Arpeggio of Blue Steel Manga, Takao-bu Spinoff Go on Hiatus Due to Artist’s Broken Leg
A recent update from Kōichi Ishikawa, the storywriter of the manga duo Ark Performance, revealed that the ongoing manga series Arpeggio of Blue Steel and its spinoff Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Kaiyō Gijutsu Sōgō Gakuin Takao-bu will be put on hold indefinitely. This decision stems from the unfortunate incident where the illustrator, Kenji Mitsuyoshi, suffered a fractured femur after a fall on his way home from a talk event.
Ishikawa shared this news on X, formerly known as Twitter, and assured fans that any updates regarding the return of both manga series will be communicated through the official X/Twitter account of Arpeggio of Blue Steel manga. Despite the injury, Mitsuyoshi’s condition seems stable as he is currently hospitalized and even able to watch VTuber streams on YouTube.
Arpeggio of Blue Steel manga was first serialized in Shonengahosha’s Young King Ours magazine in 2009. The series has since gained popularity and has been compiled into 28 volumes, with the latest one released on October 30. In North America, Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the manga in print, while Crunchyroll offers it online. The manga also inspired a television anime and two anime films.
On the other hand, the spinoff manga Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Kaiyō Gijutsu Sōgō Gakuin Takao-bu recently debuted in the January 2025 issue of Shonengahosha’s Monthly Youngking Ours GH magazine. Initially starting as a column in 2014, the series features art by Hinako Seta (Re-Kan!).
Aside from their work on Arpeggio of Blue Steel, Ark Performance and Koujirou Nakamura collaborated on the Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight AXIS novel, which later led to a series of net anime shorts. The duo also created the Mobile Suit Gundam MSV-R: Johnny Ridden no Kikan manga, which concluded in July 2023 after running for 13 years.
Fans of the series are eagerly awaiting Mitsuyoshi’s recovery and the eventual return of both Arpeggio of Blue Steel and its spinoff. Stay tuned for further updates on the situation as shared by Ark Performance’s official channels.
