Spy x Family Season 2 Anime/Manga Comparison

 

    Welcome back to Beyond The Anime for my first in-depth anime/manga comparison of the new year - Spy x Family season 2! This series quickly became one of my favorite anime after its fantastic first season, and the sequel was just as fun and exciting. 

    Season 2 covers chapter 39 through chapter 59 of the manga (volumes 7-9). This content was a near exact adaptation, plus a few nice additions, which was great to see but also brought up a minor concern with the structure of the manga when translated into anime form. 

Yor (the assassin with near superhuman abilities) and Franky (WISE informant) being overwhelmed by a pack of stray cats

    The manga alternates between serious, action-packed arcs and comedic slice-of-life chapters. This format works really well to have the more lighthearted adventures of Anya at school or Yor and Franky tracking down a missing cat as relaxing shorter stories after an arc where the Forgers narrowly avoided danger, especially when read without long breaks in between. I enjoy these comedy chapters just as much as the action-packed ones, but there were critiques about this storytelling structure when the season was airing, as some viewers who preferred the serious plot felt that it took too long to get started this time. 

    While the fantastic cruise arc makes up half of season 2, it began four episodes in - a month for a show that's airing weekly, in comparison to both parts of season 1, which started with their serious arcs before leading into the comedy. In my season 1 anime/manga comparison, my prediction was that season 2 would maintain this structure and shift some of the comedy chapters to after the cruise arc, but it ended up mostly following the same order as the manga. It's hard to say which approach would have been best, but it seems this critique was more common among anime-only viewers, and the current structure was well-received by manga fans. 

Yor standing with perfect balance during her rowboat ride with Loid

    The season begins with a previously unadapted extra chapter from the end of volume 3 - Loid and Yor's unfortunately timed date, during which she spent most of her effort trying not to let him know that she had suffered a gunshot to the butt the previous night, and he tried not to let his nerves spiral out of control wondering why she looked so angry. (It was the excruciating pain.)  

    Loid and Yor's date originally took place earlier in the manga, before they adopted Bond. A nice little addition to the anime acknowledged his presence when Anya assigned him, along with "agents" Penguin and Chimera, to guard the house while she and Franky shadowed her parents. 

    There were a few anime-only additions to this episode. One of the quick scenes during Loid and Yor's date shows the two of them at a clothing store, and he recommends an outfit for her to try on. In the manga, it's a pair of pants and a stylish top, but in the anime, it's a pantsuit - the same one Yor is wearing later on the first day of the cruise! I also loved the way the anime expanded the other date attempts that were only given a single panel in the manga, like the animals at the zoo looking afraid of the pained scowl on Yor's face. 

The ride is a panda in the manga, but a polar bear in the anime versions shown on Hulu and Crunchyroll.

    The only other unadapted material from the early manga were the one-page shorts at the end of volume 2, which showed Anya enjoying a panda ride at the department store and going on her first visit to the pool. In the anime, these cute scenes were illustrated in a style with a crayon-like effect that complemented their childish whimsy really well. There was only one that didn't make it into the anime from the end of the first volume - Anya's attempt to get a certain mystery toy prize included with bags of candy, and lamenting that her mind reading powers couldn't help her find the one she wanted. 

    There was also one extra chapter adapted early - a short Bondman skit in episode 3, animated with an old fashioned cartoon art style, which is actually from volume 10. Although originally shown past the point of the chapters adapted for season 2, the nature of its brief "cartoon within a cartoon" comedic story made it a good standalone short to help fill the remaining minutes of the episode.

Yor ready to fight with newfound resolve

    The cruise arc is one of the longest yet in the manga, and its anime adaptation was perfect. Yor takes the center focus as she guards the survivors of a mafia family fleeing from a violent takeover and fights off dozens of assassins competing for their bounty. There's plenty of amazing action sequences in this arc, like the stunning one-against-many battle under the fireworks, but the heart of this arc is the exploration of Yor's doubts - if she really needs to continue her assassin work, why she started in the first place, and finally, her renewed dedication to make the world safe for her family however she can. 

    This is where an exact adaptation of the manga is a strength, because this is one of the most well loved parts of the story, and the anime portrays both the action and character development with great care. The presence of a musical score elevated several scenes, such as the trumpet fanfare performed by the band pictured in the manga when the Princess Lorelai  cruise ship first comes into view, and the circus tunes in the background during Yor's battle against Sickle-and-Chain Barnaby when she started playing up the theatrical moves for the crowd to go along with Anya's cover story. The insert songs during her battle under the fireworks and the Forger family fun montage when they reached the island (as well as the one featured in Damian's camping trip in episode 2) were beautiful, keeping up the series' track record for excellent music. 

Loid trying to look like a fun dad by wearing a bunch of souvenirs. The sound effects of the squeaking octopus shoes were hilarious.

    As great as the action and serious story was, I think my favorite episode of the season was the conclusion to the cruise arc when the Forger family was allowed to spend the day together having fun and doing normal vacation things - walking through town, swimming and surfing, building sand castles, bike riding, visiting a farm, exploring a cave and even zip lining. I've always loved the balance between the exciting action and funny slice-of-life scenes, and seeing the three of them able to relax after such a stressful trip in which they all did their part to protect each other and fulfill their solo but connected missions makes those peaceful moments even more impactful. As Yor expressed, these are the days they wish could last forever.

    Most of these scenes are the same as the manga, but there was a single addition just before the cruise ship arrived at the island. While both versions have the story show Loid warn Anya not to fall from the top bunk if she chooses to sleep there, the anime has an extra scene the morning of their arrival where Anya rolls out of the bunk bed and Loid expertly catches her on the way down. Another change was Anya's mispronunciation of Princess Lorelai  - originally written as "Laura Bly" in the manga, turned into an amusing Oshi no Ko reference in the anime when she called it "Lalalai", the name of their theater company.

Loid, Yor and Anya swimming in the ocean. This full page manga illustration is wonderfully detailed. 

