Ten years after concluding his gritty underworld saga Ushijima the Loan Shark, manga artist Shohei Manabe is revisiting the franchise with an exclusive new one-shot. Titled Yamikin Ezaki-kun, the short story picks up a decade after the events of the original series finale. While early social media posts from the author suggested a 38-page count, the latest issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits clarified that the final manuscript spans 34 pages.
The one-shot is being produced specifically for an upcoming exhibition dedicated to the series, which will be held at Yurakucho Marui in Tokyo from September 19 through October 4. Manabe has been clear regarding the accessibility of the work, stating that there are no current plans to release the story in print or digital formats outside of the exhibition venue.
Since the main series wrapped its 46-volume run in 2019, the franchise has expanded through several spin-offs, including The Legend of Nikumamushi and Ushijima-kun in Penal School. The series also maintains a significant footprint in live-action media, ranging from its 2010 television debut to the 2022 spin-off series Saihara the Loan Shark.
Why it matters: The decision to keep this anniversary story as an exhibition-exclusive highlights a growing trend of using limited-run content to drive physical event attendance, though it leaves fans outside of Tokyo without a clear path to read the new chapter. Given the series' history of successful adaptations, it remains to be seen if the demand for this new material will eventually prompt a wider release.
