A commemorative book celebrating the 40th anniversary of Mamoru Nagano's (永野護) The Five Star Stories (ファイブスター物語), titled F.S.S. EPISODES of 40th MEMORIAL, goes on sale on October 1, 2026 (Thursday) from KADOKAWA Corporation. The author is Mamoru Nagano.
The book is a keepsake volume that features the latest guide to all the robots (MH / GTM) that have appeared in the main story and in the art collections, along with year-by-year serialized episodes.
The November issue of Monthly Newtype (月刊ニュータイプ), which goes on sale on October 9, 2026 (Friday), is a special issue marking the magazine's 500th edition. Mamoru Nagano provides the cover illustration and appears in the lead interview, where he comments on this book and on the series' 40th anniversary. It is worth picking up alongside the book.
About the Book
The Five Star Stories (ファイブスターストーリーズ, also known as F.S.S.) began serialization in Monthly Newtype in 1986. This commemorative book brings together the appeal of the series in one volume. It covers explanations of every MH and GTM that has appeared in the work, episodes organized by year of publication, and the changing suits of the Fatima EST (ファティマ・エスト). It also includes a super-super early preview of the art collection F.S.S. DESIGNS 8 and the title-page manga "Ganbare EST-chan" (がんばれESTちゃん). It looks back on 40 years while offering a chance to meet a new F.S.S.
Sections
- ROBOTER Surveys: Explains the MH and GTM one unit at a time in order of appearance, matching each MH with its GTM.
- EPISODES Reminisced: Introduces the story and publications by year of release.
- All about EST Suits: Gathers more than 20 types of suits worn by the Fatima EST.
- Ganbare EST-chan (がんばれESTちゃん): Includes the title-page manga, which also weaves in the author's personal updates since 1999.
- EARLY ACCESS DESIGNS 8: Quietly reveals the latest information on the next chapter.
About The Five Star Stories
The Five Star Stories is serialized in Monthly Newtype (published by KADOKAWA).
Set in the Joker Star Cluster (ジョーカー太陽星団), the series is an epic drama in which knights, the artificial beings known as Fatima (ファティマ), giant robots, gods, and ordinary people each shine in their own eras.
It is a grand tale where clashes between giant robots and hand-to-hand combat between knights mingle with national causes and personal emotions. Its mythic world blends science and magic, reality and fantasy, and it continues to attract many readers.
Total circulation of the series, including the collected volumes and related books, has passed 10 million copies. The collected volumes are available up to the latest Volume 19.
Series and related book information
About Mamoru Nagano (永野護, Nagano Mamoru)
Mamoru Nagano is a designer born in 1960 and a native of Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture.
In 1983, he joined Nihon Sunrise (日本サンライズ, now Bandai Namco Filmworks). He was chosen to handle the character and mecha designs for the TV anime Heavy Metal L-Gaim (重戦機エルガイム), which aired in 1984, and drew wide attention. After working on titles including the TV anime Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (機動戦士Zガンダム), he began serializing The Five Star Stories in Monthly Newtype in 1986.
In 2012, he released the animated film 花の詩女 ゴティックメード, for which he served as director and screenwriter, among other roles. The DESIGNS Mamoru Nagano Design Exhibition (DESIGNS 永野護デザイン展) is being held in five cities across Japan from 2024 through 2026.
Official website: https://automaticflowers.ne.jp/
Official X: https://x.com/naganomamoru
Book Information
- Title: F.S.S. EPISODES of 40th MEMORIAL
- Author: Mamoru Nagano
- Edited by: Newtype Editorial Department
- Price: ¥3,630 (¥3,300 plus tax)
- Release Date: October 1, 2026 (Thursday)
- Format: A4 variant format
- Pages: 160
- ISBN: 978-4-04-117830-0
- Publisher: KADOKAWA Corporation
