Manga Up! Global Adds The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan's Story, The Magic Swordsmith, A Starlit Darkness Manga
Manga UP! describes The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan’s Story: The Apothecary Diaries: Xiaolan’s Story (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Gaiden: Xiaolan Kaisōroku) launched on Square Enix's Manga UP! website on March 23. Itsuki Nanao, who draws one of the manga adaptations of The Apothecary Diaries, is also drawing the new manga.Nanao and Nekokurage launched the manga adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in May 2017. Square Enix published the manga's 15th compiled book volume on March 25. Natsu Hyūga began serializing the original story on the "Shōsetsuka ni Narō" (Let's Become Novelists) website in October 2011. Shufunotomo began publishing the novels in print volume with illustrations by Touko Shino in August 2014. The light novel series inspired an anime that premiered in October 2023 with the first three episodes, and aired for two cours (quarters of a year). The anime has a second season that premiered on January 10. A sequel has been green-lit.Yuji Iwahara (Darker Than Black character designer and King of Thorn manga creator) launched the manga series in Young Gangan magazine in 2011, although it moved to Monthly Big Gangan in December 2015. The manga ended in June 2019. Square Enix published the manga's 16th and final compiled book volume in August 2019. Yen Press published the manga in English.The manga inspired a television anime that premiered in January 2016. Funimation streamed the English-subtitled version as it aired in Japan. An English-dubbed version premiered on Toonami in February 2016, with Funimation streaming the dub two weeks after every episode. Funimation released the series on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in May 2017.MotoKiyo launched The Magic Swordsmith (Isekai Tōshō no Maken Seisaku-gurashi), based on the original novel series by Kazuma Ogiwara with original character design by Carimarica, on Square Enix's Gangan Online in January 2024. Square Enix published the manga's third volume on March 12.Yū Toyota (Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!) debuted A Starlit Darkness (Naraku no Hoshi) on Square Enix's Gangan pixiv website on December 28. Square Enix released the manga's second volume last Tuesday.Square Enix Manga & Books is publishing the manga in English in print in May 2026.Source: Email correspondence
