Sui Ishida, the acclaimed creator of Tokyo Ghoul and Choujin X, has published a new manga titled Duckweed in Ultra Jump magazine. The series marks Ishida’s first appearance in the monthly seinen publication, with the initial installment featured as the cover and center color spread in the May issue released on April 18, 2025.
A New Story in the Jack Jeanne Universe
Duckweed is set within the world of “Jack Jeanne,” the otome visual novel game that Ishida previously worked on as character designer and concept creator. The two-part manga will explore stories of characters from the game that weren’t featured in the main storyline.
According to the official announcement, the manga follows Kiito Minorikawa, a first-year student at the Univeil Drama School who, despite his young age, has been appointed as assistant to the class leader in the Rhodonite class. While the opera-themed school appears glamorous and lively on the surface, it harbors certain issues that Minorikawa must navigate.
The second part of the manga will be published in Ultra Jump‘s June issue, scheduled for release on May 19.
The Creator Behind Tokyo Ghoul
Sui Ishida rose to international fame with Tokyo Ghoul, a dark fantasy series that ran from 2011 to 2014 in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump. The series and its sequel gained massive popularity and both were adapted into anime series, video games and a live-action film. Since completing Tokyo Ghoul in 2018, Ishida has been working on Choujin X, a manga that follows high school students who gain superhuman abilities. Unlike his weekly schedule with Tokyo Ghoul, Ishida has adopted a more flexible publication pace with Choujin X, allowing him to focus on quality over quantity.
In 2019, Ishida began collaborating with Broccoli on “Jack Jeanne,” a Nintendo Switch game that combines visual novel storytelling with rhythm gameplay. The game centers on Kisa Tachibana, a young woman who disguises herself as a man to attend an all-male opera school. Ishida was heavily involved in the project, creating the concept, character designs, and contributing to the story alongside Shin Towada.
Ultra Jump and Special Release
Ultra Jump, where Duckweed will be published, is a monthly seinen manga magazine established in 1999 as an offshoot of Weekly Young Jump. The magazine is known for featuring more mature-themed manga targeting young adult male readers.
To commemorate the release, Ultra Jump‘s May issue will include a special detachable comic cover for Jack Jeanne Foliage～Amber・Onyx～, a comic collection releasing on April 17. This collection features manga stories set in the Jack Jeanne universe, making it a perfect companion to the new Duckweed series.
Where To Find the Duckweed Manga
Manga readers in Japan can purchase Ultra Jump magazine at bookstores and convenience stores nationwide starting April 18. For international fans, the availability will depend on import options and potential future localization efforts.
Digital versions of Ultra Jump are available through various Japanese e-book platforms, though access may be region-restricted. Fans of Sui Ishida outside Japan will want to keep an eye on announcements from publishers like Viz Media, which has previously localized Ishida’s works for English-speaking audiences.
While there’s currently no confirmation of an English release for Duckweed, the popularity of Ishida’s previous works suggests that international distribution could be a possibility in the future.
