A long time ago, Yuta was employed for a time as a laborer for a rich family. The daughter, Nae, was engaged to be married, but she felt stifled by her life and wanted to get away. She made Yuta promise to take her with him when he left the family's employment. But Nae's jealous fiance, Eijiro, interfered, and for years afterward Nae lived as a lifeless shell, forever young -- the effects of mermaid ashes. Now, sixty years later, Nae still remembers the vow she made with Yuta. What will happen when she finally collects on that promise?

Domestic printings: Mermaid's Promise, issue #1 (published 1994 by Viz, 28 pages) Mermaid's Promise, issue #2 (1994, 28 pages) Mermaid's Promise, issue #3 (1994, 28 pages) Mermaid's Promise, issue #4 (1994, 28 pages) Mermaid's Scar graphic novel, with four complete stories Published 1995 by Viz ISBN: 1-56931-083-1; 304 pages Contains "Dream's End," "Mermaid's Promise," "Mermaid's Scar," and "The Ash Princess" Mermaid Saga vol. 2 graphic novel Published August 2004 in the original right-to-left format by Viz ISBN: 1-59116-484-2; about 186 pages Contains part 2 of "Mermaid Forest"; "Dream's End"; and "Mermaid's Promise" Japanese printings: Shounen Sunday Yakusoku no ashita, zenpen (Promise of tomorrow, part 1), #45, 10/24/90 Yakusoku no ashita, kouhen (Promise of tomorrow, part 2), #46, 1990 Ningyo no Kizu wide version: Collection of four complete Mermaid saga stories in a special anthology. Published 1993 by Shogakukan. 310 pages. ISBN: 4-09-121855-5 Contains "Yume no Owari," "Yakusoku no Ashita," "Ningyo no Kizu," and "Sharihime" Yakusoku no Ashita bunko: Novel written by Tomoko Konparu, with occasional illustrations by Rumiko Takahashi. Published 5/1/95 by Super Quest Bunko. 195 pages. ISBN: 4-09-440242-X Shonen Sunday Comics Special, "Ningyo no Kizu": Reprinted collection of three complete Mermaid saga stories. Published 12/15/03 by Shogakukan. 237 pages. ISBN:4-09-127742-X Contains "Yume no Owari," "Yakusoku no Ashita," and "Ningyo no Kizu" Other printings: Mermaid Saga vol. 3 German edition Published 2002 by Egmont. about 138 pages. ISBN: 3-89885-325-X Contains "Ende des Traumes" (Dream's End) and "Mermaid's Promise" Ren Yu Zhi Shang (Mermaid's Scar) (Ren Yu Xi Lie vol. 2) graphic novel Published 10/1/2005. 240 pages. ISBN: 7-5371-0214-7 Contains "Dream's End," "Mermaid's Promise," and "Mermaid's Scar"