The creative team behind the long-running Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World is returning with a new project. Author Keiichi Sigsawa and illustrator Kouhaku Kuroboshi will launch Drifted: John Smith no Edo Hyouryuu Kitan on November 10 under the Dengeki Bunko imprint. The series is built upon an original concept provided by mobile game developer coly.
The narrative follows John Smith, an American soldier who washes ashore in late Edo-period Japan. After being granted the name Sumisu Jion and samurai status by Shogun Tokugawa Ienari, Smith is charged with recovering modern firearms that have appeared due to mysterious temporal distortions. His mission is further complicated by a supernatural landscape populated by sorcerers, spirits, and superhuman ninja, all while he attempts to find a way back to his family.
Sigsawa and Kuroboshi have maintained a prolific partnership since the debut of Kino's Journey in 2000, which saw its 24th volume published in September 2025. While their previous work is celebrated for its philosophical, episodic travelogue structure, Drifted appears to lean into a more serialized historical fantasy framework.
Given the involvement of a game developer in the conceptual stage, it is worth watching whether this project is intended for a broader multimedia rollout. With the first volume arriving in November, readers will soon see if the duo's signature style translates to this high-concept historical setting.
