Tomo-chan Is A Girl & Kaina of the Great Snow Sea Anime/Manga Comparisons

    Welcome back to my review blog, Beyond the Anime! For the second entry in my anime/manga comparison series, I chose to focus on two anime currently airing in the Winter 2023 season, Tomo-chan Is A Girl and Kaina of the Great Snow Sea. 

    Tomo-chan was adapted from an already completed manga, and Kaina is just the opposite - an original anime which is now also being adapted into manga. Read on for the similarities and differences between the manga and anime versions of each series! Mild spoilers ahead, but nothing beyond the most recent episodes of the anime. 

Tomo-chan Is A Girl

    The anime perfectly captures the art style and character designs of the manga, and the backgrounds which were scarce in the original add a lot to the atmosphere. Tomo-chan is adapted from a 4-koma, a manga that portrays short comedic stories told in four panels - technically standalone, but often with the next picking up right where the previous one left off. Many of these scenes are combined in the anime to make an episode which covers two or three short stories, and this format works really well for the series.  

    Tomo-chan's earliest chapters can be a little rough at times, leaning too heavily into the joke that Jun will occasionally forget his best friend is, in fact, a girl. A few of these short skits have Jun accidentally following Tomo to the girl's bathroom or, like the scene pictured below, casually saying he heard from one of the guys who has a girlfriend that bras are difficult to take off - and acts completely stunned by the realization that Tomo wears one herself. The anime focuses more on Jun treating Tomo like one of his guy friends because he doesn't want to take the risk of changing their relationship, and I much prefer that direction.

    The storytelling improves considerably after the beginning, and there's less of the "Jun actually forgot Tomo is a girl" jokes - most of which weren't adapted into the anime. There were quite a few scenes I really enjoyed in this section of the story that the anime cut short, like the scenes where their classmates discussed which boys or girls they like and how similar Tomo's and Jun's reactions were to this information, plus Misuzu asking Tomo what exactly she likes about Jun. Carol saying she didn't want to be friends with the boys because they would think "dirty things" about her was also an interesting bit of self-awareness.

    Side characters like Tomo's parents get more spotlight in the manga, which I really enjoyed. The interactions shown between them were slightly different than what was portrayed in the anime, with flashbacks giving the impression that Akemi was used to reigning in Goro when necessary (like father, like daughter) while the anime seemed to suggest she reveled in the chaos he caused. I also loved the additional scene at the playground where a group of kids wanted to play with Tomo and Jun got jealous like a little kid himself saying that Tomo already agreed to play with him, and Akemi's thoughts about trusting Jun to take care of her daughter after seeing him eat the hilariously tough sardine rice balls Tomo made.

    The scene pictured above is only shown in the manga and occurs after Tomo's hilariously fearsome dodgeball skills prompt the other girls to beg their gym teacher to talk some sense into her. She asks Tomo's friends for advice, but Misuzu turns it around and bargains with the teacher to get herself out of gym class. Meanwhile, Carol thinks it's a staring contest. The anime already does a great job of building up the main characters' personalities, so it doesn't feel like anything is missing despite the fact that some of the manga's skits don't make it into the episodes. It's more like these extra conversations add to and reinforce those aspects of their personalities that fans already know and love, providing more of the same but in a very good way. 

    Scenes like these definitely make reading the manga worth it, even if you've already seen the anime, as they offer plenty of fun new scenarios, which elevates it beyond just reading the same episodes in manga form. At the pace Tomo-chan's anime is moving through the story, it looks like this single season will finish its adaptation of the source material, but if you're a fan of these characters, I would still recommend checking out the manga. 

    Kaina of the Great Snow Sea

   

    There are only three chapters available for Kaina of the Great Snow Sea's manga adaptation on Crunchyroll at the time of this blog post, which covers material from episodes 1 and 2 of the anime. The quality of this adaptation is somewhat mixed, with the artwork ranging from very well done to overly simplistic in a way that doesn't truly show the beauty of Kaina's world, and the translation choices are not always accurate. 

    At times, the artwork of Kaina's manga adaptation is beautiful and detailed, but this level of detail is not always consistent. The background scenery in the manga often fails to capture the awe-inspiring sci-fi landscapes without the subtle, otherworldly shades of color used in the anime. The canopy and the snow sea are often simply shown as white with little shading to make it appear as any more than blank backgrounds. However, when the scenery is the focal point of the image, the difference can be quite stunning.

Kaina walking on the canopy in the anime...

...and that same scene in the manga.

    The action scenes leave much to be desired as well. Rather than portraying the flow of movement during a battle scene or during Kaina's hunt, the panels feel more like static images. It's unfortunate, because the Valghians' armor is drawn with fine detail, and the content of the action itself is actually more ambitious than what was shown in the anime. 

    There's a brief battle in the air when Valghian soldiers swing onto Ririha's basket as it floats away, and a scene where Kaina fully climbs aboard to rescue Ririha and sees the bodies of her fallen comrades still inside. These instances added some excitement to the story and ensures that the manga will not simply be a retelling of the same events exactly as they occurred in the anime. 

