Tokyo: As tsunami waves surged across the Pacific Ocean earlier this week following an undersea quake, an unexpected frenzy erupted online not just about the disaster itself, but about a decades-old Japanese manga. The natural calamity has reignited debates, conspiracy theories, and internet hysteria across Asia, especially in China, over what some claim is a "fulfilled prophecy" from manga artist Ryo Tatsuki.
Wednesday’s tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake deep beneath the Pacific, led to global concern and emergency alerts in coastal areas. In Japan, evacuation orders were issued for over two million people. Yet alongside the routine emergency measures, something peculiar gripped millions: a manga prediction that seemed too coincidental to ignore.
Ryo Tatsuki, a relatively obscure manga artist until recently, published The Future I Saw in 1999. The book included a cryptic message forewarning of a major disaster in March 2011. As fate would have it, that became the date of the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed over 22,000 lives and led to the Fukushima nuclear crisis. The eerie timing has since haunted fans and skeptics alike.
In 2021, Tatsuki released a "complete version" of her manga. Within its pages, she described a vision of a massive earthquake striking in July 2025. The description included ominous warnings about an epicenter in the Philippine Sea and tsunami waves three times the height of those in 2011. That prediction, long brushed off as speculative fiction, returned to public consciousness as July 2025 approached.
When Wednesday’s real-life quake hit albeit not in the Philippine Sea but thousands of kilometers away the online reaction was swift and viral. On China’s Douyin app (the Chinese version of TikTok), the search term “prophecy” amassed more than 1.1 million views within hours. “Will Ryo Tatsuki’s prediction of a major disaster in July come true?” read one Hong Kong newspaper headline.
The manga’s renewed fame has had tangible effects. Across China, Hong Kong, and other parts of Asia, many travelers canceled planned trips to Japan fearing an impending catastrophe. Andrea Wang, a 25-year-old traveler from Beijing, canceled her April Japan tour, citing the manga as a key reason: “It just didn’t feel safe anymore,” she said.
Oscar Chu, a frequent tourist from Hong Kong, skipped his usual summer visit to Japan. “I wouldn’t say I fully believed it, but the timing made me nervous,” he admitted. Interestingly, he coincidentally booked a new trip just hours before Wednesday’s tsunami. “You can’t avoid life forever,” he added, although many of his friends are still opting to steer clear of beaches or coastal cities.
WWPKG, a major Hong Kong-based travel agency, reported a 70% drop in Japan tour bookings for June and July compared to the previous year.
Seismologists have strongly rejected the idea that earthquakes can be predicted accurately. The Japan Meteorological Agency and international geologists emphasized that while risk zones like the Nankai Trough pose threats, exact dates and locations remain unknowable.
Even Tatsuki herself, in a May interview, urged readers not to “overreact to her dreams.” Still, her manga’s influence persists. Her cartoonish self-portrayal receiving visions in sleep has captivated audiences, particularly after the 2011 quake seemed to validate her earlier predictions. Some fans even credit her with forecasting the deaths of Princess Diana and Freddie Mercury claims dismissed by skeptics as overly vague.
Wednesday’s quake, while serious, did not unleash the predicted catastrophe. The tallest tsunami waves measured just 4.3 feet far from the apocalyptic 30-foot waves envisioned in the manga. Yet the societal response demonstrated the depth of disaster preparedness ingrained in Japan. Sirens blared, emergency alerts lit up phones, and millions followed evacuation drills seamlessly.
Many Japanese citizens still carry psychological scars from 2011. Earthquake drills are routine even for toddlers, and public awareness campaigns emphasize survival skills and emergency readiness. The government's Earthquake Research Committee has long warned of a 70-80% chance of a “Nankai Trough earthquake” within the next 30 years a terrifying possibility due to the massive fault running beneath southern Japan.
The last major Nankai-related quakes in 1944 and 1946 killed thousands and flattened cities. Despite technological advances, the specter of “The Big One” haunts national consciousness.
Whether Tatsuki’s work is a clairvoyant masterpiece or imaginative coincidence, its grip on public imagination is undeniable. On Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, one user commented: “Tatsuki’s warning increased awareness. That alone makes it meaningful.”
The episode illustrates how fiction, fear, and folklore intertwine especially in an age of rapid information sharing. Social media turned a decades-old manga into a continent-wide phenomenon overnight, shaping behavior and travel decisions in ways science alone could not.
As the waves recede and calm returns to the Pacific, one thing is clear: the cultural reverberations of The Future I Saw may last long after the tremors fade.