The October issue of Shosetsu Subaru (小説すばる), published by Shueisha and hitting shelves on 16 September, dedicates a major feature to the 10th anniversary of the HiGH&LOW series. The feature brings together five original short stories from leading Japanese fiction writers, each accompanied by illustrations from a prominent manga artist or illustrator.
About HiGH&LOW
HiGH&LOW is an action-entertainment franchise launched by LDH in 2015, beginning as a drama series before expanding into films and music. Over the past decade it has built a devoted fanbase across Japan and beyond.
Stories and Illustrators
The five short stories and their illustrators are as follows:
- “Ōja-kō Bunkasai” by Yugo Aosaki — illustrated by Lily Hoshino (星野リリィ)
- “Count and Bet” by Akira Hamanakanaka — illustrated by Yo Asami (浅見よう)
- “Todoroki no Jijō” (轟²) by Ban Madoi — illustrated by Ayuko Hatta (八田鮎子)
- “Sōgen no Jiyū na Kemono-tachi” by Shion Miura — illustrated by Hiromasa Okushima (奥嶋ひろまさ)
- “Ichigo Miruku Kyō wa Bechdel Test wo Pass suru” by Toriko Yoshikawa — illustrated by Haruko Kumota (雲田はるこ)
Cover and Special Interview
The issue’s cover features AKIRA (EXILE / EXILE THE SECOND), who plays Kohaku in the HiGH&LOW series, alongside Ikuma Kawamura (川村壱馬, THE RAMPAGE), the lead of the HiGH&LOW THE WORST series — a crossover between HiGH&LOW and Hiroshi Takahashi’s Crows and WORST manga. The issue also contains a three-way conversation between AKIRA, Kawamura, and screenwriter-director Norihisa Hiranuma (平沼紀久).
Comments from Cast Members
Kenchi Tachibana (橘ケンチ, EXILE / EXILE THE SECOND) said that in HiGH&LOW everyone is a protagonist, but the screen can only show so much. He had long wanted to see the backstories of each individual character, and this project finally made that wish come true. He expressed hope for a second volume, saying the world of HiGH&LOW can expand “infinitely.”
Ikuma Kawamura (THE RAMPAGE) praised every story in the collection, saying he could feel each writer’s expressive power and craft throughout. As someone who values words in his own songwriting, he found the experience deeply instructive, and admitted he was so absorbed that he found himself wanting to see the stories adapted into film.
Shogo Iwatani (岩谷翔吾, THE RAMPAGE) highlighted how refreshing it was to glimpse the characters’ everyday lives — the moments that never appear on screen. He was particularly delighted by Shion Miura’s portrayal of the Amemiya brothers, which kept him smiling throughout.
Natsuki Hori (堀夏喜, FANTASTICS) said the stories revealed emotions in the characters he had never been able to access before — their struggles, inner conflicts, and the bonds of friendship that quietly ease those burdens. The contrast between fierce battles and ordinary daily life made the world of HiGH&LOW feel closer and more human than ever.
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