Shigeaki Kato (NEWS) new novel “Miakis Symphony” will be released! “I want to shout to the sky that I have accomplished the best thing.”

■“While writing, I felt that “love,” which is one of the themes of this novel, was also a question.” (Shigeaki Kato)

Shigeaki Kato, a novelist and member of the idol group NEWS, will release his new novel “Miakis Symphony” on February 26, 2025.

The novel “Miakis Symphony”, which was serialized irregularly in the weekly magazine “anan” for a total of 16 times from 2018 to 2022, has been reborn as a new story with major additions and revisions. It has been about 7 years since the series started. This is a masterpiece in which Kato, who has continued to grow both as a writer and as a person, takes on the theme of “love.”

Miakis is an animal that is said to be the ancestor of dogs and cats. Just as living things evolve and branch out from Miakis, a variety of characters appear. A girl who can only express her true feelings to stuffed animals, a serious university professor, a lawyer who lacks confidence in interacting with people, a cook who seems to be hiding something mysterious… Set in a university or Japanese restaurant that could be found in any city, the characters intertwine as you follow a scene from various perspectives. The stories that each person plays will eventually come together around the central character and emerge as a magnificent symphony. This is a story that deepens our thoughts about what it means to love.

Ever since it was serialized, readers have been requesting it to be made into a book. An official website has been opened on the website of the serialized medium “anan”. The author’s visuals for the new work will be published on the same site.

An official X account has also been opened.

■Shigeaki Kato comment
The serialization of “Miakis Symphony” began in April 2018. It took about 7 years from then to publication. This is the work that took the most time in my life as a writer. During that time, all kinds of things happened in the world, in society, and in regards to me as an individual and as a writer. Even after the series was finished, I continued to revise the manuscript, and the reason it took even longer to get it published was because I kept wondering what to write. I wasn’t sure if it would be completed, but I suddenly thought about it. I thought it would be okay to end it while still wondering. I always think of novels as questions, not answers. As I was writing this book, I felt that “love”, which is one of the themes of this novel, is also a question. Once I realized this, I was able to write smoothly, and I finally entered the word “END”. Now that I’ve finished writing it, I feel refreshed and filled with love. I just want to shout to the sky that I have created the best thing. I can’t wait to see how readers will read this ensemble drama in which various characters appear. This work took me to a new realm. I hope that many people will pick it up.

Miakis Symphony (C) Makoto Suenaga/Magazine House
Photo: Makoto Suenaga Stylist: Shohei Fujinaga Hair & Makeup: AMANO