Houbunsha announced on Friday that Minori Chigusa‘s Convenient Semi-Friend manga will reach its “grand finale” in the October issue of Houbunsha‘s Manga Time Kirara magazine on September 9.

Yen Press publishes the series in English and describes the story:

“What if we became friends with benefits…?” Suuna, a gloomy high school student, leaves home to live in a dorm. But when she nervously enters her room, she finds her roommate, Ruka, feeling up another girl! She finds out Ruka needs a “friend with benefits,” so Suuna takes charge and proposes they form a “(semi) friends with benefits” contract…?

The series first featured as a guest miniseries in Houbunsha‘s Manga Time Kirara in the March to May issues in 2023 before launching as a regular series from the June issue onwards. Houbunsha shipped the fourth compiled book volume on April 27. Yen Press shipped the second volume on November 25 and will ship the third volume in January 2027.

Source: Manga Time Kirara

The official X/Twitter account for the television anime of Nakashiwo and Noriko Ueno‘s Little Mouse’s Red Vest (Nezumi-kun no Chokki or literally, Nezumi-kun’s Vest) picture book series announced on Monday that the anime will have a second season that will premiere on the NHK Educational channel on October 3 at 9:30 a.m. (October 2 at 8:30 p.m. EDT). Kenjirō Tsuda and Mamiko Noto will return as cast members for the second season.

The picture books center on the titular mouse Nezumi-kun, who wears a signature red vest. The Tobidasu Ehon 3D movie featured the character in 2010.

Kenjirō Tsuda voices Nezumi-kun in the anime, while Mamiko Noto voices Nemi-chan. Besides these two roles, the two voice actors are also voicing every other character in the show.

Nobuyoshi Habara (Fafner, Broken Blade, Star Blazers 2202, My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s) is directing the anime at Creadom8. Kanemori Yasuda is the character designer and CG director.

The first season of the anime premiered on NHK Educational on April 4, and the 13th and final episode of the first season aired on June 27.

The book series began in 1974 with Nezumi-kun no Chokki, with the series now having 43 volumes with over 5 million copies in print. Nakashiwo writes the story, while Noriko Ueno, who died on February 28, 2019, drew the illustrations.

Sources: Little Mouse’s Red Vest anime’s X/Twitter account, Comic Natalie

Manga creator Masamichi Sato announced on Kodansha‘s Comic Days platform on Saturday that the Quality Assurance in Another World manga will go on an extended hiatus as they focus on recovering from being hospitalized for a hernia. The manga will return at a later date to be announced.

Kodansha USA publishes the series in English and describes the story:

You think you’re living a quiet life in the countryside. Then, one day, a dragon shows up, and everything changes—not because of the fire-breathing serpent, but because of Haga, the man who shows up and “debugs” the situation. Can it be that your life is nothing like what you thought? And what, exactly, is “QA?” A thrilling isekai action fantasy from a fresh, new perspective!

Kodansha USA Publishing is releasing the manga digitally and in print. The ongoing manga launched on Kodansha‘s Comic Days service in 2020. Kodansha is shipping the 18th compiled book volume in Japanese on Monday. Kodansha USA will release the 17th volume on August 18.

The television anime premiered on the Animeism B2 block on TBS, MBS, and BS-TBS in July 2024. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired, and is also streaming an English dub. 

Source: Comic Days