Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ website announced on Saturday, October 3, that writer Takahiro and artist Yōhei Takemura’s Chained Soldier (Mato Seihei no Slave) manga is going on hiatus due to the artist’s poor health. In a statement, Takemura said they injured their right wrist in June — specifically damage to the fibrocartilage — and that continuing to draw has been preventing the injury from healing.
According to Takemura, they have been drawing while wearing a brace, but the physical strain of drawing places heavy pressure on the wrist, causing pain and slowing recovery. Full recovery, they added, requires a long period of time, and they have decided to stop working on the manga’s drafts to let the wrist heal properly.
The return date — with a caveat
The editorial staff of Shonen Jump+ reported that the manga is currently scheduled to resume on November 14. That date comes with an important qualifier: the staff said Takemura’s recovery is the top priority, and that the manga’s future pace will be determined in consultation with both Takahiro and Takemura, and based on medical advice.
In other words, the November 14 date is a target rather than a guarantee. Serialised manga operates on one of the most punishing schedules in entertainment, and editorial departments have grown more willing to formally pause a series rather than push an artist through an injury. Battle in 5 Seconds and Go! Go! Loser Ranger! both returned from health-driven breaks this year after comparable pauses.
What Chained Soldier is
Chained Soldier is a battle fantasy set in a world where a demonic gate has unleashed monsters known as Shūki. A special peach tree is able to grant special powers, but only to women. The story begins when a down-on-his-luck boy named Yūki Wakura meets Uzen Kyōka, a girl who has gained the power of the peach and serves as captain of the 7th Anti-Demon Squad.
Takahiro (Akame ga KILL!) and Takemura (Papa no Iu Koto o Kikinasai! manga) launched the series on Shonen Jump+ in January 2019. Yen Press publishes the manga in English.
A growing anime franchise
The hiatus lands at an awkward moment for the property, which has been expanding steadily on screen. The first season of the manga’s anime adaptation premiered in Japan in January 2024. HIDIVE streamed the anime as it aired and also produced an English dub. The second season premiered on January 8 of this year, with HIDIVE again streaming it and dubbing it. A third season is already in the works.
That means three broadcast seasons are either released or in production, while the source manga now faces an indefinite, health-driven pause. Fans of the anime who read ahead will simply reach the end of what exists sooner than expected — and the third season’s production timeline is unlikely to be affected in the near term, since adaptations work from already-published chapters.
Why it matters
Artist health has become a recurring flashpoint in the manga industry, and hiatus announcements like this one are a reminder of how directly an individual’s wellbeing can shape a series’ release schedule. For readers, the practical takeaway is simple: expect Chained Soldier to be paused through at least mid-November, and treat any return as conditional on Takemura’s recovery.
The manga’s future pace — whether it returns weekly, moves to a slower schedule, or takes additional breaks — will be decided with input from both creators and medical advice, per Shonen Jump+. There is no announced change to the story’s planned conclusion or to the anime’s third season.
Source: Anime News Network, citing Shonen Jump+.
Featured image: Chained Soldier manga art, via Anime News Network.
