This work was originally serialized in the biweekly少年 comic magazine "Shonen CHAMPION" at the time of its launch, with each installment being a self-contained one-shot. The title "The Crater" refers to one of the short stories and has no direct connection to the content of the other stories. However, the recurring character Ryuichi, who appears frequently across the various stories, maintains a sense of cohesion throughout the series, making it a successful collection of connected works.