In 1999, a manga called The Future I Saw (Japanese title: 『私が見た未来』) was quietly released by artist Ryo Tatsuki. It collected 15 short stories based on her personal dreams, which she had recorded in a diary for years. At the time, it was seen as an occult curiosity, more personal than prophetic.
Twelve years later, following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the book resurfaced. That event, which devastated Japan’s northeast coast and caused the Fukushima nuclear accident, closely matched a dream Tatsuki had recorded and published. The book’s original 1999 cover had even noted in red that a “great disaster” would happen in March 2011. Readers began revisiting the manga, comparing her dreams to historical events. While not every entry can be considered a prediction, several stood out for their uncanny timing or detail. Here are five examples that drew the most attention.
1. The 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and Tsunami
One of the most discussed pages in the manga states that a “great disaster” would happen in March 2011. Tatsuki said she had this dream in 1996. The actual Tōhoku disaster struck on March 11, 2011, resulting in the loss of nearly 20,000 lives. The date and scale of the event led many to revisit her work.
2. The 1995 Kobe Earthquake
Tatsuki had a dream in early 1995 involving violent shaking and citywide destruction. Two weeks later, on January 17, the Great Hanshin earthquake hit Kobe, leading to the loss of over 6,000 lives. Though the dream was never published until 1999, she maintained it had been documented before the event.
3. The Death of Freddie Mercury
In 1976, Tatsuki recorded a dream about Freddie Mercury’s death, noting the date: November 24. Mercury died on that date in 1991. In another dream, she saw Queen’s band members surrounding a statue, which she interpreted as a memorial. This dream was later included in her book.
4. The Death of Princess Diana
In 1992, she dreamed of the name “DIANNA” written under a portrait. Five years later, Princess Diana tragically lost her life in a car accident. While the dream didn’t depict the accident, the name and timing stood out. Like others, this entry gained attention only in hindsight after being included in the 1999 publication.
5. The COVID-19 Pandemic
Tatsuki recorded a dream in the 1990s about an unknown virus spreading around 2020, peaking in April, then disappearing and returning ten years later. COVID-19 spread globally in early 2020, with April marking a key surge in many countries. This dream, published before the pandemic, is one of the clearest examples that matched global events.
What Didn’t Come True
Not every prediction held. She envisioned Mount Fuji erupting in 2021, but it didn’t. A tsunami hitting Kanagawa at 5:00 has not occurred. Her 2021 reprint also included a new warning about July 5, 2025. As of this writing, the date is still pending and no disaster has occurred. Despite no scientific basis, the prediction has sparked real-world concern, particularly among travelers from East Asia. Some airlines have adjusted routes and booking volumes due to unease surrounding the date. Japanese seismologists and government officials have emphasized that accurate earthquake prediction is impossible, and that the July 5 warning is unscientific.
Tatsuki has since clarified that her dream dates aren’t always literal, and she never intended to cause fear. Still, the entries that aligned with real events have turned The Future I Saw into a quiet cultural artifact: part occult relic, part memory mirror, and part post-disaster reflection.
