Manga artist Matsuki Ikka, creator of the ongoing series Nippon Sangoku, announced on June 1, 2026 via their X (formerly Twitter) account that the manga’s planned update for this month has been suddenly postponed. The hiatus comes as Matsuki is undergoing treatment for steroid withdrawal syndrome, which has kept them bedridden with a persistent high fever for over two weeks.
Matsuki wrote: “The update scheduled for next month (later corrected to ‘this month’) has been suspended due to urgent circumstances. I am truly sorry.” They added, “I will focus on recovery so I can deliver my work to everyone again in good health.”
Nippon Sangoku is a sci-fi epic serialized in Shogakukan’s comic app Manga One and webcomic site Ura Sunday. The series has surpassed 1 million copies in cumulative circulation. Set in a near-future Japan devastated by nuclear war, natural disasters, and corrupt governance, the story follows a lowly local official named Mikado Seiki who, armed with vast knowledge and sharp rhetoric, rises to unify a nation fractured into three warring states.
Since April 2026, a TV anime adaptation directed by Terasawa Kazuaki and produced by Studio Kafka has been airing. The voice cast includes Ono Kensho as Mikado Seiki, Fukuyama Jun as Asama Yoshinori, Seto Asami as Higashimachi Saki, Yamaji Kazuhiro as Ryumon Mitsuhide, Nakamura Yuichi as Kaku Yasuaki, Nagasako Takashi as Hiradono Ki, Kimura Taketo as Fuji Sansei, Tsu Minami as Wajima Sakura, Horiuchi Kenyu as Toi Yayokichi, Umeda Shuichiro as Nagao Butonjun, Sakuya Shunsuke as Kuraa Aiki, Murase Ayumu as Hiradono Kei, and Pan Megumi as narrator.
Following Matsuki’s announcement, readers flooded the posts with supportive messages. Some referenced a line from the manga’s characters: “Rest, rest. Within three seconds.” Others wrote, “Please take your time to recover,” “Your health comes first,” and “I hope the inflammation subsides soon.”
The latest chapter of Nippon Sangoku is Chapter 51, currently available for early reading on Manga One with a general release scheduled for June 10.
