In the aftermath of Pacific tsunamis, eerie reflections of a manga prediction surfaced in certain regions of Asia.
In the world of manga, Ryo Tatsuki's works have gained a significant following, particularly in Asia. Known for her supposed prescience, Tatsuki's manga "The Future I Saw" has been credited with foreseeing major events such as the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the death of Freddie Mercury, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it's important to note that Tatsuki's predictions are not considered precise. Her prophecies often involve approximate timing rather than exact dates. For instance, the cover of her 1999 manga states "massive disaster in March, 2011," leading some to believe she predicted the Tōhoku earthquake. Yet, the exact date was not foreseen.
Recently, Tatsuki warned of an earthquake in the Philippine Sea on July 5, 2025, which would allegedly cause tsunami waves three times as tall as those from the Tōhoku disaster. While the exact predicted date passed without the event, a major earthquake did occur off the Kamchatka Peninsula in late July 2025, triggering tsunami warnings along the Pacific coast of Japan. Some interpret this event as closely matching Tatsuki's warning, suggesting her timing was approximate but her prediction broadly accurate.
This has not gone unnoticed by travelers. Oscar Chu, a 36-year-old traveler from Hong Kong, decided not to go to Japan earlier this summer due to Tatsuki's predictions. When July 5 passed with no incident, some of Chu's friends booked flights to Japan the very next day. Yet, others like Andrea Wang have cancelled their trips to Japan in the last few months due to Tatsuki's warnings and similar predictions from psychics.
The Japanese government has repeatedly warned there is a 70-80% chance that Japan will be rocked by another Nankai Trough earthquake within 30 years. This subduction zone, a 700-kilometer-long area where one tectonic plate slips beneath another, has been the source of severe earthquakes every 100 to 200 years, according to the Japanese government's Earthquake Research Committee.
Japanese toddlers perform earthquake drills from a young age, and the government regularly issues warnings about earthquakes and tsunamis. Yet, the recent surge in interest in Tatsuki's prophetic works has added a new layer of concern.
In the aftermath of Wednesday's Pacific tsunami, a search term related to Tatsuki's "prophecy" gained more than 1.1 million views on the video app Douyin. The Japanese government has warned of an impending, once-in-a-century earthquake, and the recent events have revived interest in Tatsuki's prophetic works.
Despite the uncertainties, travel continues in Japan. Some travelers are taking precautions like avoiding coastal areas or skipping the beach, but many others continue to visit the country, drawn by its rich culture and history. The future remains uncertain, but for now, Japan's resilience shines through.
References: [1] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/09/14/books/ryo-tatsuki-manga-future-i-saw-20th-anniversary/ [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/12/world/asia/japan-quake-prediction-ryo-tatsuki.html [3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57966987 [4] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-13/ryo-tatsuki-japanese-manga-artist-predicts-earthquakes/100391002 [5] https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/12/asia/japan-quake-prediction-manga-ryo-tatsuki-intl-hnk/index.html
- The world of manga has seen a remarkable following for Ryo Tatsuki's works, especially in Asia.
- Tatsuki's manga "The Future I Saw" is known for supposedly predicting significant events like the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, the death of Freddie Mercury, and the COVID-19 pandemic, but her predictions are not deemed precise.
- The education-and-self-development genre and personal-growth enthusiasts often discuss Tatsuki's works, as well as social-media platforms where her prophecies are shared and debated.
- Politics and crime-and-justice discussions may include references to Tatsuki's predictions, especially when they impact events like the Japanese government's concerns about another Nankai Trough earthquake.
- General-news outlets report on Tatsuki's predictions and how they influence people's decisions, such as Oscar Chu's choice to avoid traveling to Japan due to her warnings.
- Sports coverage might mention natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis that affect athletic events, as seen when a major earthquake occurred off the Kamchatka Peninsula in late July 2025, causing tsunami warnings along the Pacific coast of Japan.
- Pop-culture aficionados might be interested in the impact of Tatsuki's prophecies on entertainment, such as the surge in views for videos related to her "prophecy" on the video app Douyin following a Pacific tsunami.
