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Manga fans might not immediately recognize the name Shihei Lin, but they’re probably familiar with some of the series he’s worked on. The editor has helped Chainsaw Man, DanDaDan, and Spy x Family become the massive hits that they are, so when he established his own manga company earlier this year, we took notice. Now, he is accepting applications for an apartment complex specifically for mangaka, where they can write and draw without worry of anything else.

The announcement came last week on social media, where Shihei Lin explained that the VUY apartment complex was opening up for more residents. “VUY is an apartment designed to provide an environment where you can focus solely on creating manga. All costs related to moving in and daily living are fully supported, so there are basically no expenses associated with taking up residency. If you’re someone who can’t dedicate time to creative work due to your job or other commitments, or if you’re aiming to serialize your work and want to devote all your time to manga, we warmly invite you to apply.”

Related: Best back-to-school supplies for anime fans in 2026: 16 picks we actually recommend [Pop Shop]

VUY was launched in May 2026, not long after it was announced that Shihei Lin was adding a manga department to his company, which would put him in direct competition with his former employers at Shueisha. On the apartment complex’s website, he is listed as Dormitory Head and Producer. This new batch of residents will be their third intake.

To apply for a spot, creators must send in a resume, a completed manuscript, and a short essay before September 30, 2026.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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