Gazing at the Star Next Door Manga Goes on Hiatus to Prepare for New Arc

The January 2026 issue of Kodansha‘s Bessatsu Friend magazine revealed last Friday that Ammitsu‘s Gazing at the Star Next Door (Tonari no Stella) manga will go on hiatus to prepare for the next arc. Ammitsu plans to resume the manga sometime in spring.

Kodansha USA publishes the series in English and describes the story:

Chiaki is a pretty normal teenage girl. Since they were kids, she’s had a thing for her best friend Subaru—who’s fast becoming the hottest young actor in Japan! With Subaru threatening to slip away, Chiaki has a decision to make: Will she finally take her shot, or give Subaru up to his adoring public?

Ammitsu launched the series in Bessatsu Friend in January 2022. Kodansha published the manga’s ninth compiled book volume last Friday. Kodansha USA Publishing released the seventh volume on November 28.

The manga inspired a live-action film that opened on August 22. The film opened at #9 and earned 104,595,300 yen (about US$710,200) in its first three days.

Ammitsu ended the Ran the Peerless Beauty (Takane no Ran-san) manga in December 2020. Kodansha published the manga’s 10th and final volume in January 2021. Ammitsu launched the manga in Bessatsu Friend in July 2017. Kodansha USA Publishing released all 10 volumes in English.

Source: Bessatsu Friend January 2026 issue