Viz to publish new manga from Shonen Sunday's 50th anniversary in 2009

This year's 16th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine has confirmed on Wednesday that celebrated manga creator Rumiko Takahashi will launch her newest series in the magazine on April 22. Viz Media already announced that it will publish this manga in North America this year.

The magazine had first revealed Takahashi's new series last month; she had ended her last work, Inuyasha, in the same magazine last June. Takahashi's earlier works include Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, One-Pound Gospel, and Rumic Theater. Viz Media has been releasing most of Takahashi's manga in North America, and it has also released many of their anime adaptations.

The same 16th issue of Shonen Sunday celebrates the magazine's 50th anniversary, which happens to fall on Tuesday. For this special occasion, Takahashi collaborated with another famous Shonen Sunday creator, Mitsuru Adachi (Touch, H2, Cross Game, Miyuki), on a 30-page one-shot manga called "My Sweet Sunday." The issue also offers a DVD with trailers for the Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2, and Inuyasha special anime shorts that were created for last year's "It's a Rumic World" exhibition.

A bundled "Sunday 50th anniversary memorial big poster" features sketches and other tributes from 51 manga creators. (The poster reproduces the sketches from the "50th Anniversary Flag" that Shogakukan displayed at last month's Jisedai World Hobby Fair.)

Source: Comic Natalie