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NisiOisin, Akira Akatsuki's Shōnen Shōjo Manga Ends in April

The March issue of Shueisha's Jump SQ. magazine revealed on Friday that NisiOisin and Akira Akatsuki are ending their Shōnen Shōjo (roughly translated, "Illness Boy, Illness Girl") manga in the magazine's May issue on April 4.

The story centers on an 11-year-old boy who hates the lack of unique individuality in the world, and hates that he himself lacks individuality. One day, he finds that everything that might give a person individuality — such as their faces, names, and personal information — have been erased from his sight, as if by a marker pen. He later learns that this is a fatal disease, and that he will not live past 12.

He rejoices, having acquired the unique trait of "tragic main character," and moreover takes great pleasure in being the first to die from this disease so the disease will be named after him. At least, until a girl appears with the same disease. He quickly becomes disappointed that the girl seems to have a more unique spark to her, and her life expectancy is even shorter than his. To top it off, he learns that the disease might end up being named after her. He resolves to kill her before that happens.

Writer NisiOisin (Bakemonogatari, Kubikiri Cycle) and illustrator Akatsuki (Luger Code 1951) launched the manga in Jump SQ. last January. Shueisha published the manga's second volume in November.

NisiOisin and Akatsuki previously collaborated on the Medaka Box manga. The manga launched in 2009, and ended in 2013. The story inspired two television anime seasons.

Update on April 3: The manga is ending in the May issue, which will ship on April 4.