The Blue Box manga has officially ended its run in Weekly Shonen Jump. The final chapter, Chapter 250, was published on July 13, 2026, bringing the beloved romance-sports series to a close after more than five years of serialization.
Created by Kouji Miura, Blue Box (Ao no Hako) first appeared as a one-shot in August 2020 before beginning its weekly serialization in April 2021. Over the years, it grew into one of Shonen Jump’s most successful romance titles, with over 10 million copies in circulation.
The story followed Taiki Inomata, a badminton player, and Chinatsu Kano, a basketball star, as they navigated high school life, athletic ambitions, and a slow-burning romance that developed naturally over time. The series stood out in Shonen Jump’s typically action-heavy lineup by focusing on everyday emotions, genuine character growth, and the quiet moments that define youth.
Final Chapter Brings the Story Full Circle
Chapter 250, published in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue No. 33, served as the manga’s graduation ceremony. Miura had hinted a week earlier that the finale would mark this milestone, and he delivered exactly that.
The final chapter takes readers back to where everything began—the Eimei High School gymnasium. In a touching callback to Taiki and Chinatsu’s first meeting, Taiki gets hit by a basketball once again. But this time, instead of an awkward apology from a distance, Chinatsu rushes over to check on him, sharing a kiss that shows how naturally their relationship has grown over the years.
The closing pages feature a powerful double-page illustration of the gym completely empty—a symbolic “blue box” representing the characters finally leaving their high school lives behind. The image captures the feeling of graduation perfectly, showing that while life moves forward, memories remain where they were created.
Miura Planned the Ending From the Start
Kouji Miura had always intended for Blue Box to end with Taiki and his class graduating from high school. The final arc, which ran through 2026, focused on the characters’ last tournaments and their journey toward graduation.
Rather than introducing last-minute conflicts or dramatic twists, Miura chose to resolve the story’s main threads in the chapters leading up to the finale. One key moment came when Taiki accepted his loss at the national tournament—a reminder that Blue Box was never just about winning. The manga always prioritized character growth, friendship, and romance over sports victories.
In the end, Miura said goodbye to his characters through simple, realistic moments that felt true to the series from beginning to end.
Fans React With Emotion and Appreciation
Social media has been flooded with emotional responses from readers who followed Taiki and Chinatsu’s journey for over five years. Unlike many long-running manga that receive mixed reactions to their endings, Blue Box’s finale has generated an overwhelmingly positive response.
One fan on X wrote about getting goosebumps during the graduation sequence, praising the emotional weight of the final pages. Another Reddit user shared a sentiment that captured what made the series special: people rarely realize which moments will be their last when they are enjoying life, and they thanked Miura for capturing that fleeting青春热度.
Readers have praised Miura’s consistency throughout the entire serialization. The manga never abandoned its identity for unnecessary drama or shocking twists. It remained a story about sports, first love, personal growth, and learning how to support someone else’s dreams while pursuing your own.
Some fans wished the creator had shown the characters during their college years. However, most agreed that continuing the story beyond graduation would have lost the core theme of Blue Box. The series was always about first love and youth, and ending it at graduation stayed true to that vision.
Creator Already Asking for More Work
In a humorous twist, Kouji Miura didn’t waste any time after finishing the series. Just hours after posting his celebratory message about completing the five-year journey, he posted again—this time begging the Jump editorial department for work.
“Jump editorial department, please give me work! This state of freedom with no work… it’s truly terrifying QQ.”
Fans found his reaction both funny and relatable. Many acknowledged the immense effort required to bring a beloved series to a five-year conclusion. Some encouraged him to rest and recharge before starting his next project, noting that the artwork showed some inconsistency in the later stages likely due to the intense workload.
At just 31 years old, Blue Box is only Miura’s third serialized work, but it has already become a significant success. He has plenty of time for future projects, but his immediate plea for more work shows just how dedicated he is to his craft.
What the Ending Means for Shonen Jump
Blue Box’s conclusion marks another major change for Weekly Shonen Jump in 2026. The magazine has already lost several long-running hits this year, including The Elusive Samurai and Hima-Ten!. When combined with earlier endings and cancellations, about ten series have concluded their runs in the magazine so far this year.
This wave of endings reflects a significant transition period for Shonen Jump. The magazine is moving toward a new lineup centered on newer properties like Kagurabachi, while still relying on established hits like One Piece. Several other series are currently in their final arcs and expected to end soon.
Blue Box Continues With Anime Season 2
While the manga has ended, the Blue Box franchise is far from over. The anime adaptation’s second season is scheduled to premiere on October 4, 2026, on TBS and 27 affiliated stations in Japan.
Netflix has confirmed that the series will be available globally in October 2026, though an exact international release date has not yet been announced. The first season, which aired from October 2024 to March 2025, covered the first 81 chapters of the manga.
The second season will feature some changes behind the scenes. The production has moved from Telecom Animation Film to a new studio called Electric Circus, which consists of former Telecom staff members. The director has changed to Daisuke Sakou, but many key staff members, including series composer Yuko Kakihara and character designer Miho Tanino, are returning.
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Final Volumes on the Way
Fans who want to complete their physical collections have two more volumes to look forward to. Volume 27 of the Blue Box manga will be released on October 2, 2026, and the final Volume 28 will follow on December 4, 2026.
To celebrate the series’ ending, Shueisha is offering a “Final Chapter Complete Digital Manuscript Print Mini” to applicants through the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump.
The final chapter is currently available to read for free through Viz Media’s official site and app, as well as Shueisha’s Manga Plus platform.
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