The publisher Square Enix he announced that the illustrator of Horimiya, Daisuke Hagiwara, will launch a new manga titled Hardly Enough to Call It Love, But... (Koi to Yobu ni wa Sasayaka desu ga) in the November issue of the magazine Monthly Shonen Gangan. The project was presented as one romantic comedy with age difference, although not many additional details have been revealed yet.
The story continues Umi Sayama, a young woman whose mother must be absent for work and leaves her in the care of the neighboring family, the Hiori. Umi can't hide her excitement at living with Shouya Hiori, the eldest son, whom she has admired since she was little. However, upon meeting again, he discovers that the former model student is now dedicated to creating adult manga. From there, Umi must decide if her feelings can overcome her surprise at Shouya's new life.
This new manga marks the return of Hagiwara after almost a year without publishing a solo work. The author is known for illustrating the popular manga Horimiya, in addition to participating in adaptations Horimiya: Piece and Hori-san to Miyamura-kun. He has also worked on titles such as Ne Ne Ne and collaborated in anthologies such as Daily Lives of High School Boys and Touken Ranbu Online.
Among his most recent works, the one-shot stands out Raise wa Bishoujo, published in December 2024 in the magazine GFantasy, and Inu to Watashi no Kazoku Jijou, published in 2013 in Sylph. With Hardly Enough to Call It Love, But..., Hagiwara returns to romantic comedy with a new perspective on relationships and emotional maturity
