prequels and sequels
Starting from 2013, a series of prequels and sequels to the Ranze arc of Tokimeki has been published directly to tankōbon as well as in the magazine Cookie.
Makabe Shun no jijō (2013)
Tokimeki Tonight: Makabe Shun no jijō is a collection of one prologue and eight side-stories to Tokimeki, detailing Makabe Shun's life at different stages. I believe Ikeno Koi drew it to go along with the ebook edition of Tokimeki, which came out around the same time.
It made quite an impact when it came out, since it was the time since 1987 that Ikeno had written a story that takes place during the Ranze era of Tokimeki. It got picked up by various news agencies, and I hear it was sold out for a while in stores as well as online. In 2014, it was named the number two shōjo/josei manga by the popular annual magazine Kono manga ga sugoi! (this manga is amazing!), a testament to Tokimeki's enduring popularity even after 30 years.
Summaries
Chapter 1 (age 0) — Shun and his mother are exiled from Makai, and are helped by sisters at a monastery. Hanae is touched and wants to help others as the sisters helped her, and decides to become a nurse. One day, Hanae and baby Shun meet a pregnant Shiira at the hospital.
Chapter 2 (age 5) — Shun and Hanae move into a new apartment, and meet the Kamiya family. Tamasaburō falls in love with Hanae, while Shun and Yōko become friends. Shun also meets Rocky, the neighbourhood cat that Ranze later turns into several times!
Chapter 3 (age 10) — Shun and Yōko are in the same class at school, and get teased by a classmate because they only have one parent. Shun defends Yōko when the classmate tells Yōko her family should get out of town.
Chapter 4 (age 12) — Shun becomes interested in boxing, but feels he can't ask his mother to pay for a gym membership. But when Hanae is nearly raped by a doctor at her workplace and Tamasaburō saves her, Tamasaburō offers to let Shun join his gym so he can become strong enough to protect his mother.
I really enjoyed the stories about the Makabe and Kamiya families in these three chapters. Shun never reciprocates Yōko's romantic feelings, obviously, but these stories make it clear that they have something in common, and how Tamasaburō genuinely helped both Shun and Hanae while Shun was growing up. I thought it was really touching, and adds a lot of nuance to the early chapters of Tokimeki.
Chapter 5 (age 14) — Before Ranze transfers into Shun's middle school, she and Mōri go and take a look at the school. Shun overhears them talking, and gets Ranze's hat for her when a wind blows it up in a tree.
Chapter 6 (age 15) — The episode about Sari, the dream demon who was sent by Aron to get between Shun and Ranze, told from Shun and Sari's points of view.
Chapter 7 (age 18) — While living together next to the Etō mansion, Shun and Aron bond as brothers.
Chapter 8 (age 18-21) — Dirk Carlo appears before Shun as a ghost, urging Shun to propose to Ranze, and won't leave him alone until he's satisfied.
Availability
It is available both in a print edition and an ebook edition, from places such as eBookJapan and the Amazon Kindle store.
Etō Mō ri no kakeochi (2015)
Tokimeki Tonight: Etō Mō ri no kakeochi contains the title story, a prequel about how Ranze's parents Mōri and Shiira met, as well as a shorter sequel titled Etō Ranze no monmon about how Ranze managed to come out to Yōko about her marriage to Shun. I especially enjoyed the short story about Ranze and Yōko, as it showed the friendship between Ranze and Yōko developing after the end of the Ranze arc.
Availability
It is available both in a print edition and an ebook edition, from places such as eBookJapan and the Amazon Kindle store. Both the print and ebook editions contains a color page featuring a young Mōri and Shiira.
Etō Ranze no takarabako (2019)
A tankōbon collecting four sequel side stories as well as the 2006 side story Mori no naka (reproduced in full color in the ebook edition).
- Makabe Shun no jijō + (2015, Ribon September issue)
- Kamiya Yōko no ranran (2017, Cookie March issue)
- Makabe fūfu no honeymoon (2018, Cookie March issue)
- Makabe-ke no kikyō (2019, Cookie January and March issues)
Availability
It is available both in a print edition and an ebook edition, from places such as eBookJapan and the Amazon Kindle store.
Tokimeki Tonight sorekara (2021)
A sequel series set after the Aira arc and featuring Ranze as the protagonist began serialization in the July 2021 issue of Cookie magazine. The series revolves around Ranze's daily life as a mother and wife, and the new threats to her and her close ones.
Availability
One tankōbon has been released and is available both in a print edition and an ebook edition, from places such as eBookJapan and the Amazon Kindle store. Future chapters are featured in every issue of Cookie, on sale at the end of every odd month.
