The critically acclaimed action drama manga, Gangsta., written and illustrated by Kohsuke, has finally returned after an indefinite hiatus. The manga began serialization in Shinchosha’s Comic@Bunch magazine in 2011 and became one of the best action series of all time. However, in the middle of its serialization, it went on an indefinite hiatus due to the creator’s poor health. The manga hasn’t released a new volume since 2018, with the eighth being its latest release. The latest volume was later licensed in 2019 in English by Viz Media. Before this indefinite hiatus, the manga also went on a hiatus in 2015 for the same reason and resumed serialization after two years, even if it was for only a few months.
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Fans waited for the manga’s return for almost eight years, which is why its return announcement in April this year sparked massive excitement on social media. The announcement post shared by the official X handle immediately went viral, and the excitement only grew when the manga creator shared a special message. She also warned fans that the serialization will take hiatuses even after its return, which is why the release of manga volumes will be slow as well
When Is Gangsta. Volume 9 Out?
The manga is all set for its return with Volume 9 on August 7th, 2026. While the release date is only for Japanese fans, we can expect Viz Media to release the English version sometime in 2027. @MangaMoguraRE on X shares the latest volume cover, which features Nic and Alex. The account is known for sharing updates on anime and manga releases for fans across the globe
The art style of the cover volume is just as incredible as fans remember, as the story prepares to continue the characters’ thrilling journey. In her post after the manga announcement, Kohsuke told fans that the art style has changed a little bit too, but from the cover it appears that the difference is a positive one
What Is Gangsta. About?
The story is set in the city of Ergastulum, where crime is rampant, following a group of people with superhuman strength and speed known as twilights. These twilights form the most powerful factions, such as Families and Guilds, while using them as a means to maintain the balance of power within the city. Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown have been long-time friends and business partners of a group called The Handymen, which has a neutral stance among the factions. Together, they work as muscle-for-hire and take up any jobs necessary to make ends meet.
However, a seemingly simple job of killing a rival pimp and his prostitute turns out to be something far more dangerous than they bargained for. During the mission, the duo gets entangled in a series of dangerous events that could potentially shift the balance of power in the city. The manga also received an anime adaptation in 2015 and aired 12 episodes without ever getting a sequel due to the lack of content from the original source. Additionally, links to buy the physical and digital copies of the manga are available on the official website of Viz Media.
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