The 'Yasuke' Story Will Continue in an Upcoming Manga Adaptation

The first installment of the Yasuke manga adaptation will arrive in July.

Just a few months after debuting as the first Netflix original anime series, Yasuke is being committed to the page. Specifically, those of the Japanese manga magazine, Monthly Big Comic Spirits. 

According to a tweet boosted by Flying Lotus (the anime's music director and executive producer,) Yasuke is getting its very own manga adaptation. And the first installment is set to arrive next month. Penned by Satoshi Okunishi, the manga series will continue the fantastical magic-and-mech-driven story of the anime series in an upcoming issue of Monthly Big Comic Spirits. However, it's unclear whether the new plot points will be embraced as canon or merely exist in the peripherals of the animated show as it moves forward.

Released in April, Yasuke centers on its titular character, a black samurai warrior who served under the warlord Oda Nobunaga in 16th century Japan. The history of the real-life Yasuke was unearthed within just the last decade and was almost instantly considered fertile fodder for screenwriters. In 2019, a live-action film was announced with the late Chadwick Boseman as its lead. "The legend of Yasuke is one of history’s best kept secrets, the only person of non-Asian origin to become a Samurai," Boseman said in a statement for Deadline. "That’s not just an action movie, that’s a cultural event, an exchange, and I am excited to be part of it," Boseman added. That film is reportedly still being developed by PICTURESTART, but there's no word on who will take on the role in the wake of Boseman's passing. Suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Until then (or a new season of the animated series is announced,) you can snag a copy of the manga adaptation on July 27th. Hold tight for updates on the return of the Netflix series in the weeks and months ahead.