Nao Maita's Shining! is heading toward its finale. Shogakukan's Ciao magazine revealed in its August issue that the manga will end in two chapters, bringing the story of protagonist Nene to a close.

The series centers on Nene, an everyday elementary school girl whose life takes an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with Taki, a famous actor. What starts as a chance encounter opens the door to an unforeseen destiny.

Matia launched Shining! in Ciao magazine back in July 2023, making this a roughly three-year run for the series. Shogakukan released the eighth volume this past April, with the ninth and final volume hitting shelves on July 24—marking the official end of the manga's print run.

This isn't Maita's first rodeo with serialized manga. She previously created Otona wa Wakattekurenai. (Adults Don't Understand), which also ran in Ciao before wrapping up with its eighth volume in April 2023. Before that, Maita found significant success with Age 12 (12-Sai.), which debuted in 2012 and concluded in October 2019 after a lengthy run. That series earned recognition beyond the manga page—it won Best Children's Manga at the 64th Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2019.

Age 12's popularity extended into anime and live-action adaptations, spawning the 12-Sai: Chiccha na Mune no Tokimeki (Age 12: A Little Heart-Pounding) television anime in 2016, two original video anime series, and a live-action DVD special. While there's no word yet on whether Shining! will receive similar adaptations, the manga's strong three-year run in Ciao suggests it found an engaged audience among its target demographic.

Matia's body of work demonstrates her consistent ability to craft stories that resonate with younger readers, particularly in the shoujo and slice-of-life genres that Ciao magazine specializes in.