Manga & Anime

Soccer Manga ‘Captain Tsubasa’ to End Serialization in April

CAPTAIN TSUBASA © 1981 by Yoichi Takahashi / SHUEISHA Inc.
The cover of the 19th volume of “Captain Tsubasa Rising Sun,” which went on sale on Jan. 4.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:18 JST, January 11, 2024

Popular soccer manga “Captain Tsubasa” will end its serialization with the publication of “Captain Tsubasa Magazine Vol. 20” in early April after over 40 years since its first serialization, according to its publisher, Shueisha Inc.

The decision is attributed to the fact that manga artist Yoichi Takahashi, 63, the creator of the manga, is finding it difficult to continue drawing the work due to his declining physical strength and changes in the drawing environment, such as the shift to digital technology.

“Captain Tsubasa” will end as a manga, but Takahashi has made it clear in a message that he will continue creating stories for the characters in the form of a rough sketch or a type of storyboard. Apparently, it is yet to be decided how the new work will be presented and which medium will carry it.

The serialization of “Captain Tsubasa” started in the Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine in 1981. The manga depicts the growth of soccer prodigy Tsubasa Ozora and his rivals. The series has sold more than 90 million worldwide.

The manga also released many spin-off series, such as the “World Youth” series and the “Road to 2002” series.