    The elderly members of Kaina's village have much more detailed designs in the manga that emphasize their unique qualities, making it easier to tell them apart, whereas the character models used in the anime all look very similar (and wear hoods, unlike their manga designs) in a way that portrays them like a community as a whole rather than individuals, aside from the Signkeeper. 

    The manga version of Kaina also has a few strange translation choices. Ririha's title has been changed from princess to queen - and this does not seem to indicate an actual change in the story, as a panel in Chapter 3 reveals that her father is indeed still alive. Even more odd is the translation of Amelothee's title as king instead of general. The name of the soldier who sends Ririha off in the basket, Jarge, also has a different spelling in the manga, Georges. 

    This wouldn't be the first time there were alternate spellings of characters' names between the anime and manga (like Eren Jaeger vs Eren Yaeger in Attack on Titan) or even military ranks (Captain Levi vs Lieutenant Levi, also from AOT), but the difference in the level of power between a princess and a queen is more prominent, and Amelothee being referred to as a king comes off as especially inaccurate due to Valghia not having royalty and the implication that Amelothee herself reluctantly joined Valghia when her country was destroyed by their fleet. 

Apparently, Ririha receives a slight status promotion in the manga! The snow horses are still adorable as always.

    For these reasons, the manga adaptation of Kaina is a bit of a mixed bag. I will continue to follow the release of the new manga chapters to see any additional scenes and how they impact the story, and I would recommend checking it out if you're also a fan of the story and don't mind a few inconsistencies, but the anime seems to be the definitive version. One note in its favor is that the manga is available with a Crunchyroll subscription, so if you're already watching Kaina, there's no extra cost to read the manga as well. 

    Stay tuned for my next blog post, which will be a feature on my favorite anime from the Winter 2023 season! 

*All images are from the Tomo-chan Is A Girl anime and manga & Kaina of the Great Snow Sea anime and manga (now available on Crunchyroll). Screenshots taken by me.

Spy x Family Anime/Manga Comparison & Season 2 Predictions

    Welcome to my updated blog, Beyond the Anime! As I mentioned in my last post, I'm expanding the anime content covered in my blog to include in-depth comparisons between anime and their source material. The first up in my Anime/Manga Comparison series is a new favorite of mine, Spy x Family! 

    WIT Studio did an amazing job adapting the art style, character designs, and special brand of action/comedy from manga to anime. The beautiful colors, smooth animation, excellent voice acting and a soundtrack fitting the Cold War period all work together to bring this show to life. 

Season 1 Anime/Manga Comparison

A direct scene comparison. Chapter 1 of the manga...

...and episode 1 of the anime. The images are basically a perfect match!

    In the first volume, the only differences in the adaptation are very minor. The scene where Anya cuddles up next to Loid while he's sleeping does have a slight variation between the manga and the anime, which only shows Loid waking up surprised to find her there. In the manga, he's so startled by her presence that he accidentally knocks her off the couch.

    Volumes 1 & 2 also have a few short, single page extra stories with Anya trying to get a mystery prize from a snack box in the grocery store, enjoying a mechanical panda ride at the same grocery store, and visiting a public pool with her parents. These short stories are cute, but would have been a challenge to fit into the anime due to their length, except perhaps as an after credits scene. 

These agents just couldn't wait for the chance to face off against Twilight. Ball pit fight!

    The anime greatly expanded on Anya's spy party from vol. 2, which easily became my favorite episode. The manga version of her party begins with the scene where Loid calls his fellow spies to fill the empty banquet hall and then leads directly into the final battle between Loid and Yor, which occurs in the same room. The helicopter ride, Franky's quiz game, the epic battle in the ball pit with nerf guns, and the pyrotechnics are all anime original scenes. This is an example of an anime elevating the manga in the best way, perfectly capturing the series' comedic tone and showcasing WIT Studio's fantastic action sequences. 

    The dodgeball game in vol. 3 also had a few anime original scenes that really played up the drama and over-the-top action of this episode, much like Anya's party. The scene with Bill Watkins' father as well as a hilarious Dragonball Z reference in Damian's training montage, when he imagined himself preparing for the upcoming match on planet Namek, were also anime original. It seems Damian is a fan of shonen battle anime, because there were quite a few references in this segment! And if you look closely at the cover of volume 7, there's even a magazine titled "Super Manga" among Damian's belongings. A slightly shortened version of the story at the end of vol. 6 showing Mr. Henderson's morning routine was also moved to the beginning of this episode.

    Another notable change is the placement of the aquarium visit, which was shown earlier in the manga - at the end of vol. 2, shortly after Anya is admitted to Eden Academy. In the anime, this little adventure happened later on as the midseason finale. 

Yor trying her best to focus on their date despite the pain from her recent bullet wound.

