Shocking Fans It’s Not a Superhero Story! My Hero Academia Creator Delivers Chills with Horror Manga: Quit Laughing, Shijima
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RAVE – My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi has surprised the Japanese comic industry by releasing a new supernatural horror manga titled Quit Laughing, Shijima. This 61-page one-shot made its official debut in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and on the MANGA Plus platform.
After a decade of dominating the global stage with the superhero saga My Hero Academia, Horikoshi is now showcasing the darker side of his creativity. Through Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, he has officially launched his latest work a supernatural horror title called Quit Laughing, Shijima.
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This move is considered remarkably bold and unexpected by many. Horikoshi chose a substantial 61-page one-shot format a self-contained story to introduce this new horror universe. International readers can also access this suspenseful comic legally and for free, with English translation support, via the MANGA Plus app.
Broadly speaking, Quit Laughing, Shijima features a concept described as "boy-meets-girl horror." The story is set in a quiet coastal town that nonetheless harbors an unsettling atmosphere. The plot centers on a mysterious high school girl named Shijima-san, who possesses a chilling trait: she is always smiling broadly and laughing, regardless of the situation.
Yet, beneath that cheerful laughter, Shijima hides a dark supernatural secret. The story unfolds when an ordinary boy is inadvertently drawn into a vortex of mystical phenomena in the town and is forced to team up with Shijima to survive the terror of supernatural entities.
This manga features a unique theme described as "boy-meets-girl horror." Set in a coastal town, the story centers on two main characters:
- Shijima-san: A mysterious high school girl who always appears cheerful, never ceasing to smile or laugh. Yet, beneath that wide smile, she harbors a terrifying, dark secret.
- The Male Protagonist: A boy who crosses paths with Shijima just as eerie supernatural phenomena begin to terrorize their town. He is forced to team up with Shijima in order to survive.
This release immediately shook the manga community, as Horikoshi has been best known over the past decade for his colorful superhero saga. However, longtime fans were not particularly surprised, given that Horikoshi frequently incorporated unsettling, body-horror-esque elements into the designs of My Hero Academia villains such as Tomura Shigaraki.
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The impact of this manga has been massive; even Masahiko Minami, the head of Studio BONES, has publicly expressed his interest. Studio BONES the studio behind the successful My Hero Academia has strongly signaled its keen interest in adapting Quit Laughing, Shijima into an anime should the opportunity arise in the future.
While this genre shift took most casual readers by surprise, Horikoshi’s loyal fans were not particularly astonished. Horikoshi is known for his strong interest in body horror elements and distorted character designs traits he frequently incorporated, albeit implicitly, into the visual depiction of villains in My Hero Academia, such as the character Tomura Shigaraki.
Masahiko Minami, President of Studio BONES the studio behind the successful My Hero Academia series has openly expressed his admiration for this new work.
He even strongly hinted that Studio BONES is very interested in adapting this one-shot horror comic into an anime project in the future, should the opportunity arise. This positive response serves as strong evidence that the magic of Horikoshi’s storytelling remains intact, even as he steps outside his comfort zone.
