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Gundam Thunderbolt Manga Resumes, Ohtagaki Changes Art Style

Yasuo Ohtagaki resumed his Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt manga in the first 2019 issue of Shogakukan's Big Comic Superior magazine on Friday.

Ohtagaki put the manga on hiatus in September due to tenosynovitis (inflammation surrounding the tendons). In a message accompanying the manga's resumption, Ohtagaki noted due to the worsening symptoms, he has been unable to draw small details using his dominant left hand, and it may be difficult to maintain the quality level of the manga.

He continued that he will change his drawing style so as not to worsen the condition of his left hand. While he acknowledged that fans of his style will likely have a mixed reception to his new style, he noted that it was the only way for him to keep drawing manga.

The manga's story is set in the same One Year War in UC 0079 as the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. It begins with the battles between two ace pilots of the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation at the "Thunderbolt Sector," a shoal zone with numerous wrecks of space colonies and warships.

Ohtagaki launched the manga in Big Comic Superior in March 2012, and Shogakukan published the 12th compiled book volume on July 30. Viz Media published the manga's ninth volume in English on November 20. The manga inspired two original net anime series, each of which received a compilation film. Ohtagaki also drew a Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt Gaiden spinoff manga.

Ohtagaki created the Moonlight Mile manga, which inspired a 2007 television anime. ADV Films (and later FUNimation Entertainment) released the Moonlight Mile anime in North America.

Source: Big Comic Superior issue 1