Manga artist Kan Takahama is starting fresh with Anchoring Dutchman, a new series now available on LEED Publishing's Torch web platform. The collaboration between Takahama and Nagasaki's Huis Ten Bosch theme park marks the artist's latest creative venture after several acclaimed works.

Set in 2036, Anchoring Dutchman tells an unusual love story between a museum curator and a ghost who materializes before her. The supernatural twist: the ghost is trapped in the museum by a curse tied to his ship and can only find freedom through true love. Takahama describes it as "the world's slowest" romance, suggesting a patient, character-driven approach to the central relationship.

This launch continues Takahama's strong track record with LEED Publishing. The artist previously launched Shishi to Botan (The Lion and the Moutan Peony) on the same Torch platform in November 2023. Earlier work Ōgishima Saijiki earned international recognition, winning the Le Prix Konishi (Konishi Award) for French translation at the 52nd Angoulême International Comics Festival in February 2025.

Takahama's body of work reflects a deep connection to Nagasaki storytelling. Ōgishima Saijiki was the final installment of the artist's "Nagasaki Trilogy," alongside Nyx no Lantern and Chō no Michiyuki. Nyx no Lantern, which ran from March 2015 to June 2019 in Monthly Comic Ran, won an Excellence Award at the 21st Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in 2018.

English-language readers have access to several of Takahama's previous titles through publishers Fanfare and Ponent Mon, including Monokuro Kinderbook, Mariko Parade, and Awabi. No English localization announcement for Anchoring Dutchman has been made yet, though interested readers can access the first chapter now through Torch's web platform.

The first chapter of Anchoring Dutchman is available to read immediately on the Torch platform.