Yōsuke Kaneda
Description
Yōsuke Kaneda is a Japanese manga artist recognized as the writer and illustrator of the fantasy romantic comedy series The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch. His career as a creator gained earlier prominence with the successful manga Boarding School Juliet, establishing him as an author capable of blending school-life settings with romantic and comedic elements before he began his subsequent major work.
Kaneda’s most notable original work is The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch, which began serialization on March 16, 2022, in Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket digital service. He is credited for both the story and the art. The series follows Spica Virgo, an apprentice witch who cannot use magic, and her unlikely master-apprentice relationship with a mysterious talking black cat who is actually a cursed magician. The manga has been compiled into multiple tankobon volumes, with the first released on July 8, 2022, and the series continuing to be published. An official English digital version is available through Kodansha’s K Manga service.
The work’s success led to an anime television series adaptation, marking a significant point in Kaneda’s career as an original creator. The adaptation was announced in August 2025 and is produced by Liden Films, with Naoyuki Tatsuwa directing, Midori Goto handling series composition, and Takayuki Onoda designing the characters. The anime is scheduled to premiere in April 2026, with a confirmed premiere date of April 12, and will air for two consecutive cours. Kaneda himself has expressed a mix of excitement and anticipation regarding the adaptation, noting his satisfaction with the staff and cast involved.
In terms of artistic identity, Kaneda’s work consistently features a school-based fantasy setting where character dynamics drive the narrative. The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch incorporates elements of magic, comedy, and a central relationship built on a secret pact, themes that parallel the romantic and comedic tensions present in his earlier series, Boarding School Juliet. His industry significance is underscored by the rapid serialization of his work in a major digital platform and its subsequent anime adaptation, reflecting his position as a commercially successful creator within the shonen demographic.
Kaneda’s most notable original work is The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch, which began serialization on March 16, 2022, in Kodansha’s Magazine Pocket digital service. He is credited for both the story and the art. The series follows Spica Virgo, an apprentice witch who cannot use magic, and her unlikely master-apprentice relationship with a mysterious talking black cat who is actually a cursed magician. The manga has been compiled into multiple tankobon volumes, with the first released on July 8, 2022, and the series continuing to be published. An official English digital version is available through Kodansha’s K Manga service.
The work’s success led to an anime television series adaptation, marking a significant point in Kaneda’s career as an original creator. The adaptation was announced in August 2025 and is produced by Liden Films, with Naoyuki Tatsuwa directing, Midori Goto handling series composition, and Takayuki Onoda designing the characters. The anime is scheduled to premiere in April 2026, with a confirmed premiere date of April 12, and will air for two consecutive cours. Kaneda himself has expressed a mix of excitement and anticipation regarding the adaptation, noting his satisfaction with the staff and cast involved.
In terms of artistic identity, Kaneda’s work consistently features a school-based fantasy setting where character dynamics drive the narrative. The Classroom of a Black Cat and a Witch incorporates elements of magic, comedy, and a central relationship built on a secret pact, themes that parallel the romantic and comedic tensions present in his earlier series, Boarding School Juliet. His industry significance is underscored by the rapid serialization of his work in a major digital platform and its subsequent anime adaptation, reflecting his position as a commercially successful creator within the shonen demographic.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview