Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen (Junior High Students ) - Spin-off

[Verso Sciolto]

「ちはやふる中学生編」 is a spin-off manga in which characters from Suetsugu Yuki's "Chihayafuru" series will be depicted as junior high school students by mangaka Tōda Oto.

Moments from this time period only appear in brief flashbacks during Suetsugu's original manga series but were covered in more detail in a four part light-novel spin-off series written by Tokiumi Yui, the novelist who more recently also novelised the two "Chihayafuru" live action films released so far: "Chihayafuru: Kami no ku" and "Shimo no ku".

Oto Tōda 「遠田おと」 (Tooda Oto) debuted as a mangaka earlier this year, with 「恋するダビデ」. "Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen" was announced on September 30, 2017 with the release of Be Love 20 and will run alongside the main "Chihayafuru" series in the same bi-weekly magazine. Serialization will begin in Be Love 21, scheduled for release on October 13, 2017.

A colourful illustration from the magazine was uploaded on Tōda's Twitter feed alongside one of the B&W preview pages for the next issue.

[Ulin]

Well, I think the most important thing about this piece of news is that Chihayafuru is still as popular as ever, so I don't have to give up yet on a third season.

I don't know if Chihaya's middle school life would be that interesting, although I guess from a SoL point of view, they it will be allright.

I haven't read the novels (even if I have the 4th one in japanese, I can't read it lol) but any new projects about the story will be very welcomed

[Verso Sciolto]

Originally Posted by Ulin

Well, I think the most important thing about this piece of news is that Chihayafuru is still as popular as ever, so I don't have to give up yet on a third season.

I don't know if Chihaya's middle school life would be that interesting, although I guess from a SoL point of view, they it will be allright.

I haven't read the novels (even if I have the 4th one in japanese, I can't read it lol) but any new projects about the story will be very welcomed

I love it how quietly the "Chihayafuru" universe keeps getting expanded. I won't say much about the period the novels cover but I've found Tokiumi's take on those formative years interesting ... although I've thought of the novels -and the characters therein- as somewhat separate entities. Not sure what the relationship will be between those involved in this publication, in this re-creation of their lives. If approached as though this story of the middle school/junior high students fills the gap in the original manga timeline we may have to accept -for some readers, again- that some anachronisms were introduced with that text when compared with events from Yuki Suetsugu's own story. I'll leave it at that for now and just say that I hope Bonkoch, Haksan, Kodansha Comics, Pika, Tong Li and other publishing companies in different parts of our world, will pick the spin-offs up for translation too.

Re-posting the following general comment here too (Not originally written as a reply to you, Ulin):
"With this Twitter message Yuki Suetsugu congratulated and encouraged Oto Tōda while also appearing to be taking a somewhat detached approach again where the actual creative process for this spin-off is concerned. With the following line from that message in particular, she appears to be giving the other mangaka room to work. Space to come up with new interpretations for her characters as junior high school students - within the playground, within the world of Chihaya et al. 「千早たちの世界で思う存分遊んでやってください。」
She then concludes by saying that she is looking forward to what Tōda-sensei will deliver. That’s my impression anyway.

The way Yuki Suetsugu sometimes comments on the prospects for a third season of the animated series gives me a similar impression. The impression that she isn't directly involved in it. Anticipating like us, members of the audience. Those two seasons -so far- are the work of different people too. Morio Asaka directed but worked with ideas from different writers/animators for individual episodes. While sticking relatively close to her original manga they did all introduce differences in both seasons - through their own interpretations. Based on their ideas about the "Chihayafuru" story and its themes - based on their understanding of the different medium in which they work.

Suesugu appeared to take a similar approach with the screenplays written by Norihiro Koizumi as well. The scripts are based on his own ideas for "Chihayafuru" in live action film adaption. She makes a point of letting us know she signs off on them and she shows her appreciation for what he does and for the finished products he delivers. (原作者コメント) She probably gives some guidance and sets a few parameters along the way but beyond that she seems content to let the other creators develop their own visions out of hers. She noted that “Musubi’s” Io Wagatsuma is her child too, although she didn't conceive her. She adopted his creation.

