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Arpeggio of Blue Steel Manga, Takao-bu Spinoff Go on Hiatus Due to Artist's Broken Leg

Kōichi Ishikawa, the storywriter and "No. 2" (Ni-gō) of the manga creator duo Ark Performance, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday that the duo's ongoing manga Arpeggio of Blue Steel (Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio), and the recently launched Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Kaiyō Gijutsu Sōgō Gakuin Takao-bu (Arpeggio of Blue Steel: National Maritime Institute of Technology Takao Club) spinoff manga will go on an indefinite hiatus.

Ishikawa explained that the duo's illustrator and "No. 1" (Ichi-gō) Kenji Mitsuyoshi suffered a fractured femur after a fall on the way home from a talk event. The official X/Twitter account of the Arpeggio of Blue Steel manga will post any updates on both manga's return.

Ishikawa added that Mitsuyoshi is still hospitalized, but the artist seems well enough to be able to watch VTuber streams on YouTube.

Ark Performance launched the Arpeggio of Blue Steel manga in Shonengahosha's Young King Ours magazine in 2009. Shonengahosha published the manga's 28th compiled book volume on October 30. Seven Seas Entertainment is publishing the manga in print in North America, and Crunchyroll published the manga online. The manga inspired a television anime, which Crunchyroll streamed as it aired in Japan in 2013, and two anime films.

Ark Performance's Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Kaiyō Gijutsu Sōgō Gakuin Takao-bu manga recently launched in the January 2025 issue of Shonengahosha's Monthly Youngking Ours GH magazine on Friday. Ark Performance first published Kaiyō Gijutsu Sōgō Gakuin Takao-bu as a column in the magazine, in 2014. Hinako Seta (Re-Kan!) draws the art for the column.

Ark Performance and Koujirou Nakamura produced the Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight AXIS novel in Yatate Bunko — Sunrise's light novel imprint — in November 2016. The novel inspired six-episode series of net anime shorts. The first episode debuted with English subtitles in June 2017. The novels also inspired a manga.

Ark Performance launched the Mobile Suit Gundam MSV-R: Johnny Ridden no Kikan manga in Kadokawa's Gundam Ace magazine in April 2010, and ended it in July 2023 after 13 years. The manga's 26th and final compiled book volume shipped in September 2023.

Source: Ark Performance's Kōichi Ishikawa's X/Twitter account via Otakomu