The Golden Kamuy manga’s ending is confirmed to be releasing on April 28, 2022. Golden Kamuy Chapter 314 will finish the final story arc and Golden Kamuy Volume 31 will contain the final chapter.
According to Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump magazine, the manga series by creator Satoru Noda entered its climax phase with the May 2021 release of Golden Kamuy Chapter 277: Operation Defend Hanazawa Yuusaku’s Virginity.
(With a chapter title like that, you have to wonder if the bodily-humor loving creator timed the climax announcement as a meta joke.)
On July 29, 2021, the 35th issue of Weekly Young Jump began the final story arc with Golden Kamuy Chapter 285. The manga went on a month-long hiatus after Chapter 284 was released on June 24, 2021.
In early April 2022, the magazine announced that the Golden Kamuy manga’s ending was right around the corner. Golden Kamuy 312 came out on April 14, 2022, then Golden Kamuy 313 on April 21, 2022, and then Golden Kamuy 314 on April 28, 2022.
After the long sojourn into Karafuto that was adapted by the anime’s third season, many of the characters have reunited in recent story arcs. One of the factions has already gathered everything they need to decipher the code and find the hidden treasure. Golden Kamuy’s climax phase played out from 2021 since the endgame began with the Battle of Hakodate arc.
In Japanese narratives, there is a four-act structure known as Kishōtenketsu.
- Ki : Introduction
- Shō : Development
- Ten : Twist (complication)
- Ketsu : Conclusion (reconciliation)
During the Twist phase, the story turns toward an unexpected development, and it contains the yama, or climax, of the story.
- Updated April 6, 2022: Golden Kamuy’s final Chapter/Volume is announced.
- Updated July 27, 2021: Golden Kamuy final arc announced.
Golden Kamuy manga’s English release schedule
The manga has been serialized weekly in Weekly Young Jump magazine since August 2014. The beginning of the climax, Golden Kamuy 277, was released as part of Volume 28.
The manga series is up to Volume 29 as of April 19, 2022. The Golden Kamuy Volume 30 release date is on June 17, 2022, and the ending Volume 31 will release on July 19, 2022.
As of the release of Golden Kamuy Volume 18, the manga series had sold over 10 million copies. By September 2020, the Golden Kamuy manga series had sold 14 million copies, and by December 2021 it was up to 18 million copies in circulation.
VIZ Media is publishing the official English translation of the Golden Kamuy manga series. The English manga was up to Volume 25 as of February 15, 2022, and Volume 26 was scheduled to release on May 17, 2022.
Golden Kamuy Season 5 anime could adapt the manga’s ending?
The last time there was any update on the anime TV series, the Golden Kamuy Season 4 release date was confirmed to be in Fall 2022. The big surprise was that Studio Brain’s Base took over the animation production from Geno Studio after the latter company produced three seasons.
The only question is how the Golden Kamuy manga’s ending will be adapted. Season 3 director Hitoshi Nanba purposefully left the anime open-ended with the intention of continuing.
Still, Geno Studio adapted the manga by skipping many story arcs only to adapt them into Golden Kamuy OVA episodes. Season 1 adapted 62 chapters, and Season 2 adapted Chapters 70 through 139.
The third season was a much more straight-forward adaptation of Chapters 140 through 200 with the exception of the ending. In the finale, the anime rearranged scenes a lot in order to provide proper closure to the story while also leaving the opening for the Golden Kamuy sequel.
“I ended the last part of [Golden Kamuy] Episode 36 with the intention of continuing,” the director tweeted. “It would be nice if the 4th season was decided.”
Since the Golden Kamuy manga’s ending is in Chapter 314, the fourth season could adapt multiple story arcs up until around Chapter 273. Golden Kamuy Season 5 would then finish off the remaining chapters.
Hopefully, the Golden Kamuy manga’s ending will bring a satisfying conclusion to the journey of Saichi Sugimoto and Asirpa that leaves fans declaring, “Hinna, hinna!” Stay tuned!