New series to run simultaneously with Fairy Tail

Manga creator Hiro Mashima confirmed on Sunday that he is starting a new series in a different magazine than his current series, Fairy Tail (Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine). However, he assured his fans that Fairy Tail is not over yet, and that he will draw both series simultaneously ("if my stamina holds up").

He explained that Fairy Tail is a long series, so from time to time, he wants to draw a new story. He noted that he drew the prototype for Fairy Tail at the same time he was still drawing Rave (Rave Master), so this is not unusual for him.

However, on Sunday, he happened to watch an anime whose concept is similar to the story he had conceived for the next series. He reluctantly gave up on this initial concept and is starting from scratch again.

Mashima is penning Fairy Tail in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine . The series inspired an anime adaptation that concluded with a "To Be Continued" title card. Weekly Shōnen Magazine announced on January 8 that the anime will return in April.

Kodansha USA publishes the manga in English in North America and Funimation is releasing the anime on DVD.