    The remaining two episodes, like the first four, feature short standalone stories. Episode 11 ends with an anime-only scene of Fiona training in the wilderness and completing Loid's backlog of missions while he's on vacation, and his return to work with gifts for his coworkers. 

    The season finale, an adorable episode where Bond uses his precognitive ability to rescue a small dog from a fire and catch the arsonist, also has some new scenes in the anime. Anya was making origami stars when the episode begins, and when Loid and Bond come back home from their very eventful walk, she gives them each a "stella" for their hard work. This scene echoes the themes of Spy x Family's early episodes - how the work of spies often goes unnoticed and they are rarely thanked for their work, but it feels good to be appreciated. 

Season 3 predictions

    This section contains spoilers for the manga past the point where the anime ends.  

Loid as a child on the cover of volume 10

    If the next season follows the same structure as the previous ones, then the manga will likely be adapted in order for the most part. However, the first chapter after the point where season 2 ends shows a mission involving Frankie and Fiona and hardly features the Forgers at all, so my best guess would be that this part will be moved to midseason to accompany the other standalone chapters. 

    The following chapter, set at Eden Academy, is a good starting point for season 3 and ends on a note that will directly lead into Loid remembering his past. This story from the first half of volume 10 is one of my favorite parts of Spy x Family, portraying Loid's journey from an innocent child heartbroken by war, to a young soldier and then a spy. Assuming the third season is the same length as the second, it will also likely cover Yor's meeting with Damian's mother, the bus hijacking, and the immediate aftermath. This would leave the story in a good place to pick up with the next big arc in season 4. 

    

    I hope you enjoyed this anime/manga comparison of Spy x Family's second season. Stay tuned for more comparisons featuring anime from last year - Tearmoon Empire, My Clueless First Friend, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, Shangri-La Frontier, and The Apothecary Diaries. My Favorite Anime of 2023 post is also coming soon! 

Between chapters 56 and 57, this small manga-only picture shows Zeb, Olka and baby Gram made it safely to their destination.  

*All images from the Spy x Family manga on Kindle and anime clips from Crumchyroll's Youtube channel, screenshots taken by me. Banner made by me in Canva.

Winter 2024 Manga-to-Anime Adaptation Preview

 

    Welcome back to Beyond The Anime! For my first post of the new year, I'm starting a new seasonal feature - a manga preview for series receiving anime adaptations. This preview for the winter season focuses on two manga and one manwha, and includes comparisons to their premiere episodes - A Sign of Affection, Hokkaido Gals Are Adorable, and Solo Leveling.

A Sign of Affection

   This story begins when Yuki, who has been deaf since birth and communicates using sign language, meets Itsuomi, a fellow student at her college with an interest in traveling, on a train. He helped her out when a tourist was trying to ask questions, and he's intrigued by her unique way of viewing the world, while she's drawn to the way he bridged the gap between them without hesitation. 

    The manga beautifully portrays the varied ways these characters communicate, with different text styles to represent each one. Messages are shown typed or handwritten, spoken words are colored gray when Yuki is reading lips and bolded during parts of the conversation she doesn't catch (usually because she's not facing the person speaking), and the occasional sideways letters mean she's having trouble understanding. The sign language flows well and is very easy to follow, even though the author notes that only part of the phrases are depicted in the panels. I enjoy stories that explore a language barrier, so it was really nice seeing everyone's interactions illustrated with such care.

    So far, I've read volumes 1&2 of the manga, and if the anime continues at its current pace, that content will likely cover two thirds of the season. As Yuki and Itsuomi's relationship moves forward, later chapters bring up deeper topics like Itsuomi's dreams for the future, and Yuki's self-consciousness about vocalizing. 

    I have mixed feelings about the story introducing love rivals for each of them, because their interactions at this point are mainly used to create misunderstandings between the leads, but these situations seem to be resolved quickly aside from some lingering feelings of insecurity. However, the sweet and heartwarming moments far outweigh any minor drama, and there are so many scenes I'm excited to see animated. 

    Episode 1 covers the events of chapter 1, from Yuki and Itsuomi's first meeting to exchanging contact info. The anime did a good job adapting the manga's art style. Scenes like Yuki and Itsuomi walking home beneath the falling snow were beautiful, and their facial expressions are a perfect match for the manga so their emotions come across really well, which is important for a story that often portrays its characters' feelings without words. This first episode also added a few brief scenes to foreshadow characters who appear later on in the manga, like Yuki's childhood friend Oushi and the hairdresser Itsuomi knows from high school. 

    I really enjoyed the first two volumes of the manga, and I have high hopes for this adaptation. Aside from sequels, it's my most anticipated of the season. Definitely recommended. 

Hokkaido Gals Are Adorable!

    I've seen quite a few anime series based around the premise of a character moving from the big city to the country and enjoying its small town charms, but this is the first one I've watched that makes the winter backdrop the main cause for appeal (and also sudden culture shock). Tsubasa arrives in Hokkaido unaware that he would find a largely empty snowy landscape with buses that only come once every few hours, and a girl standing outside in her high school uniform with bare legs while he's bundled up from head to toe and still freezing. 

    The first person he meets in Hokkaido is the super friendly gal, Minami Fuyuki, who instantly captures his attention. Their initial bond forms out of an interest in a way of life that's different from their own - Minami is curious about Tokyo, and Tsubasa is constantly surprised and mesmerized by her forward personality in equal measure. I found both to be likeable main characters, the comedy is pretty funny, and later chapters hint that the story will have a nice message about gaining a new appreciation for one's hometown. The snow festival chapter (coming in the next episode or two) shows that off really well. 

    The first episode of the anime covers chapters 0-2 of the manga, from his initial encounter with Minami to his first day at school, and his visit to her house. It's a very faithful adaptation so far, almost exactly like the manga - sometimes to a fault. The sneezing scene was awkward in the original, and it's still just as awkward here, but the anime did at least tone down some of the exaggerated fanservice angles that appear throughout the story, which I appreciate.  

    The snow scenes are beautiful in both versions of the story. Although Tsubasa's hairstyle looks slightly different in the anime compared to his original design, Minami's character art made the transition really well and is a perfect match to the color portraits of her in the manga. The only things missing in this premiere that I would have liked to see were the brief snowball fight during lunchbreak and the little snowman made by Minami that she's shown taking a selfie with in chapter 1 - also displayed on the series cover image on Manga Plus. 

    This one turned out to be better than expected. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a fun romcom and doesn't mind a bit of fanservice. 

Solo Leveling

    A twist on the traditional dungeon raid and isekai formulas, this present day/near future real world setting features the premise that gates to another world have spontaneously opened, and hunters who awakened to special abilities enter these dangerous areas to slay monsters for profit. Hunters are ranked depending on their ability, and main character Jinwoo is the lowest rank, considered by most to be the weakest hunter of them all, but he continues to take part in dungeon raids despite frequent injury to pay for his mother's medical bills, which makes him a sympathetic lead. The opening chapters of the manwha begin with a raid which takes a turn for the worse when the party decides to advance into the uncharted territory of a double dungeon.

    I was surprised by how many additions were made in the anime version. While the main storyline of the dungeon raid is the same, the anime offers more worldbuilding in the beginning and introduces new characters who will probably be relevant later on. The opening scene with a group of S-rank hunters dressed in full raid gear taking down a horde of giant ant monsters with fire and lightning blasts, or a similarly high ranked hunter stopping a purse snatcher in town, really shows the contrast between the strongest combatants and those at Jinwoo's level. Likewise, the background information about the Hunters Association's plan to use the essence stones and mana crystals obtained from slaying monsters as a clean energy source was interesting. 

    However, this structure also has its flaws. The premiere episode felt fragmented, switching from one location and group of unknown characters to another, in a way that the manwha's early chapters did not because it focused solely on Jinwoo's party. Even so, I enjoyed the anime premiere more than the beginning of the manwha thanks to these additions. One scene ending with a video narrated by the Hunter Association's chairman who encouraged hunters to not let their guard down and "be afraid" was a perfect lead-in to Jinwoo's party entering the double dungeon precisely because they didn't take the dangers seriously enough. 

    There were a few minor changes to the dungeon raid side of the story. In the manwha, party leader Song was very insistent in rallying the crowd to move on ahead to the next dungeon, while the anime shows Kim and Park making the suggestion and Song being more level headed in his assessment of the risks and rewards before putting the matter to a vote. The anime also showed Jinwoo fighting the goblin he won an essence stone from (instead of starting from the scene where Joohee is healing him afterwards), which was a nice bonus. 

    This premise feels a lot like a modern day dungeon crawler RPG mixed with Attack on Titan. If that sounds interesting to you, then check it out. I wasn't too enthused after reading the manwha, but enjoyed the anime premiere more than I expected.

    I hope you enjoyed the first of my seasonal manga-to-anime adaptation previews! Check out my Favorite Manga of 2023, and stay tuned for more manga/light novel comparisons featuring anime from 2023 and early 2024 - Spy x Family season 2, My Clueless First Friend, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, Tearmoon Empire, Shangri-La Frontier, and Apothecary Diaries. My Favorite Anime of 2023 post is also coming soon!

The winter festival in chapter 3 of Hokkaido Gals has some familiar anime characters as snow sculptures - Pikachu and Doraemon!

*All screenshots taken by me from A Sign of Affection, Hokkaido Gals Are Adorable, and Solo Leveling from the official manga/manwha releases on Libby, Manga Plus, and Tapas, and anime clips from Crunchyroll's Youtube channel. Banner image made by me in Canva. 

My Favorite Manga of 2023

    Welcome back to Beyond The Anime for my last blog post before the new year! This was a great year for manga, from new weekly series to continuations of old favorites, and several series making their debut with manga volumes released in English. I've reviewed all of the series I've read that were new in 2023 (or first released in print/ebook in English in 2023). 

    My reviews of my top ten Favorites are ranked, and the rest are divided into categories for Good, Decent, series that I'm still On The Fence about continuing, and series that I've Dropped. Everything that I read at least a full volume's worth of content for received a Rating, while series that were dropped near the beginning were given a First Impressions score, and those I dropped within the first few chapters were not given a score. 

Favorites

1. Spy x Family (new arcs, ongoing) - There was so much fantastic content for the series this year, both in the newly released volumes and in the latest biweekly chapters (and that's not even counting the excellent second season of the anime adaptation and the upcoming movie). Volume 10 delivered the part of the story I've been waiting for, Twilight's childhood! It was amazing to see what he was like before becoming a spy, with such a playful and all too straightforward attitude towards war. The sequence of events that led him to join the army and become a spy were tragic but so well written.

The latest online chapters have been a wild ride as well, with two very exciting arcs - one involving danger for the Eden Academy students, and the other a spy thriller between WISE and the SSS - as well as plenty of adorable slice-of-life chapters. Now the story seems to be hinting towards the mystery of Anya's past, so next year will likely be a great one for Spy x Family too! Rating: 10/10

2. Oshi no Ko (ongoing) - The anime became one of my favorites of the year, and I love the manga as well! Each arc in this series so far has explored a new part of the entertainment industry - a successful idol group, a struggling TV miniseries, reality dating shows and a beginner idol group. This setting really plays up the central theme of protecting yourself with lies and introduces a great group of characters who are all easy to root for. I'm following the manga volumes rather than the weekly chapters, which has now caught up with the anime's season 1 ending.

The first volume covers the 90-minute premiere episode, with all of the adorable Hoshino family moments like Ai teaching Ruby to dance and Aqua's first acting job, and also features "flash forward" scenes at the beginning of each chapter not present in the anime that hint at the darker twist to come. 

The alternating perspectives of Aqua and Ruby plays up their different approaches to show business. Aqua is a firm believer in using lies to protect himself, while Ruby strives to be open and honest at the start of her career. Every character has great development, from Kana's insecurities to Mem-cho's desire to follow her dreams despite life's hardships, and Akane's hidden depths. The sensitive material in this series can make it an emotional read at times, but it's balanced out by the heartwarming scenes of everyone coming together to support each other. Rating: 9.5/10

3. Sword Art Online: Progressive - Scherzo of Deep Night (new, one volume remaining) - This is the story of the fourth Progressive novel, which in my opinion is one of the strongest in the series, so that alone makes the manga version a very fun read. The art is really good for the most part, though there was some unnecessary fanservice angles during scenes that were supposed to be serious. The story was adapted well with the exception of a few minor changes, like playing up Asuna's tsundere qualities and altering a dialogue between two key characters. While this sort of change works well enough for the story that's being told now, and the scene itself was entertaining with the new additions, it contradicts later novels where the characters shown making threats here are actually hinted to be close friends, and might become an issue if too many liberties are taken with the source material. 

However, the majority of this adaptation was solid and did very well portraying Kirito and Asuna's tension with the threat of player killers looming over them in this new area of Aincrad which has a "haunted ruins" vibe, and the lighthearted scenes where they get to have fun playing the game in spite of it all are just as adorable as always. Rating: 9.5/10

4. Kill Blue (new, ongoing) - This series has been one of the most fun for me to follow weekly. Legendary hitman Ogami is mysteriously transformed back into a preteen after being stung by a suspicious wasp during a mission, and now has to attend junior high. It sounds like a wacky premise, but it lays the foundation for genuinely good character growth as Ogami develops a love for learning and gets to enjoy all the things he missed out on in his youth. 

Between the two hitmen comedy/slice-of-life series I'm following (the other one being Kindergarten Wars), this one has the more optimistic message, with themes of self-improvement and making the effort to change your life for the better. When the story began, Ogami struggled to relate to kids (including his own) because he became a hitman so young, but he's soon part of a supportive group of friends. The situations he gets himself into may seem outlandish at times - and yet, it's used to great effect for character development, as well as some exciting battles. The comedy is also top notch, and it's hilarious every time Ogami confuses his friends by talking like an old man, or a hitman. Definitely my favorite new Shonen Jump/Manga Plus title. Rating: 9/10

5. The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses (ongoing)  - A sweet romcom that's exactly as the title describes. There are a number of cute scenarios that involve main character Komura helping out Mie, the girl he likes, every time she forgets her glasses - sharing his books in class, discreetly removing a frog from her shoes before she notices it, and escorting her around town in a set-up that felt very much like a date. While it's a bit unrealistic that Mie can really forget her glasses that often, the story does mix it up at times by including scenarios where her glasses were broken or stolen. 

The series continues to get better the more it focuses on the relationships between the characters without the need for Mie forgetting her glasses to carry each scenario. Komura and Mie's interactions are just adorable as their bond keeps growing stronger and the two of them start to become more aware of each other's feelings. The chapters are short and sweet, which makes it a fast but fun read. It's my go-to cute, wholesome romance. Rating: 9/10

6. Sugar Apple Fairy Tale (new, ongoing) - This adaptation of the fantasy/romance light novel series centered around sugar artisan Anne and warrior fairy Challe is still at the beginning of its story. The art of the manga is beautiful, but the style is slightly different from the light novel and the anime. Challe's design has a more pointed look, with longer ears and broader shoulders, and his outfit is also more intricate, whereas his features in the novel artwork and the anime are softer. One of the little details I loved is the way each fairy's wings are unique, rather than most having a similar design. The curves of Mithril's wing almost look bubbly, which suits a water fairy perfectly, and Cathy's had a pattern resembling a butterfly's wings. 

The manga format works really well for this story, with so many pretty character designs and sugar candy sculptures. It's also great for the comedic scenes, like one adorable panel which shows Anne wondering why thoughts of Challe keep popping into her head by drawing chibi pop-ups of Challe all around her - the last one smirking as if amused that he's on her mind. Little character details like this add to the adaptation's charm. Rating: 9/10

7. Hope You're Happy, Lemon (new, ongoing) - The synopsis caught my interest. A guy ends up body-swapping with his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him? It sounded like the recipe for a hilarious trainwreck, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this story is quite wholesome - and also hilarious. 

Sunao and Lemon used to be childhood friends before their relationship went south, and there are hints that there's more to their breakup than Sunao knows (including the fact that Lemon lied about cheating), so it makes sense when the two are actually trying to help each other and still seem to have genuine respect for each other even with the hard feelings. To complicate matters further, Sunao has a crush on Lemon's best friend/roommate, and it seems like Sunao's best friend is developing feelings for Lemon (technically, when Sunao was acting as Lemon). Definitely recommended to all romcom fans. Rating: 9/10

8. Kindergarten Wars (new, ongoing) - As a big fan of the recent hitman/assassin comedy trend, I gave this series a try hoping for something with the same vibe as Spy x Family or Buddy Daddies. While it wasn't on the same level in the beginning, it does become very entertaining. The early story revolves around one gag that isn't particularly funny. Former assassin Rita desperately wants a boyfriend, so she's constantly on the lookout for attractive guys - even among their enemies, and then asks them the most ridiculous questions to test their compatibility, only to kill or knock them out if they give the wrong answer. Sure, most of these guys would have killed her the minute she turned her back, but watching the lead character shoot or clobber someone because they eat their ramen bowl in a different order in at least half of the first six chapters did not make her endearing. Luckily, the later chapters turn into a story worth sticking around for.

The wacky premise of dangerous convicts guarding young children from wealthy families was actually called out by one of the teachers/ex-cons as being suspicious, so I'm interested in seeing where that leads, and the more serious plotlines involving new teacher Hana's family and a dangerous shopping trip to Akihabara were exciting. The "love square" developing between Rita, Doug (fellow teacher and former con man), Hana and another former assassin who joins the team later is very amusing, and the shoujo manga-loving ex cop's insistence that a story is at its best when romance stays at these clueless beginning stages presents some good comedy as he tries to preserve the status quo while Doug and Rita seek to move things forward.

As the story moves on, it goes beyond Rita's simple desire for a boyfriend to explore the theme that all of these teachers-who-used-to-be-hitmen just want a normal life when their term of service to the kindergarten is over, but they don't know if they'll ever be able to achieve it, or if they even deserve to. This is a common thread with both the "heroes" and the villains, which does at times become repetitive but makes for a good central premise, and I care enough about these characters to hope they'll find some peace in the end. Rating: 8.5/10 

9. Insomniacs After School (weekly chapters complete, collected volumes ongoing) - This series was one of my favorites from the spring anime season. Ganta and Isaki's relationship is just as adorable in the manga. It's a very sweet story, and the relationship progression between Ganta and Isaki as they grow closer feels really natural. The way these two bond over their shared struggles and find comfort in each other's presence is heartwarming.

The scenery is beautifully drawn, and the more realistic designs of the characters are both unique and very fitting, but the still shots can make their expressions look a bit too exaggerated at times, which wasn't really an issue in the anime when the characters were in motion. This story is best read slowly, taking the time to admire the background art and imagine the quiet sound effects of the environment like the falling rain. Otherwise, the chapters will feel like they're over much too soon; the presence of so many panels focused on setting the scene with art but no text makes it a fast read. The anime is my favorite of the two, but the manga is still a good read for anyone who enjoys a relaxing romance story with realistic characters. Rating: 8.5/10

10. Blooming Love (new, ongoing) - A sweet story about a boy with a talent for art, and a girl who's very skilled with crafts but wants to improve her artistic ability for the sake of her future career - making taiko drums in her grandfather's shop. The character dynamic between Ibuki and Sugisaki evolved really well in just the first few chapters, and the romance progressed surprisingly fast with most of the series focused on these two actually being a couple. This is one of the rare stories that shows the characters dating beyond their high school years, which gives it a unique feeling compared to other romance manga. Rating: 8.5/10

Good

Yumeochi: Dreaming Of Falling For You (new, complete)  - This series has a really cool take on the "relive your highschool days, but better" plot, with everything happening in a dream that multiple people are experiencing at the same time. It's fascinating to see how they behave and what actions they take when they still weren't entirely sure if these dreams are the real deal, or just imagination, and the story even tackles some deep questions like how would they treat people if they thought this was just a "game", and if they die in the dream, will they die in real life? There is some fanservice, which I really don't care for, but the story is definitely good enough to overlook it. The artwork is pretty good for the most part, aside from the occasionally exaggerated proportions, and the first color panels in particular were absolutely beautiful.

This was one of the more interesting series I was following, so I was disappointed to see it end so soon. The ending felt rushed, wrapping up some plotlines too quickly and leaving others hanging. It had a lot of great concepts that didn't get the chance to be fully explored, and the hints/teases of romance ended up going nowhere, but it still managed to tell a pretty good story about self-improvement during its short run. Rating: 8/10

My Girlfriend Gives Me Goosebumps (new, ongoing) -  Totally different from the wholesome romcoms I usually read, the basis of this new series began with an unhealthy relationship between an obsessive girl with stalker tendencies and a thrill-seeking boy who likes the element of danger, and plays it up with horror movie style pacing. The character art is beautifully detailed, with a few panels that definitely portray that suspenseful vibe the story is going for. 

This story is not  what it appeared to be at first glance, but I mean that in the best possible way. It turned out to be surprisingly deep, with meaningful development for both of its lead characters. The reveals that obsessive girlfriend Kisaki is actually a lot more innocent than she seems, and thrill-seeker Haruka has been dealing with a serious mental health condition since an incident that occurred during his childhood, make each chapter even more suspenseful and compelling than the original premise could have achieved. Rating: 8/10 

Dragonball Super (new arc, ongoing)  - The current manga arc, which began and wrapped up this year, adapts the Super Heroes movie along with a short prequel. As a long-time fan of the Dragonball series, I've enjoyed Super overall, but it can also be a bit hit-or-miss. The added focus on Trunks, Goten and Pan has been great, and I love seeing Piccolo be an awesome uncle to Pan the way he was with Gohan in DBZ. However, a lot of the humor falls flat for me. I didn't find the whole superhero getup at all compelling back when Gohan was "Saiyaman", so I wasn't a fan of bringing it back for Trunks and Goten (who are imitating a silly cleaning-themed hero), and the first time they've performed fusion in years ending up as a joke was disappointing. 

The power-scaling has always been a little iffy in this series since the point where the heroes and villains both ascended to world-destroying levels, but it stands out here when many of their enemies don't seem to reach the same heights of what they've faced before, and yet they're struggling harder. The return of the Red Ribbon army from the original Dragonball was a cool choice, and I like the Gammas and their character development, but I didn't find the mastermind Dr. Hedo to be an interesting character. I was hyped for the battle against Cell Max because Cell is my favorite DBZ villain, and the battles can be exciting, but this maximum strength version doesn't really feel like as big of a threat as the original. Its final chapter of the year was great though, with some beautiful color pages. Not one of Super's best arcs, but it's still entertaining overall. Rating: 8/10

My Clueless First Friend (ongoing) - The concept of Takada, the clueless friend, constantly saying sweet things that make Nishimura happy and confuse her bullies is nice, though I feel he can go a little overboard with his admiration of the "Grim Reaper" title that the other kids use to make fun of her, which made the beginning kind of rough. When Takada realized that calling her "Grim Reaper" might be hurtful in a rare moment of self awareness, I was hoping the story might use this to move past its central gimmick, so it was a disappointment when the early chapters stuck to the status quo. Luckily, the series improves a lot in that respect. 

The later volumes have more variety, branching out from the "Grim Reaper" theme and focusing more on Nishimura's growing friendship with Takada, plus new friends Hino and Adachi. It's great to see the super shy Nishimura start to open up more, and the scenes with her dad quietly supporting her from the background were heartwarming. A big step forward in volume 3 also hints that this series will start to lean towards romance rather than just friendship. It's cute, wholesome fun. Rating: 8/10

Decent

Kagurabachi (new, ongoing) - This revenge story was set up very well in the early chapters, and I like the dynamic between main characters Chihiro, Char and Shiba so far. My main issue with the series in the beginning, that most of the villains didn't seem to have more to their personality aside from "creepy sorcerer of the week", seems to be improving in recent chapters with the introduction of a villain who has a connection to Chihiro's father, who created the enchanted blades Chihiro is tracking down.

The setup allows for the philosophy of Chihiro inherited from his father to be explored, as well as hinting at the history of their world, and the battles between two opponents with enchanted blades are exciting. The artwork during these scenes, showing the magical effects of the swords, is especially beautiful. I'm not a fan of the more gruesome parts of this story, like Char's ability leading the enemy to repeatedly injure this poor child to conduct their experiments, but I'm invested enough in the main characters to see where their story goes, and this is the first time in a while I've been following the latest shonen battle series. Rating: 7.5/10

Two on Ice (new, ongoing) - Although I don't have much interest in figure skating, aside from thinking it looks kind of cool, the story of an aspiring child athlete learning the routines by watching the girl he looked up to on TV caught my attention. When the two of them meet, they have a good chemistry and his quick skill progression in pairs skating makes sense because he was already training to match her moves. The artwork has a nice style too, showing the turns of each move in succession in a way that flows beautifully. However, recent chapters have been losing my interest once the story moved past its prologue stage. I'm still invested in Hayuma's journey of improvement, but Kisara's internal struggle about her skill set not being able to match a male skater's is far weaker, and so far, the character set up to be their main rival isn't at all intriguing. Rating: 7.5/10

Vibration Man (new, complete) - This series felt like an American superhero comic still in the "origin story" phase - and unfortunately, due to its rushed and premature ending, it was never able to move beyond that. I'm not usually into that genre, but I was enjoying this one while it lasted. The main character, Susumu, was well developed in the later chapters, the quirky side characters were entertaining, and despite a slow start to the series, their battles with their first real villains were pretty exciting.

The massive mid-story power upgrade Susumu received was too much and signaled the beginning of the end for this series though. Just to challenge him, the villains needed to be progressively stronger to the point it seemed they would reach DBZ levels of power-scaling, but everything ended abruptly before that could happen. I honestly think this series would have been better off concluding one chapter sooner, with a major battle wrapped up and some added reinforcement of the story's themes. Instead, the final chapter began a battle with the most dangerous enemy they had seen yet attacking the city, in which more violence was shown in a few pages than the rest of the manga combined, and then it ends in the middle of the battle like a prologue that will never be continued. Too bad, because the rest was a fun read. Rating: 7/10 

Shojo Null (new, ongoing) - The setting for this sci-fi world is intriguing, with robots called gijin that are used and then thrown away by humans being revealed to have sentient thought which was being suppressed. Main characters Riaha, the son of the scientist/revolutionary leader who made this discovery, and Marie the runaway military gijin carry this story. Both have well developed personalities that play well off each other, Riaha's backstory provides a good motivation for him, and the carefree side of Marie's personality brings to mind Anya's antics from Spy x Family. 

Unfortunately, aside from these two great main characters and a few of their friends, the rest of the cast so far has little personality aside from showing how cruel humans are towards gijin. The violence is also a bit much for my taste, and often feels like it exists solely for shock value. I want to see where this story is going, and I'm hoping it will focus on the more interesting aspects of the story going forward, like Marie's struggle between fighting for her fellow gijin and keeping Riaha safe, rather than the now repeated occurrence of "Marie walks into a situation where humans are being cruel to gijin and slaughters everyone." Rating: 7/10

Do Retry (new, complete) - To be honest, I have little to no interest in boxing, so I mainly checked out this new Shonen Jump series for its historical setting. In that aspect, it delivered. The post-WWII timeline, the treatment of orphans and the sick, and the rise of the yakuza made for an interesting story, but the fights themselves, one of the major focus points of the series, didn't work as well. The way the main character Aoba's chilling determination strikes fear into his opponents despite his young age was good, but it typically came after a few pages of just watching the kid get beat up, which isn't exactly a fun read, and it took too long for him to start using even an ounce of strategy. 

The character designs aren't really my style - they are distinctive, but at times very overexaggerated. The fight choreography was easy to follow, but often not very creative. However, some of the background art depicting 1940s Japan was really nice. There was a beginning to a potentially decent story here, as well as some compelling moral questions regarding the main character joining a group he doesn't approve of for the sake of helping his family, but the series didn't last long enough before its early cancellation to see if it would go that route. The climax of the story, Aoba's search for his father who disappeared during the war, was also rushed and featured some outlandish power upgrades. 

Everything did wrap up nicely in the second to last chapter, but the actual final chapter set in the present day didn't seem necessary, and the attempt at tying in Aoba's "strong heart" philosophy of overcoming hardships into the average struggles of his descendants just didn't land. Rating: 6/10 

On The Fence

Tsuruko Returns The Favor (new, ongoing) - This story about a teacher who goes to a maid café after finding out his late sister used to work there, and runs into one of his students who's currently working there as a waitress, unfortunately has little to do with the central premise of the main character learning more about his sister's secret life beyond its opening chapter. Most of the comedy comes from the teacher's embarrassment and confusion at the fairy tale themed café and a misunderstanding that his student, Tsuruko, is trying to blackmail him (she's not), and trying to keep his visits a secret from the school where he works. 

This series is labeled as a "crossed wires romcom", so I'm not sure if the intent is for these characters to develop a relationship down the line, but I hope it doesn't go that route because their wholesome interactions are the strongest part of this new series. The café scenes that play up the romcom antics without advancing the story are making me lose interest fast though. Rating: 7/10

Mikane and the Sea Woman (new, ongoing) - The small town vibes, themes of unrequited love and mermaid (or in this case, sea slug) mythology at the beginning of this story brought to mind A Lull in the Sea/Nagi no Asukara. Main character Mikane and his family situation were really well developed, and each of Mikane's friends are already well-rounded characters with distinct personalities and goals. This felt like the start of a great coming of age story, and the Sea Slug Woman added an element of fantasy and mystery. However, this story takes an abrupt shift in tone - and even genre.   

