Tsunami Umino's new manga starts in December
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Tsunami Umino's new manga series begins in Melody on December 25 alongside its 2018 one-shot; the issue is labeled February 2027 and both are in color.
Tsunami Umino will begin serializing “Omiai Tantei Katabiranotsuji Nagi” in December in the Japanese magazine Melody. The February 2027 issue goes on sale on December 25, 2026, and will also include the original one-shot alongside the new series, with both presented in color. Hakusensha confirmed the schedule in its official preview, bringing Nagi back for a mystery built around an arranged marriage.
The debut is set for December 25
Melody says the new serialization will appear in its February issue, which starts circulating in Japan on December 25. The cover month and on-sale date fall in different months because the magazine uses a bimonthly schedule. For readers outside Japan, the key date is the end of December. The publisher’s preview does not currently announce a simultaneous release in English or Portuguese, or a digital edition for markets outside Japan.
The Japanese title, “Omiai Tantei Katabiranotsuji Nagi,” can be rendered freely as “Matchmaking Detective Nagi Katabiranotsuji.” Hakusensha introduces Nagi as the daughter of a distinguished family and frames the story as a marriage mystery. The announcement does not specify how many chapters the series will run, its schedule beyond its magazine appearance, or whether an international license is planned. Those details remain unconfirmed.
| Detail | What has been announced |
|---|---|
| Creator | Tsunami Umino |
| Magazine | Melody, published by Hakusensha |
| Debut issue | February 2027 issue |
| On-sale date | December 25, 2026 |
| Additional material | The original one-shot will also appear |
| Presentation | The magazine says both versions will be in color |
The one-shot returns with the new series
“Omiai Tantei Katabiranotsuji Nagi” is not starting from scratch: the serialization grows out of an earlier short story by Umino. Melody says the issue will also republish the one-shot that appeared in Bessatsu Hana to Yume. Anime News Network reports that the work first appeared in 2018. Bringing the original and serialized version together gives readers a chance to see the initial concept and follow its return without having to track down separate issues.
The announced premise introduces Nagi, daughter of the prestigious Katabiranotsuji family, at an arranged-marriage meeting. Instead of following the expected conversation between prospective spouses, she surprises her match by saying that she wants to visit his house. The question behind that request sets up the mystery. Hakusensha’s preview keeps the answer under wraps and does not reveal how the investigation unfolds.
“Who is the prospective match for the daughter of the distinguished Katabiranotsuji family?” — Hakusensha’s official preview, freely translated from Japanese.
The starting point combines the conventions of arranged-marriage stories with a protagonist the magazine presents as a detective. The February issue should let readers compare the short story’s pacing with the serialized version, but no chapter length or changes to the plot have been announced. The preview also does not say whether the series will expand its cast or move beyond the setting of the original one-shot.
Umino had already said she planned to return to the story
In August, Umino wrote that she planned to continue “Omiai Tantei Katabiranotsuji Nagi” after taking part in “Tell Me! Your OVER THE SUN!,” an anthology connected to a Japanese podcast by Jane Su and Mika Horii. She described the project as a mystery about an arranged marriage involving a young woman from a distinguished family and said she would work to make it an enjoyable story. That post shared her intention but did not give a launch date; Melody’s preview now provides a schedule.
“After ‘Tell Me! Your OVER THE SUN!,’ I plan to draw the continuation of ‘Omiai Tantei Katabiranotsuji Nagi.’” — Tsunami Umino, in an August 12, 2026 post; translated from Japanese.
The timeline also clarifies how the projects fit together without implying that Umino has left her other work behind. Her July post said the anthology would begin in the November issue of Kiss, released in September, followed by preparation for the new series. Hakusensha’s latest preview supplies the next step: the story will serialize in Melody, another magazine from the publisher, in the issue sold in December.
What the project adds to the creator’s career
Umino is known internationally for “The Full-Time Wife Escapist,” originally titled “Nigeru wa Haji da ga Yaku ni Tatsu,” as well as “Chloe et Emma.” This series returns to a protagonist she previously used in a short story. The arranged-marriage investigation gives the work a mystery hook, while the publisher’s description does not classify it as a straight romantic comedy or disclose how the detective angle will develop.
The announcement does not present the work as an anime, live-action adaptation or other media project, and it does not mention an international publishing deal. There is no volume count, end date or chapter calendar in Melody’s preview. For now, the confirmed news is limited to the Japanese magazine serialization and the one-shot’s return in the same issue.
What to watch before the debut
The February issue should clarify how the original short story and serial chapters are arranged together and may offer more information about the first installment. Readers can follow the manga section at O Santuário Geek and coverage of another new manga announced in Japan. The official Melody preview, Umino’s blog and Anime News Network report provide the announcement, the creator’s earlier note and the one-shot background.
With the magazine and date now set, the main development is the move from a short story to serialization, paired with a reprint of the original material. “Omiai Tantei Katabiranotsuji Nagi” is scheduled for Melody’s February 2027 issue, on sale December 25. Details about later chapters, digital distribution and publication outside Japan will depend on future announcements from the publisher.
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