Isn’t that the impression to take away from the four novels set in the middle school period as well? That time she provided illustrations but the story of Chihaya and friends as junior high school students was very much the writing of Yui Tokiumi - while inspired by Suetsugu’s characters. Don’t you think? How much of a basis will those novels provide? Suetsugu’s manga and the characters therein have all been developed for several years after the publication of Tokiumi’s fourth volume. How much of an influence will their additional growth, their current personalities, have on this spin-off manga?

I’m curious how Tōda finds her own voice in this while giving us a Chihaya who is still recognisable as a child from Suetsugu’s mind.

To echo her conclusion: 楽しみです！"

[Verso Sciolto]

A few hours before the release of Be Love 21, in which the first chapter will appear, an image of the preview pages for Be Love 22 is already online and, among other things, shows this manga series will continue immediately with a second chapter scheduled to appear in that next issue of the magazine, to be released November 1, 2017.

Edit to update, Oct. 13:
Be Love's Twitter feed has been updated since the release of Be Love 21. Serialization of this spin-off manga is now in progress. Don't click the following link unless you want to be spoiled by the sample pages from the first chapter, uploaded there as previews: Be Love 21 - sample pages "Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen", Ch. 1

Spoiler for comparison:

Based on the first image, Tōda-sensei references a familiar moment from the main "Chihayafuru" series.

Spoiler:

That moment later echoed in flash-back in that time-line, in-universe. (Volume 2, Chapter 7, page 44 / Bi Vol. 1, Ch. 7, p.218)

Spoiler for poem:

down to the "kimi ga tame" poem (15) preserved - very close but not in every aspect a carbon copy of the original panels ... I'm going to enjoy this approach.

[Blaat]

Isn't there some ChihayafuruL N series that take place during the middle school and if so is this an adaptation or a different take of the same time period?

[Verso Sciolto]

Originally Posted by Blaat

Isn't there some ChihayafuruL N series that take place during the middle school and if so is this an adaptation or a different take of the same time period?

This is a "comicalisation" (「コミカライズ」)*, a "mangafication", of the same period covered in those four novels - when Chihaya and friends were junior high /middle school pupils.

This manga is drawn by mangaka Tōda credited for「漫画」suggesting more than just illustrating... While credits are also given to Suetsugu -「原案」for the original idea- and to Tokiumi -「原作」for writing those novels, the original work. Some passages from the first novel are incorporated in the first chapter of this spin-off manga but this manga does also deviate from the events in the novel as well...


* in context: 「隔月誌「ITAN」で圧倒的評価を受けデヒューした、高い画力とエンタメ性を持つ新鋭がコミカライズ!! 」- and with attribution for the Japanese - From Be Love 21 (2017 11/1), page 103.

[Verso Sciolto]

On November 1, 2017. Be Love's Twitter feed was updated with the release of Be Love 22. Don't click unless you want to be spoiled with previews of this manga, a sample from the main "Chihayafuru" story or prefer not to see the illustrations for the upcoming release of "Chihayafuru" Volume 36 on the same Twitter account. This spin-off was mentioned in this message, illustrated with this panel:

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Kinda funny how

Spoiler for chapter 2, :

"Chitose has a magazine cameo too - given the cover in ... and her expressed desires for ...."

Back in October 2017, Tōda-sensei's 「熱い西瓜」 was published in ITAN 40号. The "Chihayafuru" spin-off manga is mentioned in the margins on the title page, the single page pictured, from the start of that story.

Edit Nov. 13:
"Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen" Chapter 3 is listed among the contents for Be Love 24, scheduled for release on December 1, 2017.

Nov. 28:
... and the next chapter after that is listed among the contents for the first issue of 2018 as well - alongside the resumption of "Chihayafuru" - scheduled for release on December 15, 2017.

[Verso Sciolto]

December 1, 2017 - Be Love 24 is out. The usual warnings apply. Tantalising previews have been uploaded to Be Love magazine's Twitter account for this series' third chapter too. Always tricky, presenting announcements. More to come.

