Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition Opens Soon! Comments from "Blue Period" Author Tsubasa Yamaguchi and Editor-in-Chief Akira Kanai Arrive! Overall MAP Revealed, Featuring Exciting Photo Spots from "Parasyte," "Land of the Lustrous," and More!

The "Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition," held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the monthly manga magazine Afternoon, will open on July 10 (Fri) at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. Additional details about the exhibition celebrating its 40th anniversary, along with an overall venue MAP, have been revealed!

Furthermore, the sale of an original official catalog for this exhibition has been decided! This is a complete preservation edition that tightly encapsulates the trajectory of Afternoon over its 40-year history.

Also, ahead of the commemorative exhibition, comments have arrived from Tsubasa Yamaguchi, the author of "Blue Period," and Editor-in-Chief Akira Kanai! We asked them about their expectations for this exhibition.

Comments Arrive from Tsubasa Yamaguchi, Author of "Blue Period," and Editor-in-Chief Akira Kanai!

"Blue Period" depicts the struggles of Yaguchi Yatora as he aims to enter art school. Comments have arrived from Tsubasa Yamaguchi, the author of this work serialized in Afternoon, and Akira Kanai, the 6th Editor-in-Chief of Afternoon, regarding their feelings about Afternoon's 40th anniversary, the secret to its long-lasting popularity, and their expectations for the upcoming Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition.

<Tsubasa Yamaguchi's Comments>

-- You have a serialization at the time of the 40th anniversary. How do you feel about it?

It's truly something to be grateful for. To be able to be a part of such a milestone and be invited for interviews is, from the perspective of my younger self as a reader, an incredible thing. My high school self would be very surprised if they heard this.

-- What are you looking forward to at the Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition?

I'm looking forward to seeing merchandise from works that are not usually seen. I love merchandise so much that I even run a company that produces manga goods. I consider merchandise to be like "charms," so I'm excited to check out items I can carry around and wear. I definitely plan to buy T-shirts from "Parasyte" and merchandise from Haruko Ichikawa's works. I'm looking forward to many interesting merchandise ideas, such as magnetic sheets designed to match the image of each work.

<Editor-in-Chief Akira Kanai's Comments>

-- What is the secret to continuing to publish Afternoon for 40 years?

In recent years, I'm grateful to often hear that "Afternoon is doing great," but when I became editor-in-chief in 2015, I didn't feel that way at all. However, not as flattery, but the start of "Blue Period" in 2017 was truly significant. At New Year's parties and such, the authors who started serializing after Yamaguchi-san gather around him, influencing each other positively and getting along well. That is very reassuring. I believe the bond among the authors and the good relationship with the editorial department are the secrets to its success and continuation.

-- What are your expectations for the Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition?

Putting aside my position as editor-in-chief, what I'm personally most looking forward to is the "human voice" that can be felt from things like the authors' brief comments. I'm really looking forward to those aspects, and I hope everyone can feel them too.

Additional Information Unveiled! Emotional Exhibits from "Big Windup!," "Vinland Saga," and More Await You!

(1) From "Blue Period"

"Life-Sized Standee Panels": Life-sized standee panels of Yatora and Yuka-chan will appear.

(2) From "Big Windup!"

"Life-Sized Standee Panels": Members of the Seido High School baseball team will be gathered.

(3) From "Gunsmith Cats"

"Giant Layer Panel": The head of Exoson will be recreated as a panel.

(4) From "Vinland Saga"

"Stage Costume Exhibition": Precious costumes actually used in stage productions will be exhibited.

A captivating original drawing road featuring over 80 works! Which work represents your youth? Don't miss the three-dimensional exhibits that will bring back nostalgic emotions!!

An overwhelming entrance! A layered panel artwork created with 25 magnificent works welcomes you. You can trace the history of Afternoon from 1987 to 2026 through original drawings that have graced its pages. Additionally, 17 special photo spots are scattered throughout each area. Capture memories to take home with you. The 40th-anniversary area will also feature beautifully newly drawn illustrations.

The merchandise area will feature over 220 types of original exhibition goods!

Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition Official Catalog to Be Released! Enjoy the history of Afternoon and this exhibition at home!

Afternoon's 40-year history is condensed into this one volume! It includes original drawings exhibited, newly drawn illustrations for the commemorative event, and covers from each issue from its founding in 1987 to 2026. It also introduces new serializations from each year and information about the Four Seasons Award, making it a book that allows for a deep understanding of Afternoon.

Exhibition Overview

Event Name: Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition

Venue: Sunshine City Exhibition Hall A, Ikebukuro

Address: 3-1-3 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Sunshine City World Import Mart Building 4F

Exhibition Period: July 10 (Fri), 2026 - July 26 (Sun)

Exhibition Hours: 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM (Last admission 6:30 PM)

Organizer: Afternoon 40th Anniversary Exhibition Production Committee

Original Work Cooperation: Kodansha Afternoon Editorial Department

Ticket Prices: Advance Ticket ¥2,200 / Advance Ticket with Goods: ¥5,200

Same-Day Ticket ¥2,500 / Same-Day Ticket with Goods: ¥5,500 *All prices include tax.

Sales URL: https://eplus.jp/afternoon_40thten/

Official Webpage: https://mixalive.tokyo/afternoon_40thten

Official X: https://x.com/aft_40thten

About Afternoon

Afternoon is a monthly manga magazine launched by Kodansha in 1986.

It features a wide range of works, including sci-fi, historical, coming-of-age, slice-of-life, and fantasy, embracing free expression unbound by genre or style.

It has produced numerous manga with original authorial vision and high artistic quality, and continues to be supported by many readers as one of Japan's leading seinen manga magazines.

*Contents and schedule are subject to change due to circumstances. *Images are for illustrative purposes.

©Kodansha ©Hitoshi Ashinano/Kodansha ©Masayuki Ishikawa/Kodansha ©Masakazu Ishiguro/Kodansha ©Haruko Ichikawa/Kodansha ©Hiroaki Samura/Kodansha ©Kenichi Sonoda/Kodansha ©Tsutomu Takahashi/Kodansha ©Misaki Takamatsu/Kodansha ©Hiroshi Tamaru/Kodansha ©Kenji Tsuruta/Kodansha ©Kaidan Tsurumai/Kodansha ©Tsutomu Nihei/Kodansha ©Asa Higuchi/Kodansha ©Kosuke Fujishima/Kodansha ©Tsubasa Yamaguchi/Kodansha ©Makoto Yukimura/Kodansha ©Yoshida./Kodansha