Initially released in 1997, in Kadokawa's Monthly Comic Beam, Masatoshi Usune's Desert Punk told the story of a wandering mercenary who is just trying to make their way in a world decimated by an apocalypse. The series was enough of a success early on but vanished until it returned for a new arc in 2004.
The arc, which focused on the Desert Punk's follower, ran for only one year before going on hiatus for another four years. The manga has had a long history of being on and off hiatus, with the most recent volume of the series releasing in 2019.
While the series is not the most consistent, the story has been compelling enough to spawn an anime series that released in 2004. The series only ran for 24 episodes and was released by the studio Gonzo.
With the manga going on for as long as it has, specific questions regarding the length of the series would inevitably be asked. The series may have been in publication, but the conclusion is coming a lot sooner than anyone would have guessed. In the most recent issue of Monthly Comic Beam, the reveal that the series would be ending in just two chapters was announced.
This could be the start of something new for Usune, as the series will finally be put to rest. But what will take its place? We would love to hear your thoughts in the usual spot!
The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where a mercenary bounty hunter known as the "Desert Punk" journeys across the Great Kantō Desert where Tokyo once stood.
Desert Punk is set to conclude this August!