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Spy x Family's Tatsuya Endo Draws 40th Anniversary Kiki's Delivery Service Novel Cover
posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
Japanese children's book publisher Fukuinkan Shoten announced on Tuesday that SPY x FAMILY creator Tatsuya Endō illustrated a special cover to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Kiki's Delivery Service novel series. Endo's cover art will be on the bunko (mass market) paperback edition of the first novel from February 3 for a limited time.
『魔女の宅急便』は2025年1月25日(土)で刊行から40周年🎉
— 福音館書店 (@Fukuinkan_PR) January 7, 2025
それを記念し、福音館文庫版 第1巻に2月3日から期間限定で特別カバーを付けます✨
イラストを手がけたのは……
漫画『SPY×FAMILY』の作者・遠藤達哉さんです！ @_tatsuyaendo_
▼詳細はこちらhttps://t.co/fzJB82mKpT#魔女宅40周年 pic.twitter.com/nhTI9LG3BM
Kiki's Delivery Service will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Saturday, January 25, 2025 🎉
To commemorate this, the first volume of the Fukuinkan Bunko paperback edition will have a special cover for a limited time starting February 3✨
The illustrations were done by... This is Endo Tatsuya, the creator of the manga "SPY×FAMILY"! @_tatsuyaendo_ ▼More details here https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000016.000125339.html
Following the announcement, Endo stated that he was honored to draw the illustration for the special cover. He also said (roughly translated), “It's a work I've loved for a long time, and I myself have drawn many manga with witches as the theme, both published and unpublished, so as a witch fan I'm very happy about this.”
大変光栄なことに、『魔女の宅急便』40周年記念特別カバーのイラストを描かせていただきました。
— 遠藤達哉 (@_tatsuyaendo_) January 7, 2025
昔から大好きな作品ですし、僕自身、形になった物ならなかった物含め魔女を題材にした漫画をたくさん描いてきたので、魔女好きとしてもとても嬉しいです。… https://t.co/SZrvRYZ89L
I was very honored to draw the illustration for the special cover commemorating the 40th anniversary of Kiki's Delivery Service.
It's a work I've loved for a long time, and I myself have drawn many manga with witches as the theme, both published and unpublished, so as a witch fan I'm very happy about this.
It's a warm and lovely novel that continues to be loved by many people, so be sure to pick up a copy.
In the press release for the 40th anniversary of Kiki's Delivery Service, Endo added, “I reread the novel for the first time since I was in junior high school and was moved to tears by the amount of kindness and warmth I didn't notice back then.” Endo then thanked Kiki's Delivery Service author Eiko Kadono and Fukuinkan Shoten for the opportunity to draw the special cover.
Congratulations on the 40th anniversary of Kiki's Delivery Service!
In preparation for drawing the illustrations, I reread the novel for the first time since I was in junior high school and was moved to tears by the amount of kindness and warmth I didn't notice back then. I am truly honored and happy to have been involved in such a wonderful work that has been loved for so long.
Thank you so much to Eiko Kadono and Fukuinkan Shoten for giving me this wonderful opportunity.
Fukuinkan Shoten first published Kiki's Delivery Service in January 1985. The novel series inspired the massively popular Studio Ghibli film of the same name in 1989. The novel series also saw a live-action adaptation in March 2014 with narration by Kadono. The novels have spawned a Cup Noodles Hungry Days commercial series and a series of commercials for McDonald's Japan.
Sources: Fukuinkan Shoten's X/Twitter account, Tatsuya Endō's account, PR Times, Catsuka's X/Twitter account
