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Yasuo Ohtagaki's Gundam Thunderbolt Manga Ends in 8 Chapters

Yasuo Ohtagaki revealed on X/Twitter on Thursday that his Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt manga has entered its final arc and will end in eight chapters. Shogakukan published the manga's 222nd chapter in the Big Comic Superior magazine on Friday. The manga returning from a three-month hiatus with the new chapter.

Ohtagaki posted a video to accompany the announcement.

The manga's story is set in the same One Year War in UC 0079 as the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime series. It begins with the battles between two ace pilots of the Principality of Zeon and the Earth Federation at the "Thunderbolt Sector," a shoal zone with numerous wrecks of space colonies and warships.

Ohtagaki (Moonlight Mile) launched the manga in Big Comic Superior in March 2012. Viz Media is publishing the manga in English, and released the 23rd volume on May 20.

Ohtagaki had put the manga on hiatus in September 2018 due to tenosynovitis (inflammation surrounding the tendons), and resumed the manga in December 2018. In a message accompanying the manga's resumption, Ohtagaki noted due to the worsening symptoms, he has been unable to draw small details using his dominant left hand, and it may be difficult to maintain the quality level of the manga. He added he would change his drawing style so as not to worsen the condition of his left hand.

He had reported in the manga's 19th volume in February 2022 that the manga had entered its "final stage."

The manga celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022. As part of the 10th anniversary, the manga had an exhibit at Gundam Base Tokyo from September to October that year. Ohtagaki revealed at the opening event for the exhibition that he planned to continue the manga for another five to six years.

The manga inspired two original net anime series, each of which received a compilation film. Ohtagaki also draws the Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt Gaiden spinoff manga.

Source: Yasuo Ohtagaki's X/Twitter account