Production Begins on the New Series "OKURU-KIBOJO 2027: Lullaby of the Holy Mother"

Summary

We have formally begun production of a new manga, "OKURU-KIBOJO 2027: Lullaby of the Holy Mother." The work is an extra-wide four-panel (yonkoma) manga, drawn digitally and written as a complete, fully scripted story. The first episode is scheduled for release on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026. New episodes will follow every Sunday at 7:00 a.m., with the series planned to conclude on December 25, 2027. As with our previous works, this series will be offered free of charge and on a non-profit basis.

Background

Preparations for this work have been under way since fiscal year 2026, and they are now complete enough for the release date of the first episode to be confirmed. The story is structured to unfold over one year, carrying the reader from one Christmas to the next. We believe that what matters most in a serialized work is that each episode arrives at the promised time, exactly as promised, and we have arranged our production with the reliability of updates as the highest priority. To prevent any missed or delayed updates, the series will begin only after every episode has been scheduled for publication in advance.

• Updates are fixed for every Sunday at 7:00 a.m.
• All episodes have already been set as scheduled posts
• Testing of the scheduled posts is complete, and we have confirmed that they publish at the specified time

Our earlier works were drawn by hand in ballpoint pen, with soft and simple lines. With this work, we are moving to fully digital artwork. This is not a rejection of the earlier lines; rather, it is a choice to convey the rhythm of the line work we have built up over time more precisely and with a richer range of tones. Making use of the extra-wide frame, we will depict spacious scenes within the four-panel format.

The work will be accompanied by music recorded directly on the piano. Rather than programmed sequences, the recordings capture the sound of keys actually being played, just as it was. We invite readers to enjoy this music, with its breaths, pauses and slight fluctuations, together with the story.

Additional notes

As the title "Lullaby of the Holy Mother" suggests, this work weaves in motifs from Western myth and tradition while resting on a foundation of Eastern culture. What the scenario takes particular care with is how to place the Western coloring the story originally carried naturally within the Japanese setting, where Shinto shrines and Buddhism have long coexisted. The idea is not for one to absorb the other, but to make the history of their standing side by side on the same land the very framework of the story. The work depicts the stillness of different forms of prayer standing together beneath the same night sky.

The site's commitment to hope and peace as its central themes remains unchanged in this work. It is our wish that this work may be like a single book quietly placed beside someone in the midst of despair. Until the first episode is released, we will share the progress of our preparations through the Studio Diary and other channels. The first episode will be delivered with the morning light on December 25, 2026, and everyone is warmly welcome to read it.