"The New Prince of Tennis," the sequel to "The Prince of Tennis," might be jokingly called "superpower tennis" by some fans, but it remains one of the most iconic sports manga out there. Fans still can't get enough of it, with events and merchandise consistently selling like hotcakes.
However, author Takeshi Konomi recently dropped a bombshell on his X (formerly Twitter) account, suddenly revealing that "The New Prince of Tennis" has "less than a year left" before its conclusion. The news immediately sent shockwaves across the internet.
"The Prince of Tennis" first debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, running until its conclusion in 2008. The very next year, its sequel, "The New Prince of Tennis," kicked off in Jump SQ., shifting the action to a global stage where Ryoma and the gang face off against formidable players from around the world. That series has now been going strong for 16 years.
Takeshi Konomi first teased fans on X, announcing: "The latest chapter of 'The New Prince of Tennis,' featuring a cover, color pages, and three chapters all at once, will be in the August issue of Jump SQ., hitting shelves on July 4th (Friday)!"
He then added: "'The Prince of Tennis' has been serialized for 26 years, and 'The New Prince of Tennis' has been with you all for 16 years... It will conclude in less than a year. I hope everyone will stay with them until the very end."
This sudden announcement of the series' end left fans reeling, with many taking to social media to express their feelings: "While I'm excited to see the final showdown in 'The Prince of Tennis,' knowing it's ending in less than a year is heartbreaking... No matter the era, 'Prince of Tennis' will always be #1!" and "It's so sad to hear there's less than a year left, but I also feel incredibly happy and proud to have supported 'The Prince of Tennis' for so many years."
Currently, "The New Prince of Tennis" is deep into the U-17 World Cup finals, so it's highly likely the series will wrap up after the championship match. Takeshi Konomi hasn't hinted at any further sequels, but with "The Prince of Tennis" franchise spanning 26 years, its impending conclusion probably marks the end of an era for many fans.