[Verso Sciolto]

Twitter exchanges on December 15, 2017. Yuki Suetsugu, taking a moment to thumb through Be Love 1, to post an image and complimentary remarks regarding the title page of Tōda-sensei's fourth instalment in the junior high spin-off manga:

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... all those cards.

[Verso Sciolto]

Skipping Chihayafuru's 10th anniversary issue of Be Love, this spin-off will resume in Be Love 3, release date January 15, 2018. No chapter but Oto Tōda is among the mangaka who contributed a page (p.70) for the Chihayafuru tribute.

Oto Tōda on Twitter (Jan. 1, 2018).

[Verso Sciolto]

Be Love three still to come in about three days. After that ... we've indeed been awaiting this announcement for this series found in Be Love's preview pages. Thus coinciding with the release of volume 37. The fourth issue of the magazine itself scheduled for release on February 1.

Edit:
Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen chapter 5 sample pages from Be Love 3, released three days ago, on January 15, 2018.

[Verso Sciolto]

Be Love 4, cover preview images for the digital edition, from Amazon Japan's Kindle store, and for the print edition, from Be Love magazine's website for the issue:

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The announced first tankōbon volume, February 13, 2018 release date, is mentioned on the cover of this magazine issue as well. The cover illustration for volume one itself has since been revealed in preview images for online bookstores. Sample from Bookwalker:

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Sample pages for chapter 6 of this spin-off manga series have been uploaded to Be Love's Twtter feed: Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen 6.

[Verso Sciolto]

Coinciding with the release of Chihayafuru volume 37, the first volume was released digitally and in print at midnight today. The Kodansha website for the book gives access to preview pages. On that page click: [試し読みする]
The volume contains six chapters.

Yugi Suetsugu, commented on the publication of Chihayafuru Volume 37 coinciding with the release of this first volume in Oto Tōda's spin-off manga and attached an image -of the front this time- with obi, via Twitter.


Be Love 5 will not have a chapter of this spin-off manga. The next chapter is scheduled for Be Love 6 (to released March 1).

[Verso Sciolto]

Be Love 7 contained a chapter of both ongoing series but there is no new chapter in either manga inside Be Love 8, released earlier today. Oto Tōda-sensei's special report-manga for the Musubi film is, however, among the Chihayafuru related content published in this latest magazine issue, print and digital.

Also today, Yuki Suetsugu is conducting signing sessions in Tokyo, as part of the special program arranged for her exhibition tour, Chihayafuru World.

On April 13 the spin-off manga is scheduled to resume in Be Love 9. The Chihayafuru manga is scheduled to return, on May 1st, in Be Love 10 (2018).

[Verso Sciolto]

Originally Posted by Ulin

[...]
I haven't read the novels (even if I have the 4th one in japanese, I can't read it lol) but any new projects about the story will be very welcomed

I'm not sure if the survey linked can only be used for requesting English translations of manga or also for requesting the publication of translated novels but the following question was posted on the "Digital First" page of Kodansha Comics' website, as well as their Twitter feed:

"Wanna see our digital-first manga in print? Any other manga you want Kodansha Comics to publish? Take this survey!"

... where they link to a survey form, on which Chihayafuru is among the options in the drop-down menu. The survey form also has a section where titles can be written which are not listed. Yesterday I submitted a form on which I had added Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen as a write in. Hopefully Kodansha will consider the manga - as well as the novels/novelizations for this.

[Verso Sciolto]

Be Love 10, cover image and contents previews from Be Love magazine's website. As of today available in stores where the magazine is usually for sale.

Serialisation of the Chihayafuru manga resumes (Ch. 198), the Chihayafuru: Chūgakusei-hen manga continues (Ch. 10), in this 10th issue of the magazine for 2018. Print and eText.

No Chihayafuru related content is listed in the preview for Be Love 11, scheduled to be released May 15. After a brief hiatus, the two manga series are scheduled to resume in Be Love 12, to be released June 1.