    The bonus chapter at the end of vol. 3 was the only one skipped in the anime, where Yor is injured on a mission by a gunshot wound to her bottom and tries to hide her discomfort during a date with Loid. However, it's clear from her pained expressions that something is wrong, leading Loid's imagination to run wild as he tried to figure out why she's angry with him. Anya also gets the chance to be a real spy while shadowing her parents when she happens to read the mind of a man who survived Yor's assassination of his group the previous night and is seeking revenge on her. Interestingly, this short story is the first time the Red Circus group, later involved in a major arc, is mentioned in the manga. At the end of the chapter, the Forger family decided to go to a carnival - possibly the same one from the season 2 opening theme! 

    The following volume, which covers the entirety of Bond's introduction arc and the Forgers thwarting a terrorist plot, plays out almost exactly the same in the anime as it does in the manga. However, there is one small detail from the manga that I wish they had included. Remember the german shepherd that Loid saved by detaching the bomb from its chest? A single panel at the end of the volume notes that this dog was adopted by a kindly agent. 

Yor's first attempt at making stew in the anime, and...

...Yor's attempt at making stew in the manga. What is this small animal that crawled into the bowl and died?!

    This next scene comparison, from episode 16 of the anime and volume 5 of the manga showcasing Yor's deadly cooking, had me laughing out loud when I spotted the difference - mainly, the pair of legs sticking out of the soup bowl in the manga which seem to belong to some kind of small mammal. The anime stew is slightly blurred by the powerful aura of death surrounding it, but it's possible to make out a whole tomato in the bottom left side of the bowl. And that same spot in the manga? Half of a tomato, and an unfortunate creature that did not heed the warning signs of this deadly brew. My theory is that it went for the tomato, but how the hyper attentive Yor failed to notice its presence is a mystery to me.

    There was also a difference from the adaptation of vol. 5 in the wordplay during Yuri's tutoring session with Anya. In the manga, the phrase "whole enchilada" is misheard by Anya as "swole chihuahua", complete with an adorable illustration. Thankfully, the buff chihuahua image still remains in the anime, but the dialogue is changed to a pun using the word "unleashed" instead. 

Yor shows off her parkour skills, and WIT Studio shows off their action animation.

    This short story in episode 19, which involves Yor using her best acrobatics as she races toward Anya's school to deliver something she believes her daughter forgot, was made just for the anime and fits in well with the other "slice-of-life" episodes covering the comedic, character focused chapters from volumes 5 & 6 of the manga. The majority of vol. 6 was a near exact adaptation of the manga, aside from a single page short at the end which took place during Loid and Yor's outing at the bar, but from Anya's point of view as she spends time at the park with Bond and babysitter Franky. It's a funny little scene where Franky attempts to play fetch with Bond, who imagines Franky would be better suited to retrieve the frisbee while he sits on the sidelines and claps. 

    The Spy x Family anime covers the first six volumes of the manga, as well as the first chapter from volume 7 (Loid's meeting with Donovan Desmond) and the short story at the end which makes an early appearance in episode 17, detailing a day in Sylvia's life as a spy and the lengths she goes to maintain her secrecy and receive important updates from Loid, like Anya's progress learning to jump rope. Overall, it's a fantastic adaptation of the source material with very few scenes left out, and the anime original content is a perfect complement to the series.

Season 2 Predictions (Spoilers Ahead!) 

    Even without having Bond's powers of future sight, reading ahead in the manga can offer a glimpse into the storyline of season 2. After Loid's first meeting with Desmond, volume 7 has five chapters along the same lines as the character focused, comedic shorts in the second half of season 1 before starting the next big adventure that expands the plot in the final chapter. 

Yor strengthens her resolve during this battle scene from the cruise arc.

    The cruise arc is action-packed and brings more attention to Yor's character development, something many fans have been waiting for. This is one of the longer arcs in the story so far and contains many of the things that make Spy x Family such a fun series - plenty of hilarious and heartwarming moments between the Forger family, and Yor brings the over-the-top action in spades. It's my theory that season 2 might start with this arc in order to open with a bang, and then show the five comedy shorts later on. This would also be a great time to show Loid and Yor's date which was skipped earlier, because the appearance of the Red Circus group would be perfect foreshadowing at this stage. 

    The first season covered chapters 1-38 of the manga, and the latest chapter released at the time of this blog post is chapter 75. This would be a perfect ending point for season 2, with another major arc just wrapping up and an excellent teaser for the inevitable season 3 - an ominous meeting with Damian's mother which is a great mirror of the season 1 finale where Damian's father was the one giving off the ominous vibe. 

    The second season of Spy x Family is one of my most anticipated anime of the year, and I'm looking forward to seeing my favorite chapters animated, as well as any new content WIT Studio comes up with! I hope you enjoyed the first entry in my Anime/Manga Comparison series. My next post will examine two currently airing series and their manga, Tomo-chan Is A Girl and Kaina of the Great Snow Sea. 

*All images from the Spy x Family anime and manga, screenshots taken by me