Manchuria Opium Squad Manga Pauses Regular Schedule for Artist Health

The manga Manchuria Opium Squad, which has been running since April 2020, has announced a shift away from its regular release schedule. The reason is the health of artist Shikako, who needs time to recover before continuing at a normal pace.

The series will move to an irregular serialization going forward. While there is no word yet on when regular publishing will resume, the announcement asks fans for patience as the creative team takes care of Shikako.

For readers in North America, Manchuria Opium Squad is available in English through the K Manga app, which is Kodansha’s own digital comics platform.

My take: It is always a little bittersweet to hear a series go on an irregular schedule, but the health of the people making these stories has to come first. Wishing Shikako a smooth recovery and hoping to see more chapters when they are ready.