’s success goes to the incredibly talented team of animators, who put in tremendous effort to produce the best results despite the tight deadlines.
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One such animator is Nakaya Onsen, who has been working on the anime since the first season. He is also responsible for a cursed spirit design in the prequel film, along with being the key animator of Season 2 Episode 16, one of the most hyped and visually appealing episodes in modern Shonen. Since his manga series, titled Phenomenon X: Paranormal Crime Files, is still unfamiliar to the global audience, Akutami recommended the manga to his fans. While the original comment was in Japanese, @Go_Jover on X shared the English translation, which states, “You can draw anime, and your manga is interesting too, I’m completely outclassed!!”
Jujutsu Kaisen Animator Nakaya Onsen’s Manga Will Make Its English Debut in 2026
Apart from JJK, Onsen has also worked on the Fate series by Ufotable and served as a key animator in Season 2 Episode 11 of Mob Psycho by Madhouse. After years of experience working as an animator and character designer, Onsen released a new manga in October last year, which will have its English translation released in October 2026 by Seven Seas Entertainment. Although the exact release date hasn’t been unveiled yet, the official website of Seven Seas Entertainment confirms that the first volume will be released in both physical and digital versions.
This thrilling supernatural crime manga follows a mismatched duo who investigate the hidden truth behind bizarre phenomenal incidents such as fire igniting without a cause, a mummy wandering through a quiet neighborhood, and sunflowers blooming in the dead of winter. Each of these unique cases defies all sense of logic and often points toward something far more dangerous than meets the eye.
The story follows Anan, a cat-eared demi-human detective who is usually responsible for mundane cases. However, her life takes a drastic turn when she’s suddenly partnered with a federal agent named Kanai, who carries secrets of his own. While the manga has yet to make its English debut, the Japanese version of the series will release its second volume on December 15th, 2025. Onsen confirms on his official X handle that the second volume of the manga will be available on the Japanese platforms of Amazon, Kadokawa, Rakuten, and Yodobashi, where the public can also buy the first volume, which is currently available there.
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