New Horror Manga from My Hero Academia Creator Now Available for Free to U.S. Readers

After the conclusion of the final season of the My Hero Academia anime late last year, fans have been buzzing with anticipation about Kohei Horikoshi’s next project. Recently, he unveiled a surprising shift in direction with his new work, Quit Laughing, Shijima, a horror/romance one-shot that just dropped on the Shonen Jump app and website.

This 61-page tale follows Azumi, a second-year high school student who has a crush on his charismatic upperclassman, Shijima, known for her infectious laugh. However, the story takes a turn away from the typical romantic setup. Released in Japan on August 10 in the 37/38 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, it also saw a simultaneous digital release in English on the Shonen Jump App.

This marks Horikoshi’s first new work in Shonen Jump since the My Hero Academia manga ran from 2014 to 2024. Prior to that, he created Barrage and Oumagadoki Zoo for the magazine. My Hero Academia has skyrocketed to become one of the best-selling manga series ever, surpassing 100 million copies sold, joining the ranks of other recent sensations like Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and Attack on Titan.

The anime wrapped up its official run in December 2025 with an action-packed eighth season from Bones Film, showcasing stunning animation and memorable character moments. On May 2, 2026, Bones released a bonus special titled “More,” which served as a satisfying epilogue. Additionally, there was a six-minute mini-episode called “I Am A Hero Too,” which adapted the manga’s final bonus content.

Since the My Hero Academia manga concluded in 2024, fans have humorously dubbed Horikoshi “unemployed,” as he continued to share impressive illustrations alongside new anime episodes. With the release of his highly anticipated one-shot in a completely different genre, it will be exciting to see what direction he takes for his next serialized project.

You can read Quit Laughing, Shijima for free.

Kohei Horikoshi is set to release a horror romance manga in early August.