Hamtaro, known in Japan as Trotting Hamtaro (とっとこハム太郎, Tottoko Hamutarō), is a Japanese manga and storybook series created and illustrated by Ritsuko Kawai about a hamster. The manga was serialized in Shogakukan‘s “Second Grade” magazine in April 1997; more Hamtaro stories would later be added into the other grade-level magazines, as well as in Ciao. The series focuses on a hamster named Hamtaro, who has a variety of adventures…
Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight!, often shortened to Manabi Straight!, is a Japanese multimedia project co-developed by the animation studio Ufotable and MediaWorks. The project revolves around a group of high school girls in the year 2035 when the birth rate has dropped dramatically. It launched in August 2004 in MediaWorks’ Dengeki AniMaga magazine, and went on to produce a manga adaptation serialized in MediaWorks’ Dengeki…
Family Complex (Japanese: ファミリー・コンプレックス, Hepburn: Famirī Konpurēkusu) is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Mikiyo Tsuda. Family Complex was first serialized in the manga magazine South (a special issue of Wings) published by Shinshokan, with the only bound volume released in May 2000. Although the manga avoids openly image of any LGBT-themed content, it is also known because of the easy parody of yaoi and yuri fanservice. Plot The story centers around Akira Sakamoto, who…
isen Flügel (アイゼンフリューゲル, Aizenfuryūgeru) is a Japanese light novel series written by Gen Urobuchi and illustrated by Higashiguchi Chūō. The series was published in two volumes under Shogakukan‘s Gagaga Bunko light novel imprint from July to December 2009. The series was also adapted into a manga series illustrated by Anno Nanakamado, which was serialized from May 2016 to September 2018. An anime film adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures has been announced….
Candy Color Paradox (Japanese: 飴色パラドックス, Hepburn: Ameiro Paradokkusu) is a Japanese manga series by Isaku Natsume. It was serialized in the yaoi manga magazine Dear+ from December 14, 2010, to May 14, 2012. The series was later renewed and published in the Spring 2014 issue of Chéri+, where it continues to be serialized irregularly. A live-action television drama adaptation was broadcast from December 15, 2022 to February 10, 2023. Plot…
Backstage Prince (Japanese: 極付 楽屋裏王子, Hepburn: Kiwametsuke Gakuya Ura Ōji) is a Japanese shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Kanoko Sakurakoji. It was serialized in Shogakukan‘s Betsucomi and Deluxe Betsucomi magazines from 2004 to 2005. Shogakukan later collected the individual chapters into two bound volumes under the Flower Comics imprint. Viz Media licensed the manga for an English-language release in North America, first serialized in their Shojo Beat magazine from October 2006 to March 2007…
Action Heroine Cheer Fruits (Japanese: アクションヒロイン チアフルーツ, Hepburn: Akushon Hiroin Chia Furūtsu) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Diomedéa and directed by Keizō Kusakawa. The series aired in Japan between July 7 and September 29, 2017, and is licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks. A manga adaptation by Azuse was serialized in Young Champion Retsu in 2017. Plot Due to the popularity of a certain city’s “action heroine”,…
37.5°C no Namida (37.5°Cの涙, lit. “37.5°C Tears”) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Chika Shiina. Published by Shogakukan, it was serialized on Cheese! magazine, with five tankōbon volumes compiling the chapters released so far. A Japanese television drama series adaptation aired on TBS from July to September 2015. In 2017, 37.5°C no Namida won the 62nd Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōjo category. Plot As Momoko Sugisaki is working in a child care…
Zoids Wild (ZOIDS ゾイド ワイルド, Zoido Wairudo) is an anime series based on the Zoids model kits produced by Takara Tomy. The 5th Zoids anime, is part of a cross-media relaunch of the franchise encompassing a new toy line, manga series, and video game for the Nintendo Switch, predominantly aimed at boys aged 10–12. Streamed from 19 May 2014 to 28 July 2014, this was the final series produced by Allspark Animation before…
Act-Age (Japanese: アクタージュ, Hepburn: Akutāju) is a Japanese manga series written by Tatsuya Matsuki and illustrated by Shiro Usazaki. It was serialized in Shueisha‘s Weekly Shōnen Jump from January 2018 to August 2020, with its chapters collected into 12 tankōbon volumes. Act-Age was canceled and removed from the magazine and all official platforms after Matsuki’s arrest in August 2020. Viz Media published the first three chapters for its “Jump Start”…
30-sai no Hoken Taiiku (30歳の保健体育, Sanjussai no Hoken Taiiku, trans. Health and Physical Education for 30-Year-Olds) is a Japanese guidebook series written by Mitsuba and published by Ichijinsha. The series is aimed at men in their 30s who have not had any romantic or sexual relationships with women. It includes colourful characters and some laughs. The manga adaptation by Rikako…
Zombie Hunter (死霊狩り, Shirei Kari) is a dark and violent novel series published in the 1970s by Japanese writer, Kazumasa Hirai.It is about an ex-race car driver who hunts down and kills zombies. Plot The main character, Toshio Tamura, was once a grand prix champion who finds himself to be one of many people on a jungle island where he goes through a…
