Masterpiece Manga "Inochi no Utsuwa" Depicting an Obstetrician-Gynecologist Concludes. 35-Year History Comes to an End as Final Volume 100 Goes on Sale

It has been announced that the manga "Inochi no Utsuwa" by Kimiko Uehara concluded with Chapter 392, published in the April issue of "FOR Mrs." released on March 3rd. Additionally, the final volume, Volume 100, will be released on April 16th.

"Inochi no Utsuwa" is a human drama in which obstetrician-gynecologist Kyoko Ariyoshi encounters her husband, children, and various patients with their own circumstances, while nurturing the preciousness of life and family bonds. In the final chapter, Yamano Clinic, which was destroyed in a fire, finally welcomes a fresh start, depicting the grown figures of the characters, emotional interactions with those whose roles are coming to an end, and a hopeful final scene filled with messages for the future.

The series began serialization in 1991 in the monthly women's manga magazine "Eve Special for Mrs. No.30" and continued serialization after the magazine became monthly as "FOR Mrs." in 1995. It is a flagship work representing the magazine and is currently the longest-running series with the same title (as of March). Furthermore, there are only about 20 manga titles in Japan with 100 or more volumes published under the same title, and even fewer in the women's manga category (as of March, according to Akita Shoten research).

Regarding the secret to continuing the series for such a long period, Uehara stated, "I was able to continue because I love drawing manga. When my editor at the time proposed the theme of 'the human relationships between a female obstetrician-gynecologist and pregnant women,' I was also ignorant about pregnancy myself, so I thought, 'I absolutely want to draw this!' Throughout the 35-year serialization, I tried to make it an enjoyable manga if there were people who would be comforted by it. When readers find a work enjoyable to read, it's also enjoyable for the creator."

Regarding the conclusion, she commented, "When I started drawing the final chapter, I thought, 'I'm probably going to cry...' but as I approached the final page, my heart mysteriously became lighter. The moment I put down my pen on the last page, I felt an explosion of accomplishment and smiled. I have no regrets. I want to enjoy the rest of my life."