On July 31,
it was revealed that the manga Phantom of the Idol (Kami Kuzu
Idol), created by Hijiki Isoflavone, will reach its conclusion with
the tenth compilation volume, which is scheduled to be published
sometime in 2026.
Kodansha
USA Publishing has
the rights to the manga in English, and describes it as a story starring Yuuya,
one half of the male pop duo ZINGS. While his partner gives
maximum effort in each performance, Yuuya is lazy, dances reluctantly and
treats his fans badly, so his career as an idol is on the verge of collapse.
However, her life takes a turn when she meets Asahi Mogami, an
energetic singer... who has been dead for a year. From then on, Yuuya accepts
being possessed by his spirit in order to triumph on stage.
A story
that mixes everything
This
peculiar manga debuted in December 2017 in Ichijinsha's Comic
Zero Sum magazine. Since then, he has conquered readers with his
irreverent humor and his original mix of the paranormal with the world of
entertainment.
To
date, nine volumes have been released, and the seventh was
published in English by Kodansha USA on April 23. With the
announcement of its tenth and final volume, fans are already preparing to say
goodbye to this eccentric story of idols, ghosts and second chances.
It also
had an anime adaptation
The manga's
popularity led to the production of an anime series that
premiered in July 2022. This adaptation was licensed by an anime
platform, and it was broadcast with English subtitles and dubbing,
which helped expand its international reach.
With its
end in sight, Phantom of the Idol says goodbye as a unique
work within the idol genre, leaving a mark with its mix of absurd humor,
criticism of the world of show business and an endearing story of post-mortem
redemption.
