In a suffocating near-future Japan where the birth rate has hit rock bottom, being a child is no longer a phase of life it is a mandatory, state-enforced prison of eternal youth. Sanda Kazushige is just another student navigating the bizarre social hierarchies of his school until his classmate Shiori Fuyumura tries to kill him with a kitchen knife. She isn’t a psychopath; she’s desperate, convinced that Sanda is the only one who can find their missing friend because he carries the bloodline of a long-dead myth. When Sanda finally snaps, he does not just fight back—he transforms into a hulking, muscular adult who embodies the forgotten legend of Santa Claus.

This is not a fairy tale. It is a visceral, surreal dive into a society that has commodified innocence while erasing its own history. Paru Itagaki, the visionary creator of Beastars, delivers a story that is as unhinged as it is heartfelt, blending high-stakes mystery with a biting critique of modern culture. As Sanda and Shiori hunt for the truth behind Ono Ichie’s disappearance, they are forced to confront the dark reality of a world that fears growing up. Sanda must learn to wield his legendary powers in a landscape that has forgotten how to believe in anything, all while grappling with the physical and emotional weight of a gift that feels like a curse. It is an electrifying race against time that asks if one man can bring the spirit of Christmas back to a world that decided it did not need it anymore.

Sanda manga, Paru Itagaki, supernatural mystery, near future, psychological drama, Santa Claus reincarnation, Seinen, social commentary, mystery thriller, holiday myth