What is SHONEN SUNDAY? SHONEN SUNDAY is one of the largest weekly manga magazines in Japan. Containing some of the latest and hottest boys' manga series in Japan, SUNDAY has hosted such notables as RANMA 1/2 and the currently popular MEITANTEI CONAN.
Last issue's SHONEN SUNDAY update (1999 Issue 21) can be found here.

Special Notes!

This regular section of EX Magazine has long followed MEGUMI NO DAIGO, which ended several issues previous to this one (30). In honor of the end of this long and high quality series, we include the overview of the last story from SHONEN SUNDAY 27.
Other recent changes in the line up of SHONEN SUNDAY include the new series KAMOSHIKA! by Muraeda Kenichi (previously known for soccer manga ORETACHI NO FIELD), and the new love comedy series TENSHI NA NAMAIKI ("A CHEEKY ANGEL") by Nishimori Hiroyuki (whose previous works include SPINOUT and KYOU KARA ORE WA!!). Also new is PASSPORT BLUE, a story about a would-be astronaut by Ishiwata Osamu (formerly of LOVE).
KAMOSHIKA! stars Momokuri (peach-chestnut) Sanpei, an eighteen-year-old man who works at City Hall in whatever capacity is needed by the citizens—whether it's helping people retrieve items they've left behind in locked buildings, to kicking people out of condemned buildings (never mind he wound up siding against the city). He's a man with a kind heart and a knack for resolving bad situations in good ways.
TENSHI NA NAMAIKI ("A CHEEKY ANGEL") features Amatsuka Megumi ("Amatsuka" is written with the same kanji as "tenshi" or angel). Originally a boy, nine-year-old Amatsuka Megumi was magically transformed by a deceptive spirit into a girl, a future "woman among women," when he asked to be turned into a "man among men." Now, as a high school student, he and his childhood friend Miki are the only ones who know of this past—he has completely become a "she," including in all his old photos and even his parents' memories. Megumi likes wearing girls' clothes and enjoys looking beautiful, but still thinks and acts like a boy. She (he) now has developed quite a collection of adoring and hopeful males, including "super bad boy" Genzou. Things are quickly becoming confusing for Megumi ...
PASSPORT BLUE features Magami Massugu, a boy who gets into trouble a lot, but who dreams of flying into space in a rocket. A kid who never studied before, he suddenly throws himself into the science and art of rocketry. Given that the manga opens with a flash-forward to the imminent launch of Massugu into space, the reader already knows the young boy will accomplish quite a lot as he grows into a man. (Unfortunately, recent readers may find Massugu's similarity to Ai from LOVE somewhat disconcerting.)

Selected Brief Updates:

ME GUMI NO DAIGO
by Soda Masahito

Overview: Asahina Daigo is a young firefighter with the "Me" Company, who has an unusual ability to find and rescue people in danger.
From Issue 27, the final installment: Daigo, in previous issues, had become something of an international legend, not to mention a husband and father. Now, we return to Japan ....
Jiru, Daigo's elderly and lumpy old dog, had died while Daigo was overseas. Meanwhile, Oshitari has risen up in the ranks of the Sengoku firefighting headquarters, but it turns out there is one rank she is happy to not have reached yet. She takes upstart and promising Kondou (Daigo's old would-be girlfriend) out to where the "Me" Company firehouse used to be. The new headquarters is being built on that spot, and the new leader is ... Gomi, of course, the one Oshitari, and all of "Me" Company, is happy to see taking the post. Later, in his acceptance speech Gomi freaks them out a bit by going off on a tangent about "what is your favorite thing?". But his mission, it turns out, is to save people's energies from being spent on fires and disasters; he would rather see the citizens free to devote themselves to their favorite things. For that, he needs all of the company's help, and the firefighters are all willing to provide just that.
Finally, later that night, Daigo dreams of his dog Jiru, who has come to say goodbye. Jiru tells him he was privileged to watch Daigo grow from a youth into a self-confident, highly talented firefighter and rescuer. Jiru then reminds him that, of all of the lives Daigo saved from fire, he (the dog) was the very first -- because when Daigo was a child trapped in a fire, he had picked up the puppy Jiru. Jiru tells him to take care of his family, says farewell, and disappears into a bright light, and Daigo awakens with tears running down his face. But the fire alarm is shrieking, and there's another fire to battle. Daigo puts on Gomi's old cap and, his eyes bright with determination, heads out into the city.

INUYASHA
by Takahashi Rumiko

Overview: Kagome is a modern student teamed up with the strange boy Inuyasha in 15th or 16th century Japan, seeking to retrieve the fragments of the magical Shikon No Tama, and trying to stay one step ahead of the evil Naraku.
This issue: Inuyasha has now met Toutousai, a bizarre old man who is the smith who created his magic sword. But Sesshoumaru (Inuyasha's evil older brother) has come to claim a better sword from Toutousai. Inuyasha battles Sesshoumaru, but is unexpectedly rescued by the old man, who turns out to be more powerful than anyone thought. The old smith tells them both brothers have the swords their father wanted them to have -- in fact, Sesshoumaru has a magic sword called the Tenseiga (Heaven Life Fang). But it turns out the Tenseiga is a healing sword that saves lives and cannot kill ... no wonder, then, that Sesshoumaru doesn't use it.

JAJAUMA GROOMING UP!
by Yuki Masami

Overview: Although originally a city boy, young Kuze Shunpei has taken to working as a farm hand at the Watarai racing horse breeding farm; he also has taken to Watarai Hibiki, one of the Watarai daughters.
This issue: Nonomura talks with a jockey about Strike Eagle's disposition, and later runs into Kodera, an award-winning (now elderly) jockey who has his respect. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Shunpei and Hibiki decide to head out to lunch. Unfortunately, they run into locals who nose into the conversation. They run off to a quiet monument, where they discuss seeing Takeru's race together—but some strange photographers arrive ...

GHOST SWEEPER MIKAMI GOKURAKU DAISAKUSEN!!
by Shiina Takashi

Overview: Mikami Reiko is a money-hungry, gorgeous female ghost buster, aided by her sex-starved and underpaid male assistant Yokoshima Tadao, as well as kind and gentle female ex-ghost O-kinu.
This issue: Most of Mikami's staff is celebrating Tanabata, when the "lover stars" Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altaire) are supposedly able to meet, and when prayers written on slips of paper are supposed to be granted. Trust Yokoshima to pray he'd meet his "woman of destiny," and trust him to then promptly be kidnapped by the unexpectedly very masculine, ugly, and man-crazy princess Orihime. Of course, Hikoboshi arrives in a desperate attempt to stop his two-timing lover. He is too late, of course, and he reveals that Orihime has the ability to shapeshift—say, into Mikami's form, which is exactly what she is doing to try and seduce Yokoshima ...