IDOL x IDOL STORY! Release 2026: Upcoming Dates, Characters & What to Expect
Shotaro Tokuno, the creator of New Game!, has been running a second series since August 2022 that's completely different in setting but just as precise in its emotional focus. Aidoru x Aidoru Sutori!, published in English as IDOL x IDOL STORY!, follows a retired idol pulled back into competition by the very fan she inspired years ago. Published on Houbunsha's Comic Fuz platform under the FUZ Comics imprint, the series is licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. The Japanese edition has reached 10 volumes. English Vol. 6 is confirmed for August 4, 2026. This article covers everything officially confirmed for 2026 and will be updated as new announcements come through.
About IDOL x IDOL STORY!
IDOL x IDOL STORY! launched on Comic Fuz on August 25, 2022. Shotaro Tokuno handles both story and art, the same setup he used on New Game!. Seven Seas acquired the English license in October 2024, with Volume 1 releasing in April 2025. The Japanese edition is ongoing at 10 volumes as of April 2026. Seven Seas is releasing English editions quarterly, with Volume 5 out on April 14, 2026, and Volume 6 confirmed for August 4, 2026.
The genre is idol competition drama with a strong slice-of-life current underneath. It's seinen in classification, and the tone sits closer to Ya Boy Kongming! or Bocchi the Rock than to a high-pressure elimination show. The survival audition structure gives the series competitive stakes, but the real subject is what it means to want something you already walked away from. English volumes are available through Seven Seas Entertainment and major retailers.
Main Characters in IDOL x IDOL STORY!
The series centers on two leads whose histories are more connected than either of them initially realised.
Mimi Nagisa
The protagonist. She's 22, recently out of university, working convenience store shifts, and has been telling herself she's fine with how things turned out. Her idol group Stella didn't break through and she retired quietly. Except it didn't really take. Mimi is warm and self-deprecating in ways that mask how much she still loves performing. The series is fundamentally about her figuring that out, and Tokuno takes his time making it feel earned.
Ibuki Nanakusa
Co-protagonist and the reason Mimi ends up back in competition. Ibuki is a current idol who watched Mimi perform years ago and built her own career partly around that memory. When she crosses paths with Mimi again and learns she's retired, she refuses to accept it. More intense and direct about her ambitions than Mimi, their dynamic works because they push each other in opposite directions: Ibuki pulls Mimi forward while Mimi grounds Ibuki's drive with perspective.
The Super Star Ship Finalists
Aria talent agency's Super Star Ship Project selected 16 finalists from 13,532 national applicants to compete on a cruise ship for just 5 debut spots. The other 14 finalists form an ensemble cast of rivals and allies who drive the mid-series drama. The competition format is set up so that almost every contestant has a reason to be there that goes beyond career ambition, which keeps the group scenes compelling as the field narrows.
IDOL x IDOL STORY! Story Overview
Mimi Nagisa spent her early twenties as an idol, watched her group Stella disband without the breakthrough they'd worked toward, and quietly settled into a convenience store job after graduation. That changes when she runs into Ibuki Nanakusa, a working idol who has been inspired by Mimi since childhood and genuinely can't understand why she gave it up.
When Aria agency launches the Super Star Ship Project, a nationwide survival audition where 16 finalists compete on a cruise ship for 5 debut spots, Ibuki enters and drags Mimi along. From 13,532 applicants, both make the cut. The series follows them through the competition: the pressure of performing under elimination conditions, the alliances and rivalries that form among the finalists, and Mimi's gradual rediscovery of why she fell in love with performing. It's for readers who want competition drama warm rather than cutthroat. Full details on the Seven Seas Entertainment series page.
IDOL x IDOL STORY! Release Date 2026: What's Coming Next
English Volume 5 released on April 14, 2026 through Seven Seas Entertainment. The next confirmed English release is Volume 6.
No English release dates beyond Volume 6 have been confirmed as of May 2026. The Japanese edition is at 10 volumes and ongoing, so there's a strong pipeline feeding the English schedule. This page will be updated as Seven Seas announces further dates.
Your Questions About IDOL x IDOL STORY!, Answered
When is the next IDOL x IDOL STORY! release in 2026?
English Vol. 6 releases August 4, 2026 through Seven Seas Entertainment. No further English dates have been confirmed beyond that as of May 2026.
Where can I read IDOL x IDOL STORY! right now?
The English edition is available through Seven Seas Entertainment and major retailers, currently at 5 volumes (Vol. 5 released April 14, 2026). The Japanese original (10 volumes) is available through Houbunsha's Comic Fuz platform.
How many volumes does IDOL x IDOL STORY! have?
The Japanese edition has 10 volumes as of April 2026 and is ongoing. The English edition has 5 volumes out, with Vol. 6 confirmed for August 4, 2026.
Is there an anime adaptation of IDOL x IDOL STORY!?
No anime adaptation has been announced as of May 2026. The series is currently manga-only.
Where can I find official IDOL x IDOL STORY! merchandise?
Shop the full collection at Otaku Japan Store, with worldwide shipping on all orders.
August 4 is the next date to have on your radar. With 10 Japanese volumes already out, Seven Seas has plenty of material to keep the quarterly schedule running. Bookmark this page for updates, and the IDOL x IDOL STORY! merch collection ships worldwide if you want to rep the Super Star Ship in the meantime.