The ‘Gushing over Magical Girls’ Manga Series on Hiatus, No Return Date Set!

The manga Gushing over Magical Girls is facing a tough moment. Its publishers announced on Friday that the series is taking a break with no set return date. Akihiro Ononaka, the writer and artist behind the manga, is dealing with a health problem.

Details about the condition remain private, but it’s serious enough to pause the series indefinitely. Since its start on March 29, 2019, the manga has released 11 volumes, building a loyal fanbase. The team promised to share updates when they know more about Ononaka’s recovery and the manga’s future.

Breaks like this happen often in the manga world, especially for creators who aren’t big names yet. Famous authors like Oda or Kishimoto might get more flexibility with their schedules, but newer artists like Ononaka face intense pressure to keep up.

Tight deadlines can wear down their health, and it’s not rare for manga creators to step back for long periods to recover. Fans are left hoping Ononaka’s issue isn’t too severe and that the story can pick up again soon.

The manga follows an unusual plot. It centers on Hiiragi Utena, a middle school girl obsessed with magical girls. Her life flips when a mascot character suddenly casts a spell on her. She shared, “Hi, I’m Hiiragi Utena. I’m a normal magical-girl-loving middle school girl—or at least I was, but then some talking mascot showed up out of the blue and cast a spell on me!”

Instead of becoming a hero, she turns into a villain. She exclaimed, “Now’s my chance to join my beloved magical girls as…a villain? Hang on, something’s wrong with my outfit! This can’t be happening!” The story takes a wild turn as Utena becomes a “sadistic dominatrix,” clashing good and evil in a battle of wills. She added, “Watch this shy magical-girl fan transform into a sadistic dominatrix! When good and evil collide, who will be the one to submit?!”

For now, fans can only wait. More news will come as Ononaka’s situation develops.