DAN DOH!! artist Daichi Banjou reported on his current struggle with cancer on social media last Wednesday, “My PET [Positron Emission Tomography] scan detected several cancerous recurrences after my surgery. (T^T)” Banjou added that further surgeries were not a practical option, and he will have to decide whether to undergo chemotherapy. However, the manga artist lamented that the cancer patients he knew who had underwent chemotherapy all still fell ill and passed away.

The manga illustrator added that he hopes his life would continue without any major issues. Banjou noted one set of cancerous cells are near a “dangerous area” and if left untreated would lead to difficulties. He further wrote, “But since I’m struggling with post-op pain and difficult rehabilitation, if I remain hospitalized and battle the side effects, I’ll run out of energy to draw manga.”

On the pain following his surgery, Banjou said, “I don’t want to experience the excruciating pain I felt after my cancer surgery.” He also emphasized he is less scared of dying than experiencing that level of pain again: “Do you understand? Those hellish weeks of sleepless nights because I was suffering agonizing pain. (⌒-⌒;)”

Banjou ended his post by lamenting, “I did all I could, but it returned. But I’ll keep fighting on.” The manga artist then likened his life to manga: “No one can replace me as the main character in my own life. You can’t let your life be canceled partway through serialization,” Banjou wrote. He concluded he would choose a life with the least amount of suffering.

Banjou made a second post to express his gratitude to fans for their words of encouragement and support. “When I was told I have cancer at the hospital, even my spirit took a little damage. But my spirit recovered thanks to everyone’s kind words,” the manga artist wrote. He ended his post by thanking his fans and supporters.

As of press time, Banjou’s two posts has received over 5,000 likes, over 900 reposts, and 196 comments.

Banjou announced he had been diagnosed with cancer on social media in May 2020. In that initial post, the illustrator wrote, “I checked the symptoms on several sites, and they all point to colon cancer. I will get tested by a physician soon.” In a followup post, Banjou stated he was diagnosed with cancer and needed surgery.

Days after Banjou revealed his diagnosis, Shogakukan‘s Shōnen Sunday S magazine announced his Gundam manga series, Mobile Suit Gundam Aggressor, would go on hiatus while Banjou underwent treatment. Banjou resumed the manga series in September 2020.

Banjou and writer Nobuhiro Sakata created the golf manga series DAN DOH!! in 1995 and serialized it in Shogakukan‘s Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine until 2000. The series inspired an anime series in 2004. Bandai Entertainment released the anime series in North America.

Banjou then serialized Mobile Suit Gundam: Hunter of Black Clothes (Kidō Senshi Gundam: Kokui no Kariudo) or iterally, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Hunters in Black) in Shōnen Sunday S in 2012. The series ended in 2013.

Banjou launched Mobile Suit Gundam Aggressor in Shōnen Sunday Sin October 2014.

Sources: Daichi Banjou‘s X/Twitter account (link 2, link 3), Suponichi, Shogakukan‘s website via Hachima Kikō

Production company Shochiku opened an official website for a television anime adaptation of Kou Sawada‘s Yumene Connect manga on Wednesday, revealing the main cast, staff, a teaser visual (pictured), and teaser promotional video.

Voice actors Yuusuke Kobayashi (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu) and Yuu Sasahara (Shadows House) are starring as Yuuhi Takamiya and Nano, respectively.

Staff

Director: Souta Yokote (Fumetsu no Anata e Season 3)

Series Composition, Script: Gigaemon Ichikawa (Black Torch)

Character Design: Yoshihiro Watanabe (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai)

Music: Hayato Matsumura (Doumo, Suki na Hito ni Horegusuri wo Irai sareta Majo desu.)

Music Production: Lantis

Studio: Studio Massket

Planning, Executive Producer: Shochiku

Sawada began serializing the sci-fi romance manga in Weekly Shounen Magazine in September 2024. Kodansha released the ninth volume on July 16, with the tenth volume scheduled for an October 16 release.

Synopsis

On his first day of high school, Yuuhi Takamiya misses school due to an illness, leaving him isolated and lonely. His life changes when Nano, a clumsy alien from Planet Pokotsun, suddenly arrives from space with various bizarre products. Yuuhi’s high school life instantly turned chaotic, surrounded by gorgeous girls.

Teaser PV

Official site: https://sh-anime.shochiku.co.jp/yumeconne-anime/

Official X: @yumeconne_anime

Source: animate Times

Yumene Connect on MAL

TOHO animation began streaming a character promotional video  for The Apothecary Diaries: The Late Lady’s Treasure (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Bо̄hi no Hihо̄), the upcoming anime film based on Hyuganatsu and Touko Shino‘s The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) light novel series, on Wednesday. The video highlights the consort Ruoqing and the lady-in-waiting Yinshan, and announces their voice cast.

The new cast members include:

Miyuki Sawashiro as the middle level courtesan Ruoqing, who died five years ago in the Emperor’s inner palace, and whose dying wish was to have her remains return to her homeland five years after her death.

Ai Mikami as Yinshan, Ruoqing’s former lady-in-waiting, and the current attendant of Mu Qing, and a general servant of the Bi clan.

The film features a brand-new story by the original novel series’ author Hyuganatsu. It follows Maomao and Jinshi as they travel to the hometown of a concubine who died five years ago in the imperial harem, to return her remains to her homeland. There, they encounter pirates, hidden treasures, the secret of the Empress’ remains, and a mysterious boy who holds the key to the story.

Mariya Ise joins the cast as key character and Bi clan son Mu Qing. Nobuo Tobita plays Bi clan head Birō. Kumiko Watanabe plays Birō’s wife Shūu. Hirofumi Nojima plays the Bi clan’s eldest son Bisen. (All name Romanizations not confirmed.)

Kenshō Ono plays Kajadan river pirate leader Suija, while Ryōta Takeuchi plays Suija’s subordinate Eishō, and Jirō Saitō plays the late former Kajadan leader Kaja. (All name Romanizations not confirmed.)

The film will open in theaters in Japan on December 11. Crunchyroll announced on Thursday it has acquired the North American and worldwide rights (excluding Asia but including India) to the film. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment will announce the release date at a later time.

The third television anime season premiered on October 2 at 11:00 p.m. (10:00 a.m. EDT) in the “Friday Anime Night” programming block on NTV and 29 affiliated channels for its first cours (quarter of a year), and its second cours will premiere in April 2027.

The anime’s first season premiered in October 2023 with the first three episodes, and aired for two cours. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan and is also streaming an English dub.

The second anime season premiered in January 2025 on Nippon TV‘s FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT programming block, and aired for two consecutive cours
. Crunchyroll is streaming the second season, and it is also streaming an English dub.

J-Novel Club publishes the novel series digitally, and it describes the story:

In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there.

Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That’s her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao’s façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor’s favorite consort… so she can taste the lady’s food for poison!

Hyuganatsu began serializing the story on the “Shōsetsuka ni Narō” (Let’s Become Novelists) website in October 2011. Shufunotomo began publishing the novels in print volume with illustrations by Shino in August 2014. Nekokurage launched an ongoing manga adaptation in Square Enix‘s Monthly Big Gangan magazine in May 2017. Square Enix Manga & Books is releasing the manga adaptation in English. The company is also publishing the novels in print. Viz Media is releasing Minoji Kurata‘s separate manga adaptation titled The Apothecary Diaries: Maomao’s Notes on the Inner Palace.

Sources: Apothecary Diaries anime’s website, Comic Natalie

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Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. Yen Press, BookWalker Global, and J-Novel Club are subsidiaries of KWE.