Food Wars! Artist Shun Saeki Ends His Shueisha Exclusive Contract and Opens the Door to New Work

Shun Saeki, the artist who drew every plate of food (and every over-the-top tasting reaction) in Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma, has just stepped out on his own. In a post on his official X account on November 1, Saeki announced that his long-running exclusive contract with Shueisha has come to an end, and that he is now open to new work.

He attached a fresh illustration to the news: Soma Yukihira grinning with a hand stretched toward the viewer and Erina Nakiri standing behind him in her chef's whites, with a hand-written "Thank you for your continued support" across the top. It is a fitting send-off for the pair that made him a household name in Weekly Shonen Jump.

What he is looking for

Saeki thanked everyone he has worked with over the years and said he is now taking inquiries for:

• Manga art duties, working with a writer
• Illustrations
• Character design

There is one big caveat: he says he is not taking on long-term projects for now. So if you were hoping this means a brand-new weekly serialization right away, that does not look like the plan, at least not yet.

Why it matters

Exclusive contracts are a quiet but important part of how Japanese manga magazines keep their artists close, so a Jump veteran becoming a free agent is notable. Saeki and writer Yuto Tsukuda ran Food Wars! in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2012 to 2019, then reunited for one-shots and the short-lived Tenmaku Cinema in 2023.

My take: his clean, energetic style is a natural fit for game and anime character design, and the "no long-term work" line makes shorter gigs like that seem the most likely next step. Wherever his name turns up next, I will be watching for it. You can read his full announcement on his official X account.