Around chapters 7-8, it's revealed that these sea creatures are based on the more gruesome tales of mermaid legends, in which mermaids devour the humans they "bond" with. This came as an unpleasant surprise since I liked the direction of the early story, but I'm not sure I'll like where it's going. The latest chapters focused on the mermaids and their world lean more towards horror and made me lose interest, but I still enjoy the chapters focused on Mikane's group of friends. I don't know how long I'll keep reading at this point. Rating: 6/10

Dropped

Martial Master Asumi (new, ongoing) - The story was at its best, in my opinion, when it focused more on the main character's complicated family dynamics, rather than his school life and the gym he'll likely end up joining. Even though the fight choreography was well done, and better than Do Retry has been in that respect, the lack of any real stakes or purpose beyond competition or just thinking MMA is cool means there's nothing for me to get invested in. I didn't care for the more "quirky" character designs either (the main girl looks like she has vampire fangs). It's decent, but I felt bored more often than not and decided to drop this series at chapter 7. First Impressions: 6/10

Rugby Rumble (new, ongoing) - Another new sports series I tried out when it started recently, but it didn't keep my interest. I thought the main character, Kenzan, being an agent for chaos might be fun to watch, but he's too out of touch to be believable and doesn't have much of a personality besides wanting to fight/tackle things. The idea of a school rugby team self aware enough to know they had no chance of winning nationals and simply playing for fun, and a team captain who actually calls out Kenzan on his behavior, seemed promising but it already looks like that will be abandoned in favor of a "two talented members carrying the rest of the team" story. The character set up as the main rival is too arrogant to be interesting,  essentially seeing himself as God's gift to rugby, and the team's coach is alternatively annoying or a joke. After the first practice match concluded in chapter 5, there wasn't enough to make me want to read more. First Impressions: 5/10

Mr. Villain's Day Off - This series wasn't what I expected, and I ended up not enjoying it at all. The main character, rather than being a human villain with a layered personality, was some kind of alien monster (it wasn't really explained) with a demonic appearance only disguised as a human, and had no real personality aside from wanting to wipe out all life on Earth except the animals because they're cute. The main hero character seemed okay, though not very bright, but after several chapters like this, I had no desire to finish the first volume or check out the upcoming anime series. 

Ice-Head Gil - I'm not a fan of supernatural elements, so when that part of the story revealed itself, I knew I wasn't going to stick with this one. The snow covered medieval fantasy style towns are beautifully drawn, but on the other hand, the main character's design stands out as bizarre. Even though the initial premise about finding the truth behind the accusations against his father seemed promising at first, none of the characters really came off as likeable or interesting. I dropped this story at chapter 1, and the fact that it was cancelled early seems like public opinion may have reflected my own. 

Wild Strawberry - The only good things about this were the environment designs, and the main character's desire to attain a normal family life for his sister was sympathetic. However, the short amount I read had disgusting amounts of violence and body horror, and I have no interest in continuing this story any further. I didn't even finish chapter 1.

Bonus at the end of volume 10

That concludes my Favorite Manga of 2023 ranking! Check out my anime/manga comparisons for Oshi no Ko, Spy x Family season 1, and Insomniacs After School. Stay tuned for more posts in the new year, starting with my Winter 2024 Manga-to-Anime Adaptation Preview and anime/manga comparisons for The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses and My Clueless First Friend! 

*All manga screenshots taken by me from covers and chapters on Kindle, Libby, Shonen Jump and Manga Plus. Banner made by me in Canva.

Oshi no Ko Anime/Manga Comparison Part 2

 

    Welcome back to Beyond The Anime for another anime/manga comparison, the second half of the hit Spring 2023 show Oshi no Ko! My first comparison covered episodes 1-5 of the anime series, which adapted manga volumes 1&2. This review will discuss volumes 3&4 and the rest of season 1. Spoilers ahead! 
    Each arc in this series so far has explored a new part of the entertainment industry - first a successful idol group, then a struggling TV miniseries, and now a reality dating show and a beginner idol group. The alternating perspectives of Aqua and Ruby really plays up their different approaches to show business. Aqua is a firm believer in using lies to protect himself, while Ruby strives to be open and honest at the start of her career.

 Ruby's shocked response to Aqua's TV persona in the manga is slightly different from its anime counterpart - she says her "brother is a dark type with an introvert aura", almost like she's comparing Aqua to a Pokémon.

    The dating show arc introduces a great group of new characters, including Akane and Mem-cho who are now series regulars. While the story itself is largely the same in both manga and anime form, there are subtle differences between the two, starting with something as simple as the name - in the manga, the dating show is called "Love For Real" (short for "We're about to fall in love for real"), and the anime version's title is "Love Now". 

     Aqua is playing the "nice guy" role (and secretly finds it exhausting) just as he would for an acting job, with his only goal being to cruise through this show and get the director to reveal some new tidbits of info about Ai, but some struggled with the dating show format more than others. The teenage cast members chat about the show towards the beginning of the arc, and Mem-cho offers some advice. "What they want from us now is something more extreme." Akane wrote this down in her notepad, and is later shown reflecting on it when her manager was yelled at because she wasn't making a strong enough impression. This sentiment seemed to add to Akane's feeling that she would have to push herself outside her comfort zone to stand out. 

    It's interesting that the anime version adds an extra line: "People these days want to see something more extreme. Well, your options depend on how much of a risk you can handle." This foreshadows the incident that follows very well, when Akane accidentally hurts Yuki while trying to take on more than she could handle - playing the "villain" role as suggested by the crew.

Aqua rescuing Akane, full page image from manga

    While the majority of the emotional scenes unfold the same way in the manga as they did in the anime, a few parts hit even harder. There were even more hurtful messages towards Akane shown in the manga. I won't repeat them here, but there was an added focus on the comments criticizing her mother (which was one of the things that seemed to trigger Akane's guilt the most) and those saying that they wanted Akane to "disappear". The anime saved the harshest comment for last, but in the manga, there were other similar remarks to break her spirit. 

