In the following segment, "Will It Get an Anime Adaptation?! Topics," a luxurious collaboration project with Shueisha's vertical manga service "Jump TOON" was featured. The program will broadcast live manga readings and interviews with original authors for two consecutive weeks.
This week featured "Million Moja," a workplace comedy set in hell that has been serialized since December 2025 and won the memorable Grand Prize at the 1st Jump TOON AWARD. During the program, Sora Tokui and Nakamura delivered a highly immersive live reading. Iwai perfectly described the chaotic daily life caused by the "Seventh Punishment Division" (commonly known as "Batsu-Nana")—the workplace of the slacking protagonist, Belrive—as "like a hell version of 'Shomuni' (Power Office Girls)," which brought great excitement to the studio.
Furthermore, the program aired a direct interview that Tokui conducted with Kohei Kato, the creator of "Million Moja." Kato candidly revealed the secret behind the birth of the work: "At the time, I was incredibly obsessed with 'THE IDOLM@STER SHINY COLORS.' In my initial proposal, I wrote, 'A serialization featuring lots of girls like a social mobile game -> Kemono Friends of Hell.' Looking at it now, I wonder what I was thinking. I can't believe I thought I could win the Jump TOON award with that (lol)."
He also touched upon his passionate background of quitting his corporate job just before turning 30 to become a manga artist, sharing his roots: "I gained courage from seeing the protagonist impulsively rush out in the first episode of 'My Hero Academia,'" and "I was pushed forward by the episode of Kenta Shinohara of 'SKET DANCE,' who similarly quit his company just before turning 30 to take on the challenge. I decided to give it my all for two years." The studio was deeply impressed by his strong vision for a future anime adaptation and a collaborative anecdote with his editor, who advised him to "make the storyboards easy for the illustrator to understand (with an anime adaptation in mind)."
"Million Moja," which was introduced in this episode, is currently being serialized on "Jump TOON," and the initial chapters can be read entirely for free.
The second half of the program shifted to the "Shibu-Ani Classic Theater" segment, featuring a major special on "BLACK LAGOON," a hard-boiled action anime broadcast in 2006 that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Director Sunao Katabuchi, known for his heartwarming works like "In This Corner of the World," shared a lengthy questionnaire response explaining why he took on this series, which represents the complete opposite of his usual style. When his profound behind-the-scenes production insight—"To depict the opposite shore of self-actualization"—and his passionate message of gratitude to the fans for the 20th anniversary—"If this work continues to live on for a long time to come, it is all thanks to everyone"—were read on his behalf, the studio responded with emotional praise, saying, "He thinks so deeply about animation. I'm so happy to hear this," and "Isn't this incredibly passionate?"
Finally, Tenshin introduced "Rooster Fighter" as his recommended spring anime. Regarding the unprecedented story of the revenge drama of "Keiji," a rooster who stands up against the suddenly appearing "Demonic Beasts," Tenshin highly praised it, saying, "It's so intense that you can't take your eyes off it. The structure where they are doing something completely deadpan, which naturally becomes the comedic punchline, is brilliant." The program concluded with the studio getting highly excited over Kenta Miyake's overly passionate performance and the exquisite balance between comedy and seriousness.
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