After more than a decade of anticipation, fans of the beloved martial arts manga Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple have received news that many thought would never come: creator Shun Matsuena is returning to the series with a brand new sequel. According to Anime News Network, Matsuena announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday that he will launch Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Kenichi 2 Tatsujin-hen (Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple 2 Masters Arc) on Shogakukan’s Sunday Webry platform on March 25, 2026.
The announcement marks a triumphant return to the world of Ryōzanpaku, the legendary dojo where protagonist Kenichi Shirahama trained under some of the world’s most formidable martial arts masters. For longtime fans who followed Kenichi’s journey from bullied high school student to accomplished martial artist, this sequel represents an opportunity to revisit characters and storylines that have remained dormant since the original manga concluded in September 2014.
The Legacy of Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple
The original Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Kenichi manga ran in Weekly Shonen Sunday from 2002 to 2014, ultimately spanning an impressive 61 volumes (some sources cite 60 compiled volumes). The series followed Kenichi Shirahama, a weak and frequently bullied teenager who joins the Ryōzanpaku dojo and trains under six eccentric but extraordinarily skilled masters, each specializing in different martial arts disciplines.
What set Kenichi apart from other martial arts manga was its dedication to showcasing diverse fighting styles with remarkable detail and respect for their real-world counterparts. From karate and Chinese kenpo to Muay Thai and jujutsu, the series educated readers about various martial arts while delivering intense, well-choreographed battles. The manga’s blend of action, comedy, romance, and character development earned it a devoted international fanbase.
The franchise’s popularity led to a 50-episode anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment, which aired from October 2006 to September 2007. The anime was licensed and released in North America by Funimation, introducing Western audiences to Kenichi’s world. Following the TV series, an 11-episode original video animation (OVA) series titled Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple – The Attack of Darkness, produced by Brain’s Base, was released between March 2012 and May 2014, continuing the story beyond where the television adaptation concluded.
What to Expect from the Masters Arc
The subtitle “Masters Arc” (Tatsujin-hen) provides an intriguing hint about the sequel’s direction. The original manga concluded with a time skip that showed Kenichi having achieved master status himself, suggesting he had completed his transformation from disciple to teacher. Whether this new sequel will explore the events immediately following the original series or jump forward to show Kenichi as an established master remains to be seen.
Given the title’s emphasis on “masters,” fans can reasonably expect the sequel to delve deeper into the world of martial arts mastery, potentially exploring advanced techniques, philosophical aspects of the martial arts, and the responsibilities that come with achieving such a high level of skill. The series may also focus more heavily on Kenichi’s original masters—the eccentric inhabitants of Ryōzanpaku including Akisame Kōetsuji, Apachai Hopachai, Kensei Ma, Sakaki Shio, Shigure Kōsaka, and the Elder, Hayato Fūrinji.
The announcement illustration shared by Matsuena appears to show a younger Kenichi, which has led to speculation among fans about whether the sequel might actually fill in gaps from the original series or explore untold stories from Kenichi’s training period. This ambiguity has only heightened anticipation for the March 25 debut.
Matsuena’s Journey Between Kenichi Series
Shun Matsuena has remained remarkably prolific since concluding the original Kenichi series in 2014. His post-Kenichi portfolio demonstrates both his versatility as a manga creator and his enduring connection to Shogakukan’s Sunday family of magazines.
Immediately following Kenichi, Matsuena launched Tokiwa Kitareri!! in November 2014, which ran until June 2017 and was collected in 13 volumes. In February 2018, he began serialization of Kimi wa 008 (You are 008), a spy action series that some fans noted bore similarities to Kenichi in its approach to action sequences and character dynamics. Kimi wa 008 became Matsuena’s second-longest work at 33 volumes, running until May 2024.
More recently, Matsuena has been juggling multiple projects. He launched Kichijōji Shōnen! (Kichijōji Boy) in Monthly Shonen Sunday in December 2024, based on a one-shot he had published in 2019. The series, set in the Kichijōji neighborhood of western Tokyo where Matsuena spent his childhood, concluded in December 2025. In January 2025, he also began Sora e… (To the Skies) in Weekly Shonen Sunday, described as a “hymn to humanity” following a superhuman boy who rises from underground.
