Hanshin's Hiroto Saiki in Tears! Celebrities and Fans Flood 'Blue Box' with Congratulatory Messages as Series Ends: 'I'm Happy I Could Be This Passionate About Something'

Koji Miura's popular manga 'Blue Box,' serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, has proudly come to an end after more than five years, concluding with Chapter 250, 'To This Box,' published in the July 13 issue (No. 33) of Weekly Shonen Jump. The news, announced by the author and the official X (formerly Twitter) account, has become a major topic of discussion on social media.

On their official account, author Miura expressed gratitude, writing, "There's no greater happiness than having something I drew because I believed in it be praised by others. This became a precious work that changed my life. It's been such a happy time! Thank you so much!" Miura also posted a commemorative illustration featuring a large gathering of the series' characters.

The official account also shared a scene from the final chapter as it appeared in the magazine, showing Chinatsu smiling with her arms spread wide and saying, "Congratulations on graduating." It was also announced that the 28th and final volume of the comic will go on sale on Friday, December 4, and that the magazine features an extra-large center color spread along with congratulatory comments from the TV anime's cast and artists.

'Blue Box' is a youth sports romantic comedy by Miura that was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. Set at a combined junior and senior high school known for its strong athletics programs, the story begins when Taiki Inomata, a member of the boys' badminton club, falls in love with Chinatsu Kano, the ace of the girls' basketball club who is one year above him. Due to certain circumstances, Chinatsu ends up living with the Inomata family, and the series has won fans over with its heartfelt depiction of characters earnestly devoted to both their club activities and their romance, along with its refreshing atmosphere.

In response to the conclusion of the roughly five-year serialization, readers flooded social media with passionate messages of thanks and appreciation, such as, "This is by far my favorite Jump romantic comedy of all time," "It started as a one-shot, and before I knew it, I was watching an almost unbelievable success story unfold through serialization and an anime adaptation," and "I'm happy I could be this passionate about something."

Additional reactions came in from celebrities across various fields. Eve, who performed the anime's theme song, wrote, "Thank you so much for five years of serialization, Koji Miura." Akari Kito, the voice actor who plays Hina Chouno in the anime, also expressed her love for the series, writing, "My deepest thanks for letting me meet Hina." Hanshin Tigers player Hiroto Saiki expressed himself with emoji showing him sobbing. Warm replies also arrived from Yuki Urushibara of 'Tougen Anki,' who wrote, "Let's go get a meal together again!" and Taishi Tsutsui of 'Animal Signal,' who wrote, "Please make sure to get some good rest...!!" — a fitting send-off for the series' conclusion.

(C) Kouji Miura/SHUEISHA, Blue Box Film Partners