Ikuo Hachiya will be returning to Shonen Jump with a brand new manga after the cancellation of Ice-Head Gill. Launched in 1968, Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump eventually became the best-selling manga magazine of all time thanks to the success of several iconic series, including Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and many more. However, the number of successful series in the magazine is significantly less compared to the underrated manga or even stories that were axed for several reasons. Ice-Head Gill is one such series that failed to gain recognition from readers and critics alike. The manga debuted in June 2023 in Weekly Shonen Jump and was cancelled in November of the same year with its 20th chapter.
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While the manga failed to capture the readers’ eye, Hachiya has been working on new stories ever since, and he returned with a one-shot in January this year. Titled Showmanship, the previous one-shot focused on a high school student who also works as a manga artist. However, after an unexpected incident, his classmate demanded advice on her showmanship for her dance performance, which completely changed his life trajectory. This month, however, Hachiya went down the fantasy route again with his new one-shot titled Yokai Matchmaking Agency.
Image Courtesy of Shueisha
The new story from the creator takes place in a world where marriage between humans and yokai is possible. Jinjin, who also happens to be a poverty god, works as a matchmaker at a graveyard matchmaking agency. However, his life turns upside down when a middle school girl comes to his doorstep to seek his help. Following the cancellation ofIce-Head Gill, Hachiya went on a hiatus for a bit, but he bounced back in 2026 with new releases. While there hasn’t been any information regarding his new serialization yet, these one-shots prove that the creator is more than ready to return with a brand new series.
Shonen Jump often releases one-shot manga in the magazine and on digital platforms, which benefits not only the platform but also the creators. Releasing one-shots is common inShonen Jump to test a creator’s storytelling skills, help them build a portfolio, and even attract editors. In case their work receives a good reception, there’s also a chance of extending the story with a proper serialized manga, although that’s not always the case. Regardless, the creator’s return is an exciting update, as it all but confirms we might keep seeing more works from him in the future.
Yokai Matchmaking Agency Deserves a Longer Run
Image Courtesy of Shueisha
In only 51 pages, the one-shot introduces a completely new world where humans and yokai getting married is a common occurrence. While Jinjin is a god in name only, he is not exactly popular among humans or Yokai. He finds small comfort in his job, but that’s not enough to rid him of his loneliness. However, things changed when a middle school girl seeks his help. The manga does a great job of setting up the premise and introducing the main characters within limited pages. While there’s no guarantee that the one-shot will ever get turned into a series, there’s no denying it really does have the potential to be something better than Hachiya’s first serialized manga. Ice-Head Gill and all of Hachiya’s one-shots are available to read on the official app of Manga Plus.
Have you read Yokai Matchmaking Agency yet? If so, would you want to see more of Jinjin and Tsuyako? Let us know in the comments below!
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