Masaki Andō’s Mojiponika! manga will end in the next issue of Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine on November 25, bringing the comedy series to a close just six months after it launched in May 2025. Andō announced the ending himself, confirming the series’ final chapter date for readers.
Mojiponika! (Credits: Kodansha)
What Is Mojiponika! About?
The comedy centers on Tsumugu, the son of an embroidery shop owner whose quiet life takes a strange turn when he meets Gina, a foreign exchange student with two intense passions: kanji characters and yakuza films. Gina pays Tsumugu a large sum of money to stitch kanji characters onto her tokkōfuku, the traditional uniform style long associated with Japanese gang members.
Before meeting Gina, Tsumugu never saw it as a problem that he could not read some kanji characters. But her fierce love for the written characters slowly changes that. Through her enthusiasm, he begins to discover the meanings behind the characters he once ignored, and the unlikely pair’s odd arrangement grows into something warmer and funnier than either of them expected.
The premise stood out for its unusual mix: a craftsman’s son, a kanji-obsessed exchange student, and the world of embroidered gang uniforms. It gave the series a distinctive hook in Afternoon’s lineup, pairing slice-of-life humor with a genuine curiosity about language.
Mojiponika! Manga’s Short But Busy Run
Andō launched Mojiponika! in Afternoon magazine in May 2025. Kodansha published the manga’s first compiled book volume in October 2025, and the third volume followed on August 21. The ending in the November 25 issue means the series wraps up after a brisk run, with its collected volumes giving new readers an easy way to catch up in full.
The announcement is notable because Andō is no stranger to long-running work. His previous series, Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki, ran from May 2016 to September 2022 and produced 13 volumes, along with a four-season television anime adaptation that aired between 2019 and 2022.
Andō’s Previous Hit: Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki
Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki highlighted the regional cultural differences of the Nagoya area in Aichi Prefecture, and its title character was even appointed as a Nagoya Tourism Cultural Exchange Mission Ambassador in March 2017. Crunchyroll streamed all four anime seasons as they aired in Japan, giving Andō’s work an international audience.
With Mojiponika! now heading for its finale, fans of Andō’s humor will be watching to see what the creator takes on next. The final chapter arrives in Afternoon on November 25.
Also Read: Yome ga Kuru Artist saku Launches New Kimi to Sakura no Hanataba wo Manga on November 1 and Eito Chida Launches New Hoshibarai no Chidori Manga on November 20
Source: Anime News Network — read the full story there.
