Chase the Mystery of Changes in Animals! New Release: 'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda Vol. 2' – Learn About the Impact of Global Warming on Ecosystems

Gakken Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Shinagawa / President: Tatsuya Nanjo), a group company of Gakken Holdings Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Shinagawa / President: Hiroaki Miyahara), released 'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda Case File 2: The Disappeared Panda Teacher' on May 21, 2026.

With midsummer and extreme heat days already being observed across the country, many people are worried about a severe summer. Why are these hot days increasing? The 'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda' series allows readers to enjoy a mystery while gently and easily understanding the cause: global warming.

The Disappeared Panda Teacher. What was the anomaly behind it?

The story is set in Health Food City, home to the popular Panda Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic. One day, the director, Panda Teacher, suddenly disappears. As Detective Soda investigates, two suspects emerge. However, the deeper they dig, the more complex the case becomes. Why are only female sea turtles being born? Why did Toranosuke have to leave his homeland? Why can't bamboo and bamboo grass grow in the town? The link between these seemingly unrelated events was the change in the ecosystem caused by global warming.

What is happening to the animals is not a distant story

Opportunities to hear the term 'global warming' have increased. However, opportunities to learn how it specifically affects animals are surprisingly few. This book constructs its story based on real-world reported cases, such as changes in the sex ratio of sea turtles, loss of habitat due to flooding, and changes in bamboo forests that are a food source for pandas. A major feature of this series is that it allows understanding through the enjoyment of a mystery, rather than difficult explanations.

Why are the animals in trouble?

Children love animals. That is why questions like 'Why did the place where the tiger lived become flooded?' and 'Why are sea turtles in trouble?' are themes that are easy for them to relate to personally. Instead of explaining environmental issues only with numbers and data, this book depicts them from the animals' perspective, making it easy for even lower-grade students to understand.

An easy environmental mystery for lower elementary grades

'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda' is primarily aimed at 1st to 3rd graders and is edited with short sentences, easy-to-read words, and a good pace. It is a book that can be enjoyed to the end by children who are good at reading, as well as those who are not. The story also includes quizzes and mazes, allowing readers to enjoy activities while progressing through the narrative.

Explaining 'The Connection Between Living Things and the Earth' at the end of the book

The end of the book includes a special section that uses the animals appearing in the story as examples to clearly explain what an ecosystem is, the impact of global warming on animals, and the connections between living things. The structure allows readers to organize what they have learned after finishing the story.

Delivering 'Awareness' Beyond Fun

The 'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda' series is not just a book to teach about environmental issues. First, it is about enjoying the story. Experiencing the excitement of solving a case. And when you finish reading, naturally realizing, 'So that's how it was!' That is the reading experience this series aims for. Volume 1 focused on 'What is global warming?', and Volume 2 focuses on 'Impact on ecosystems'. Furthermore, Volume 3, scheduled for release in July, will focus on 'Wildfires'.

Message from the Supervisor

The climate is raging, and extreme weather is targeting Japan. Every year, scorching heat, heavy rain, and heavy snow hit Japan. Japan is now 'the country with the most extreme weather in the world'. We have truly entered an era where extreme weather is 'normal'. Many people feel that Japan has lost its four seasons and become a country of only two seasons: summer and winter. One of the causes is global warming due to increased carbon dioxide emissions. The climate crisis is the greatest crisis for humanity, but many people think it is someone else's problem. That is a much bigger 'crisis'. Meteorological disasters are also increasing, and one cause is global warming. These are disasters accompanying climate change, so they are climate disasters. If we reduce carbon dioxide and restore the Earth's climate, climate disasters will disappear. The extreme heat will also disappear. Today's children were born in the era of global warming. They do not know the comfortable Japan of the past. I want parents to tell their children about the past climate. The summer heat is already hellish, but if global warming continues, it will get even closer to hell. No parent wants their beloved children or grandchildren to go to hell. Just as parents become enthusiastic about education because they love their children, I want them to become enthusiastic about climate issues for the future of their beloved children. I want families to think about this together. This book is an opportunity for that. I hope that as many parents and children as possible will become interested in extreme weather and climate issues. That is the greatest purpose of this book.

Yoshihiro Tachibana

Professor, Meteorological and Climate Dynamics Laboratory, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University. He became interested in meteorology after experiencing moves to areas with little snow and heavy snowfall areas as an elementary school student. He appears frequently on news programs including 'Hatori Shinichi Morning Show', energetically disseminating information on extreme weather and the climate crisis in a gentle, deep, and interesting way. He is the author of 'Future Forecast of Extreme Weather' (Poplar Shinsho).

[Product Overview]

■ 'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda Case File 2: The Disappeared Panda Teacher'

Author/Illustrator: Baek Myeong-sik

Supervisor: Yoshihiro Tachibana

Translation: Fumiko Takano

Price: 1,540 yen (tax included)

Release Date: May 21, 2026

Format: A5 size / 88 pages

E-book: Available

ISBN: 978-4-05-206232-2

Publisher: Gakken Co., Ltd.

[Details and Purchase]

・Gakken Publishing Site: https://hon.gakken.jp/book/1020623200

・Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4052062329/

・Rakuten Books: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18556514/

・7net: https://7net.omni7.jp/detail/1107696635

■ 'Shuwatto Kaiketsu! Detective Soda Case File 1: Request from Mayor Macaron'

Author/Illustrator: Baek Myeong-sik

Supervisor: Yoshihiro Tachibana

Translation: Fumiko Takano

Price: 1,540 yen (tax included)

Release Date: March 5, 2026

Format: A5 size / 88 pages

E-book: Available

ISBN: 978-4-05-206231-5

Publisher: Gakken Co., Ltd.

[Details and Purchase]

・Gakken Publishing Site: https://hon.gakken.jp/book/1020623100

・Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp