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Yes—My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi has written a horror one-shot. Titled Quit Laughing, Shijima (笑わないでよ しじまさん), it reportedly runs 61 pages in the combined Weekly Shonen Jump issue 37/38 and turns a school-romance setup into supernatural and ritual horror.

What is Quit Laughing, Shijima?

Quit Laughing, Shijima is described by journalist Isaiah Colbert as a horror one-shot from Horikoshi, best known for creating My Hero Academia. A secondary report says Horikoshi announced the project on August 12, 2026, and that the completed story appeared as a 61-page feature in the combined Weekly Shonen Jump issue 37/38. The announcement and publication details have not been independently verified against the original post or an official English listing.

How the story shifts from romance to horror

The school-romance opening

The reported premise begins with Azumi, a class clown whose jokes usually fail, and Shijima, a popular girl who laughs at them. Her smile is not straightforward, however: she keeps her teeth covered, making the gesture seem performed rather than spontaneous.

The supernatural turn

According to the article’s plot summary, Azumi begins seeing enormous otherworldly beings that the people around him apparently do not acknowledge. The town is also depicted as taking part in ritual sacrifice. These details come from secondary coverage rather than an independently reviewed synopsis, so they should be treated as a reported outline rather than a complete account of the manga.

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Why the smile matters

Colbert’s central reading is that Horikoshi makes the familiar visual language of a smile unsettling. Shijima’s covered or performed smile suggests that a reassuring expression can conceal distress, fear or something more dangerous.

The article connects that idea to My Hero Academia, where public smiles often represent safety and hope even when characters are suffering underneath. That comparison is critical interpretation, not a confirmed statement of Horikoshi’s intent. It nevertheless explains why the one-shot feels connected to his earlier work despite its very different genre.

Is it becoming a full manga series?

No continuation has been confirmed in the available reporting. Quit Laughing, Shijima may remain a standalone one-shot, but there is no established serialization announcement to indicate that it has been picked up as an ongoing series.

What readers should know about availability

  • The reported format is a 61-page one-shot in Weekly Shonen Jump issue 37/38.
  • The available coverage does not establish an official English edition, digital release or current print stock.
  • Because the original announcement was not directly authenticated in the reporting reviewed, readers should check official Shonen Jump or publisher listings for edition and language information.

So, does Horikoshi have a knack for horror?

That is Colbert’s evaluative framing, not an objective measurement based on a body of horror work. Still, the reported concept shows Horikoshi applying strengths associated with his superhero manga—expressive faces, symbolic smiles and the contrast between public reassurance and private pain—to a more frightening setting. The result is a surprising genre experiment rather than evidence that My Hero Academia is being replaced by a horror series.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kohei Horikoshi’s horror manga one-shot?

It is Quit Laughing, Shijima (笑わないでよ しじまさん), a reported 61-page horror one-shot that moves from school romance into supernatural and ritual horror.

Has Quit Laughing, Shijima been confirmed as a series?

No. The available article says its future is undecided, and no continuation has been confirmed.

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