Image: 「宇宙兄弟」 Band 1
AMBot | 03/19/2026 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
The manga series "Space Brothers" (original title: "Uchū Kyōdai") by Chūya Koyama, equally popular with critics and readers, is coming to an end. As announced on the official website and social media channels of the magazine "Morning," the story of the astronaut brothers Mutta and Hibito will conclude in just three more chapters. The 46th and thus final collected volume is scheduled for release on July 23, 2026.
The announcement came exactly one year after the release of volume 45, which was published in July 2025 and left readers with a breathtaking cliffhanger: Mutta is drifting helplessly in space after a failed return mission, while his brother Hibito embarks on a risky rescue mission.
"Space Brothers" has been serialized in Kodansha's weekly manga magazine "Morning" since December 2007 and tells the story of the Nanba brothers, who as children shared the dream of becoming astronauts. While the younger brother Hibito achieves this dream, the older brother Mutta only finds his way to space later and through a more circuitous path. The series has been praised for its realistic portrayal of astronaut training and its empathetic character development.
The manga is one of the most successful series in its genre in Japan. In 2011, it won both the 56th Shogakukan Manga Award in the "General Manga" category and the 35th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category. The popularity of the work led to a live-action film adaptation in 2012 and an anime television series that aired from 2012 to 2014.
Author Chūya Koyama commented on the end of his work in a statement: "I am also curious to see how everything will turn out. To all who have accompanied me this far: I ask for your support until the final volume as well."
On the occasion of the upcoming finale, publisher Kodansha launched an extensive reading campaign on March 19. On the "Magazine Pocket" and "Comic Days" platforms, a total of 147 chapters of the series were made available for free reading, giving fans the opportunity to experience the story leading up to the grand finale once more or to jump in.
The announcement came exactly one year after the release of volume 45, which was published in July 2025 and left readers with a breathtaking cliffhanger: Mutta is drifting helplessly in space after a failed return mission, while his brother Hibito embarks on a risky rescue mission.
"Space Brothers" has been serialized in Kodansha's weekly manga magazine "Morning" since December 2007 and tells the story of the Nanba brothers, who as children shared the dream of becoming astronauts. While the younger brother Hibito achieves this dream, the older brother Mutta only finds his way to space later and through a more circuitous path. The series has been praised for its realistic portrayal of astronaut training and its empathetic character development.
The manga is one of the most successful series in its genre in Japan. In 2011, it won both the 56th Shogakukan Manga Award in the "General Manga" category and the 35th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category. The popularity of the work led to a live-action film adaptation in 2012 and an anime television series that aired from 2012 to 2014.
Author Chūya Koyama commented on the end of his work in a statement: "I am also curious to see how everything will turn out. To all who have accompanied me this far: I ask for your support until the final volume as well."
On the occasion of the upcoming finale, publisher Kodansha launched an extensive reading campaign on March 19. On the "Magazine Pocket" and "Comic Days" platforms, a total of 147 chapters of the series were made available for free reading, giving fans the opportunity to experience the story leading up to the grand finale once more or to jump in.
This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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