Mika Yamamori’s Hit Shōjo Manga In the Clear Moonlit Dusk Set to Conclude with 45th Chapter in October 2026
The era of one of modern shōjo manga’s most celebrated modern romances is officially drawing to a close. Kodansha’s Desert (Dessert) magazine announced via its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday that Mika Yamamori’s critically acclaimed series, Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki—internationally recognized as In the Clear Moonlit Dusk—will officially end its serialization in the publication’s upcoming issue. According to the announcement, the 45th and final chapter of the sweeping high school romance is slated for publication in the December 2026 issue of Desert magazine, which hits newsstands and digital platforms on October 23, 2026.
The impending conclusion marks the end of a remarkable run for a title that has defined the contemporary shōjo landscape since its debut in the summer of 2020. Over more than half a decade, Yamamori’s narrative of atypical high school romance, identity, and personal growth has captured the imaginations of millions of readers globally, branching out into a multimedia franchise that includes a successful television anime adaptation and an upcoming live-action cinematic release.
Main Facts and Serialization Chronology
The journey of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk began in July 2020, when Mika Yamamori—widely known for her previous hit works such as Daytime Shooting Star (Hirunaka no Ryuusei) and Tsubaki-chou Lonely Planet—launched the school romance series in Kodansha’s monthly shōjo magazine, Desert. From its inception, the manga distinguished itself through its nuanced character dynamics and a mature, introspective approach to teenage romance.
As the series progressed toward its planned conclusion, its physical footprint expanded exponentially. Kodansha released the 11th compiled volume of the manga on September 11, 2026, bringing the series’ cumulative circulation figures to an impressive 8.2 million copies in print and digital circulation. Overseas, Kodansha USA secured the English-language licensing rights for the manga in June 2021, steadily building a dedicated Western fanbase. The North American publisher released the ninth English volume on April 14, 2026, with subsequent volumes scheduled to catch up to the Japanese tankōbon releases in due course.
The upcoming October 23 release date holds a dual significance for the franchise. Not only will the final chapter hit newsstands in the December 2026 issue of Desert magazine on that day, but a highly anticipated live-action feature film adaptation is also scheduled to open in Japanese theaters simultaneously, creating a monumental promotional event for fans of Yamamori’s work.
Supporting Data and Critical Reception
Throughout its publication history, In the Clear Moonlit Dusk has garnered widespread critical acclaim from both industry peers and major manga guidebooks. Most notably, the series secured prominent placements in the prestigious Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook published by Takarajimasha, which surveys manga industry professionals, critics, and avid readers to determine the top reads of the year.
In the 2022 edition of the guidebook, In the Clear Moonlit Dusk ranked fourth in the Female Readers’ Top 20 category, signaling an explosive and immediate entry into the upper echelon of contemporary shōjo manga. The following year, the series maintained a strong foothold in the competitive market, securing the 11th position in the Female Readers’ Top 20 for the 2023 edition. These accolades underscored the manga’s narrative consistency and its resonant emotional core, setting it apart in a saturated demographic market.
Synopsis and Narrative Foundation
At the heart of the series’ enduring appeal is its subversion of traditional shōjo tropes, anchored by its distinctive protagonists. The story follows Yoi Takiguchi, a high school student whose striking height, deep voice, and casually handsome demeanor earn her widespread admiration—and a distinct lack of personal privacy. Every time Yoi so much as lets out a sigh, her female classmates squeal in admiration and awe, leading her peers to dub her the school’s "prince."
Despite the constant attention, Yoi remains remarkably indifferent, striving to navigate her daily life with quiet dignity. That is, until Kohaku Ichimura—the school’s other recognized "prince"—waltzes into her life and unabashedly calls her beautiful.
Unlike Yoi, who shoulders her moniker with grace, Kohaku acts thoughtlessly and does entirely as he pleases. Yet, his candid compliment leaves Yoi thoroughly flustered, stirring up unfamiliar nervous butterflies. As the first boy to truly acknowledge her as a young woman rather than an idealized archetype, Kohaku sets his sights on Yoi, rendering her attempts to maintain her distance entirely futile. While Yoi continuously attempts to rationalize his attention as inconsequential, she finds herself powerless against the genuine emotional disruption Kohaku causes in her heart. This delicate dance of vulnerability forms the emotional backbone of Yamamori’s storytelling.
Adaptation Milestones: From Page to Screen
The commercial success of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk naturally paved the way for broader multimedia adaptations, transforming the printed page into dynamic visual mediums over the course of 2026.
Earlier in the year, the franchise made its long-awaited leap into animation. A 12-episode television anime adaptation, produced collaboratively by animation studios East Fish Studio and Atelier Peuplier, aired during the Winter 2026 television season. The adaptation was met with enthusiastic international reception, bolstered by Crunchyroll’s extensive simulcast distribution, which provided subtitles in multiple languages alongside a dedicated English dub. The anime successfully translated Yamamori’s delicate art style and atmospheric pacing to the screen, introducing the characters to a broader global audience that had yet to dive into the source manga.
Following the success of the television anime, the franchise expanded further into live-action cinema. TOHO announced and scheduled a live-action film adaptation to premiere in Japanese theaters on October 23, 2026, aligning the cinematic release directly with the publication of the final manga chapter. This synchronized rollout speaks to the immense corporate and creative confidence placed in the intellectual property by its publishers and producers.
Broader Impact and Industry Implications
The conclusion of In the Clear Moonlit Dusk marks a significant transitional moment for Desert magazine and the broader shōjo manga publishing sector at large. Series of this magnitude—capable of sustaining multi-million-copy circulations while successfully branching into both television animation and live-action cinema—act as foundational pillars for their respective publishing houses.
For Kodansha, the completion of Yamamori’s narrative frees the celebrated creator to explore new artistic horizons, while simultaneously closing the book on one of the defining romance titles of the early 2020s. As serialization comes to an end, the legacy of Yoi and Kohaku’s unconventional romance remains secure, cemented by a robust international print run, critically praised guide rankings, and a comprehensive multimedia footprint that will continue to attract new readers for years to come.
