Miho Obana's shojo manga, "Kodocha" (こどものおもちゃ), is undoubtedly a childhood classic for many. The anime adaptation was incredibly popular, and while its style differed from the manga, both versions garnered a loyal fanbase.
Years later, on March 18th, a brand new short story unexpectedly dropped! This exciting piece is a collaboration with the Japanese beauty booking site Hot Pepper Beauty, featuring a short manga drawn by Miho Obana herself. It immediately blew up on X, even hitting the trending topics. 
▼ "Sana's Boyfriend" and "Kodocha" both became trending keywords on X.
In this new installment, first-year high schooler Sana Kurata is still rocking the entertainment world. She's landed a starring role in a movie, but it's causing her some serious angst. The director told her she wasn't quite "there" as an actress yet, leaving Sana wondering what she needed to improve.
When she vented to a friend, the friend suggested, "Why not start with a new look?" So Sana decided to hit up a salon for a major image overhaul!
Naturally, to promote Hot Pepper Beauty, the characters pull out the booking app in the manga. They use it to find the perfect hair salon for a cut and treatment. But what really caught everyone's eye? Akito Hayama, casually sipping a drink nearby, explicitly labeled "Sana's Boyfriend."
Later, Sana gets her fresh new look at the salon. Boyfriend Hayama secretly watches her from outside, and in classic clumsy Sana fashion, she accidentally bumps into him while opening the door.
New-haired Sana asks, "Did you come to see the brand new Sana?" Hayama denies it, but Sana confidently shows off her new 'do, saying she feels much more confident at work with her fresh style.
Even though it's just a few pages, fans were incredibly touched. After all, the "Kodocha" manga wrapped up over 17 years ago! While a short story did drop in 2015 for Shueisha's Ribon magazine's 60th anniversary, getting to see high schooler Sana, Hayama, and the gang drawn by Miho Obana again? Truly priceless!
Sure, this short story is a commercial collab, but seeing new "Kodocha" content after all these years is definitely a delightful surprise for fans! (And for us editors, too – major childhood nostalgia hit!)