    In the scene where Aqua saves Akane on the bridge, the main differences are in the way this scene is framed between the anime and manga. The chilling picture of Akane in a warm atmosphere, when she seems relieved before abruptly switching to show the reality of the situation, that she's standing in the rain with a depressed look on her face, was only in the anime. The manga also includes an extra shot of Aqua pulling Akane from the ledge at an angle that shows Akane's legs were fully over the other side as she was in the process of falling, which really heightened the sense of urgency. 

    In the anime, right before finding out that Aqua was taken to the police station following the rescue, Kana says everyone has a few flaws and something about them that can give rise to criticism. Her line in the manga, while expressing the same sentiment, does so with a dose of sarcasm that seems very fitting for Kana: "You know what they say - those who have no vices have seven, those who do have fourty-eight. Everyone has a flaw or two. We've all got something that could make us targets." The heartwarming solution, a video made by all of Akane's friends within the Love Now cast, was the same in both versions, but actually getting to hear the soundtrack by teen musician Kengo along with Mem-cho's pictures was a nice touch.

Nobuyuki comforts Yuki after the incident

    A short extra chapter at the end of volume 3, which was not adapted in the anime, shows Yuki blames herself (at least partially) for what happened with Akane. She mentions trying to "light a fire" under her, likely as an attempt to help Akane stand out when she was struggling, and Nobuyuki reassures her that it's not her fault. Yuki's actions can come off as a bit ambiguous at times, especially with the reveal that she was fully aware the camera was rolling when she forgave Akane for slapping her. Even though I feel her genuine care and concern for Akane came across well enough in the anime, this scene goes a long way towards showing without a doubt how she truly feels. It also gives some nice behind the scenes relationship build up for YukiYuki as a real couple supporting each other during a difficult time. 

The new B-Komachi, left to right: Mem-cho, Ruby & Kana

    The following arc about Ruby reviving her mother's idol group is much more lighthearted than the one that precedes it, while still keeping the focus on a group dynamic of young stars supporting each other. Ruby's approach is completely different from her brother's, as she says right away that she doesn't want their first video together to be based on a lie (in other words, a staged event), and happily welcomes Mem-cho into the new B-Komachi along with Kana because she believes that anyone should have the chance to be an idol. 

    One of the highlights in the anime adaptation of Japan Idol Fest, much like the premiere episode focused on Ai, is actually getting to hear B-Komachi's songs and see their dance choreography on stage. It really adds to the hype of watching the characters in concert.

Mem-cho's reaction when Aqua invites her to join the new B-Komachi

        Just as I noted in my review of the first half, the artwork of the manga is adapted beautifully in the anime down to the smallest details. In scenes like the one pictured above, the vibrant colors of the anime enhance the backgrounds - lighting up the city at night, and the stage during their performance. The anime takes full advantage of this during Ruby and Kana's heart to heart talk before the show, moving the scene from an average backstage room to a hallway with large windows displaying a brilliant sunset.

    The only visual choice that seemed a bit off in the anime was Aqua's black star eye when he was bickering with Kana (as usual). In the manga version of this scene, he was simply shown with the "dark type" aura Ruby described hanging over them as a visual representation of his frustration. The black star seems purposeful, tied to his thoughts of revenge against his father, so it looked out of place in this context, but that was the only misstep. 

Kana in her music video, "Full Moon"

    A cool addition in the anime is Pieyon's boot dance, which Ruby and Kana participate in for their special reveal on his YouTube channel, being shown in step-by-step detail with a very catchy soundtrack. It plays like a real exercise video, and I've even seen an hour-long version on YouTube for anyone who wants to try the Pieyon challenge. Likewise, Kana's music video for "Full Moon" was also played in full - visuals, lyrics, and all. Aqua's glowstick dance was hilariously awesome as well, and I enjoyed seeing all three of the girls react to it (instead of solely focusing on Kana in the manga). It was clear that a lot of care went into these scenes for the adaptation, making good use of the anime medium. 

   This is a very faithful adaptation, so most of the changes are minor - like Aqua and Akane's ice cream date taking place in a café in the manga and an outside venue in the anime, or an extra scene in the manga where several aspiring idols ask Mem-cho for her autograph backstage. However, there was one chapter from volume 4 that didn't make it into the anime. 

Mana, an idol watching Ruby perform at Japan Idol Fest

     After the new B-Komachi's first concert was a success, another idol who was performing that day was shown watching Ruby shine on stage, and that led her to realize she could never be that same kind of star. It was an interesting look at the way an idol can become disillusioned if their dream doesn't exactly match up to the reality, but it also didn't feel like much was lost by leaving it out. 

Ruby shines on stage at Japan Idol Fest

    When I first watched the anime, I was surprised by how quickly the Idol Fest storyline wrapped up to tease the next arc, the stage play Tokyo Blade, but it was the same way in the manga as well. There were even a few anime-only additions offering hints at what's to come, like showing Melt practicing his lines in his first appearance since the Sweet Today arc from volume 2, and Ruby visiting her mother's grave as she and Aqua are being watched by a crow. That final shot gives the ending a more ominous vibe than the manga, which concludes with Tokyo Blade's director playing up the rivalry between Akane and Kana that's about to happen on stage. 

These two are competing for more than just Aqua. Season 2 hype!

    This completes my Oshi no Ko anime/manga comparison until season 2! At the time of this posting, the collected manga volumes of Oshi no Ko have caught up with the anime but will not yet move past it until volume 5 releases in February. However, anyone who wants to read ahead can find the full series up to the latest chapters on Manga Plus. The manga is definitely worth a read, even for fans who have already seen the anime.  

    For more spring anime comparisons and reviews, check out my Favorites of Spring 2023 where Oshi no Ko won big, my Insomniacs After School anime/manga comparison and Otaku Elf history facts. Stay tuned for my Favorite Manga of 2023 and Favorite Anime of 2023 rankings, coming soon! 

Oshi no Ko is currently streaming on HiDive, and Amazon Prime's HiDive channel. The manga is available in print and ebook, and on MangaPlus. 

*Images from the Oshi no Ko anime and manga, screenshots taken by me. Banner made by me in Canva.