Hiro Mashima, the creative powerhouse behind beloved shonen hits like Fairy Tail, Rave Master, and Edens Zero, is venturing into new territory with his latest project — a one-shot titled 1993. Mashima’s most famous work still remains Fairy Tail, a series set in the world of magic. Despite the unique worldbuilding and power system, the series was always in the middle of controversy for its excessive fan service. The original Fairy Tail manga concluded in 2017, and just a year later, Mashima released a sequel, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, which is still ongoing. The anime adaptation of the original Fairy Tail series by A-1 Pictures, CloverWorks, and Bridge studios concluded in 2019, and J.C. Staff picked up the sequel in 2024, which aired 25 episodes till January 2025.
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This time, the celebrated mangaka is stepping out of his comfort zone to debut a new one-shot titled 1993, a story set in the gritty world of delinquent youth, which is quite different from the fantasy worlds he usually focuses on. 1993 will be released in Weekly Young Magazine, the most famous seinen publication, as part of its 45th-anniversary celebration. The one-shot will appear in issue #32, scheduled for release on July 7, 2025.
1993 Will Be Hiro Mashima’s First Seinen Project
In a career spanning over two decades, Hiro Mashima has primarily focused on Shonen series, so this is his first time creating something out of his comfort zone, even if it’s a one-shot. Weekly Young Magazine was released in 1980 and is home to several classics, such as Ghost in the Shell, Prison School, etc. The details about Mashima’s 1993 are currently unknown except for the theme and the fact that it won’t be a serialized manga. The news doesn’t come from an official source, but it’s reliable, so there are negligible chances of misinformation. The title evokes a wave of curiosity and nostalgia, especially because we have never seen Mashima write a delinquent story.
Whether they are Shonen or Seinen, delinquent series have always been well-loved in Japan, such as Crows, Good-For-Nothing Blues, Bad Boys, and many more. However, this specific type of genre didn’t start bringing a wide global audience until recently. Several delinquent series have become globally famous over the years, such as Tokyo Revengers and Wind Breaker. Hence, the project may turn out to be a delight, especially considering Mashima’s inclusion in this special occasion.
H/T: @MangaMoguraRE on X
