Nao Emoto Draws Maryoku Zero no Saikyō Kenja Manga Based on Shinkoshoto's Story

The official X/Twitter account for Square Enix's Manga UP! online manga service revealed last Friday that Nao Emoto launched a manga adaptation of Shinkoshoto's Maryoku Zero no Saikyō Kenja ~Mahō Riron o Kiwametara, Sekai Saikyō ni Natteita~ (The Strongest Sage With Zero Magic Power ~Once I Advanced Magical Theory, I Became the Strongest~) story on the same day.

The story centers on Nayton Magius, born into a family of prominent mages, yet having no aptitude for magic himself. Despite this, Nayton still loves magic, and hopes to become a magic researcher someday. He enters the elite "Magical Division" from his father's introduction, and there furthers his magical research to a point where he breaks the system.

Shinkoshoto began serializing the original story in the Shōsetsuka ni Narō website on January 15 earlier this year, and the latest chapter debuted on February 16. Square Enix will publish the first print volume of the novels on May 7, with illustrations by kodamazon (meaning Emoto's manga adaptation debuted before the print version of the novels).

Shinkoshoto is the original author of the The Strongest Sage With the Weakest Crest and Tensei Kenja no Isekai Life light novels, both of which inspired television anime adaptations that premiered in January 2022 and July 2022, respectively. Square Enix Manga & Books publishes the manga adaptations of both novels in English. Square Enix also publishes the manga adaptation of his The Strongest Sage, Killer Alchemist -Assassinations in Another World-, My Adventurer Life, Dualing Fighters, and Anything's Possible with Ultimate Alchemy light novel series via Manga UP! Global. Comikey also publishes the manga adaptation of Shinkoshoto's I Think I'll Cheat to Become a Spellsword in Another World (Isekai Tensei Shita node Cheat wo Ikashite Mahō Kenshi Yarokoto ni Suru) light novels in English. Both Comikey and Square Enix (via Manga UP! Global) publish the manga adaptation of Shinkoshoto's The Unrivaled Reincarnated Sage of Another World light novels.

Emoto previously drew the O Maidens in Your Savage Season (Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo) manga alongside author, anime writer, and later anime director Mari Okada. The manga launched in Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in December 2016, and ended in September 2019. Kodansha USA Publishing released the manga in English. The manga inspired a television anime adaptation that premiered in July 2019. 

Emoto drew the manga adaptation of the Josee, The Tiger and the Fish anime film (which opened in Japan in December 2020), for which she is also the character designer. Yen Press licensed the manga.

Emoto serialized her Forget Me Not romance manga, inspired by Mag Hsu's original Taiwanese novel Mǎzimen, from 2013 to 2016. Kodansha USA Publishing also publishes Forget Me Not in English.

Emoto launched the manga adaptation of author NisiOisin's Shin Honkaku Mahō Shōjo Risuka (The New Orthodox Magical Girl Risuka) novels in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine in April 2021, and ended it in December 2024. Kodansha published the manga's seventh and final compiled book volume in April 2024.

Sources: Manga UP!'s website and X/Twitter account