Hiroya Oku Announces Retirement from Manga After Finishing Kanki Hime

Mangaka Hiroya Oku confirmed on October 12 that he will retire from the industry once he finishes Kanki Hime, his current series in Big Comic Superior magazine. He announced it on his official X account with a direct message: "I've drawn enough — I'll retire with Kanki Hime!"

Along with the message, Oku shared an image featuring characters from his most notable works: Hen, 01 Zero One, GANTZ, Me-teru no Kimochi, Inuyashiki, GIGANT, and Kanki Hime itself. A visual look back at more than three decades of his career.

Characters from Hiroya Oku's main works in an image shared by the author.toy-people.com

The decision doesn't come as a surprise. The author had already discussed his intentions in previous interviews. In a conversation with a Kodansha web outlet, he explained his reasons clearly: "It's enough. I no longer have the energy needed to keep drawing manga."

"It's not that I've completely lost the desire to create, but coming up with a story, drawing it, and sustaining it over time requires an enormous amount of energy and physical strength. Right now, I no longer have the capacity to keep up with all of that."

Kanki Hime, the Close of a Career

Oku describes Kanki Hime as his "end-of-life activity" as a mangaka. The series, which has been running in Big Comic Superior since 2024, follows a group of older men facing a different stage of life. The author has explained that those characters reflect himself and other creators of his generation.

"I want to show how the older man chosen as the protagonist decides to live from now on. There won't be any aliens or UFOs, but I'd like you to stick with it until the end," he said in the same interview.

The series began in Shogakukan's magazine after the end of GIGANT, his previous work. Oku, born in Fukuoka in 1967, debuted in 1988 and became a benchmark name in seinen manga with GANTZ, published between 2000 and 2013 in Weekly Young Jump.

Ten Volumes and a Farewell

Asked about the planned length of Kanki Hime, Oku responded on social media that he expects it to be "around ten volumes." There are currently two collected volumes on sale, so the series still has a way to go.

Some fans have raised the possibility of him returning in the future with short stories or irregular publications. The author's response was clear: "Please, let me retire for good this time."

Message exchange between Hiroya Oku and fans after announcing his retirement.toy-people.com

The announcement has sparked a wave of reactions from readers who grew up with his works. Many thank him for his career and appreciate the honesty of a decision that, in his own words, stems from accumulated exhaustion rather than a lack of ideas.

It remains to be seen whether the decision holds once the series reaches its end. For now, Kanki Hime is still in publication and Oku continues drawing it. If nothing changes, retirement will come with the conclusion of a work he himself has framed as a farewell.