This busy schedule makes the announcement of a Kenichi sequel all the more remarkable, suggesting that Matsuena has unfinished business with his most famous creation and stories he still wants to tell in that universe.
Sunday Webry: The Digital Home for the Sequel
The sequel will debut on Sunday Webry (サンデーうぇぶり), Shogakukan’s digital manga distribution platform and app that launched in 2016. Sunday Webry serves as a digital hub for content from Shogakukan’s Sunday-branded magazines, including Weekly Shonen Sunday, Monthly Shonen Sunday (Gessan), and Monthly Sunday GX.
The platform operates on a freemium model, offering readers tickets that refresh every 23 hours, allowing them to read one episode of any available series for free each day. Users can also purchase coins or points for immediate access to multiple chapters or entire series. Sunday Webry features both reprints of classic Sunday manga—including the original Kenichi series—and exclusive original serializations that can only be read on the platform.
Choosing Sunday Webry for the Kenichi sequel represents a strategic decision that reflects the manga industry’s ongoing digital transformation. Digital-first serialization offers creators more flexibility in terms of page counts, release schedules, and creative experimentation compared to the rigid weekly magazine format. It also provides direct access to reader engagement through comments and analytics, allowing Matsuena to gauge fan response in real-time.
Why This Sequel Matters to Fans
For many manga readers, Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple represents a formative series that introduced them to martial arts manga and anime. The series’ emphasis on hard work, perseverance, and continuous self-improvement resonated with audiences worldwide. Kenichi’s journey from weakling to warrior, achieved through grueling training and determination rather than supernatural powers or innate genius, provided an inspiring and relatable narrative.
The original series also excelled at balancing multiple genres. While action sequences formed the core of the manga, Kenichi equally emphasized character development, humor, and the budding romance between Kenichi and Miu Fūrinji, the granddaughter of the Elder. The supporting cast of masters, each with their own quirky personalities and tragic backstories, added depth and emotional weight to the story.
When the series concluded in 2014, many fans felt there were still stories to tell. The time skip ending, while providing closure to Kenichi’s journey from disciple to master, left numerous questions unanswered about the intervening years and what challenges Kenichi faced as he continued to grow. The announcement of a sequel specifically focused on the “Masters Arc” suggests Matsuena shares this feeling and has developed a vision for continuing the story.
The Broader Context of Manga Sequels
The announcement of Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple 2 fits into a broader trend of beloved manga series receiving sequels or continuations years after their original conclusions. Series like Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Dragon Ball Super, and Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War have demonstrated that there’s substantial audience appetite for revisiting popular franchises, whether through new generations of characters or unexplored chapters in the original characters’ lives.
However, sequels also carry inherent risks. They must balance nostalgia with innovation, providing enough familiar elements to satisfy longtime fans while introducing new concepts to justify their existence. The subtitle “Masters Arc” suggests Matsuena understands this challenge and has identified a specific aspect of the Kenichi universe—the world of martial arts mastery—that warrants deeper exploration.
Looking Ahead to March 25
As the March 25, 2026 debut date approaches, speculation and excitement continue to build among the Kenichi fanbase. Questions abound: Will the sequel pick up immediately after the original series, or will it explore the time-skipped period? Will all the original masters return, and what new challenges will they face? Will Kenichi take on disciples of his own? How will the series balance appealing to longtime fans while remaining accessible to new readers?
What remains certain is that Shun Matsuena’s return to his most celebrated work represents a significant moment for martial arts manga. The original Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple left an indelible mark on the genre, and its sequel has the potential to introduce a new generation of readers to the world of Ryōzanpaku while giving longtime fans the continuation they’ve hoped for since 2014.
With Matsuena’s proven track record as a creator and his clear passion for martial arts storytelling, Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple 2 Masters Arc stands poised to become one of the most anticipated manga launches of 2026. Whether you’re a devoted fan who followed Kenichi’s original journey or a newcomer curious about what made the series special, March 25 marks a date worth circling on your calendar. The masters are calling, and Kenichi’s story is far from over.