Manga or Myth? Japan Faces Panic as Earthquake ‘Prophecy’ Grips Social Media

Japan has been swept into a frenzy of fear and fascination as an old manga resurfaces, allegedly predicting a major earthquake on July 5, 2025. The comic, “The Future I Saw” by Ryo Tatsuki, gained viral traction after fans pointed out its previous connection to the 2011 Tōhoku disaster—and now claim it foresaw another quake this week.

As the date approached, anxiety rippled across Japanese social media, despite repeated scientific reassurances that earthquakes cannot be precisely predicted.

Recent Global Quake Activity Fuels Tension

The unease wasn’t helped by a wave of actual earthquakes occurring worldwide:

• India: A magnitude 3.7 quake struck Jhajjar, Haryana, shaking the Delhi-NCR region twice in 48 hours.

• Mount Rainier, USA: Over 300 earthquakes were detected in a rare seismic swarm—its strongest since 2009.

• Guatemala: Dozens of tremors and aftershocks have left at least 4 people dead and many more injured.

• Southern Japan: Over 1,700 tremors have hit remote islands in the last week, prompting evacuations.

• Türkiye: In Hatay—still recovering from the 2023 quake—wildfires have disrupted rebuilding efforts and reopened emotional scars.

With so much seismic activity clustered together, fear is understandable—but science offers a more grounded explanation.

Why the Manga Prophecy Went Viral

Ryo Tatsuki’s “The Future I Saw” wasn’t designed to predict the future. But one panel depicting a large quake in March 2011 caught attention after the Tōhoku tsunami. Since then, fans have scoured its pages for other “predictions,” including July 5, 2025.

Social platforms like X (Twitter) and TikTok helped amplify the hype, with videos gaining millions of views under hashtags like #July5Earthquake and #MangaPrediction.

Expert Consensus: No Science Behind It

Seismologists worldwide agree: no tool or individual can predict the exact date of an earthquake.
According to the USGS and Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA):

"Earthquakes are chaotic natural processes. We can monitor zones of high tension but cannot foresee specific dates or magnitudes.”

Swarm activity, like that around Mount Rainier or Japan’s islands, is monitored closely—but doesn’t confirm imminent disaster.

Staying Prepared Without Giving In to Fear

Disasters can't be predicted—but preparation can save lives. Officials worldwide encourage:

Do’s
✔ Follow verified updates from agencies like USGS and JMA
✔ Keep a go-bag: water, documents, flashlight, basic meds
✔ Anchor shelves and heavy furniture

Don’ts
✘ Don’t share unverified “prophecies”
✘ Avoid elevators during tremors
✘ Don’t panic—act smart

Conclusion

While manga may inspire intrigue, only science and preparation will truly protect communities. In an age of misinformation and emotional storytelling, grounding ourselves in fact is more vital than ever.

Let’s not let fiction override our sense of reality—especially when the stakes are this high.