The combined 42nd and 43rd issue of Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits magazine has confirmed that veteran creator Atsushi Kaneko will launch a brand-new series titled MISH/MASH. The manga is scheduled to premiere in the magazine's next issue on September 28, bringing the distinctive alternative flair of one of seinen's most recognized stylists back to serial publication.
Navigating Modern Paranoia
The upcoming publication sets its thematic crosshairs directly on contemporary anxieties, prompting readers with a striking editorial tagline: "In the untrustworthy age of social media, AI, and fake news, what do you believe?" Given Kaneko's extensive track record of deconstructing genre tropes and exploring gritty, morally complex societal fringes, MISH/MASH is positioned to deliver a sharp, satirical commentary on modern information culture.
A Legacy of Alternative Seinen
Kaneko's return to Big Comic Spirits follows the conclusion of his dark superhero series EVOL, which wrapped up its tenth volume. Over his career, Kaneko has built an international reputation for striking, high-contrast monochrome aesthetics and uncompromising narrative tones. His previous works, including Bambi and her Pink Gun, SOIL, and Wet Moon—the latter two earning critical acclaim and nominations at France's Angoulême International Comics Festival—have cemented his unique standing in alternative manga.
More recently, English-reading audiences have engaged with his Osamu Tezuka-inspired reimagining Search and Destroy, published in partnership with Fantagraphics and Mangasplaining Extra, which earned honors from the American Library Association's Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table.
