The renowned creators Akio Koyama and Takenori Ichihara are joining forces for a new project. The news, officially announced in the combined issue 4 and 5 of the magazine Weekly Shonen Sunday, reveals that the manga Kimi wa Akeboshi (You are a Morning Star) is scheduled to debut on January 21, 2026. This means that Brazilian fans will have news right at the beginning of next year, bringing a story that promises an exciting journey. The series follows a young girl who embarks on an adventure alongside a mysterious companion, using her grandfather’s old car as the vehicle for this journey.
The relevance of this release is significant, thanks to the track record of those involved. Akio Koyama, for example, is the author of Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san, a manga that was not only a success but also won the Best Shōnen Manga award at the prestigious 65th Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2020. Furthermore, this previous work gave rise to an anime and even a live-action series on Netflix, showing the adaptation potential of the new project. Takenori Ichihara, on the other hand, brings a unique background: he was the editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Sunday itself for over six years, until deciding to leave the publisher in 2022 to fully dedicate himself to creating stories as an original author.
The Legacy of the Creators and the Expectations
Koyama’s previous work, Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san, created a solid legacy. The series, which began in 2016, inspired the anime Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House, available on Crunchyroll, and the live-action series The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House, which arrived on Netflix globally in January 2023. This trajectory of success across multiple platforms generates high expectations for what the new partnership can deliver. Meanwhile, Ichihara’s transition from a powerful editor-in-chief to a full-time author adds an extra fascination to the narrative behind the scenes.
With this combination of talents, Kimi wa Akeboshi arrives not just as another manga, but as a project that carries the weight of two standout careers in the industry. The premise of a journey in an old car suggests a narrative that can blend feelings of nostalgia, discovery, and adventure, elements that often resonate well with the audience. Thus, anime and manga fans in Brazil have a good reason to follow the news from Weekly Shonen Sunday in the first month of 2026, hoping that this new work will also achieve adaptations and reach us through the usual streaming platforms.
