The critically acclaimed crime thriller Manchuria Opium Squad is officially returning to serialization. Writer Tsukasa Monma and the editorial department of Kodansha's Weekly Young Magazine announced that the manga will resume in the magazine's 45th issue, hitting shelves on October 5. The series had been on hiatus following the tragic passing of artist Shikako in November 2025 due to choroidal melanoma.
Continuing the gritty narrative, the manga will move forward under a new creative partnership. Manga artist Tsurushima—a senior colleague who previously worked as an assistant on Yasuhisa Hara's Kingdom—has stepped in as the new illustrator. The transition honors a final wish expressed by Shikako, who had hoped an alumnus of the Kingdom production team would inherit the artistic direction of the series. Yasuhisa Hara publicly endorsed the succession, praising Tsurushima's dedication to preserving the gritty aesthetic of the story.
The return begins with a special two-chapter release. Chapter 216 was completed with Shikako's final eleven illustrated pages, accompanied by a character-free twelfth layout by Monma and background work from the series' dedicated assistants. From Chapter 217 onward, Tsurushima will take full artistic command as Monma drives the narrative toward its planned conclusion. Kodansha publishes the series in English via the K MANGA application for international readers.
