Show-ha Shoten!, Vol. 1

by Akinari Asakura, Takeshi Obata (Illustrator)

Overview

A pair of dreamers strive to rise to the top of the comedy world in this story by Akinari Asakura with art by Takeshi Obata (Death Note)!

Shy Azemichi Shijima has secretly been studying the art of comedy. His outgoing classmate Taiyo Higashikata has big dreams of being funny but no follow-through. When the two team up, they just might take the comedy world by storm!

Higashikata ropes Shijima into performing in a comedy duo with him at a school show. Inspired by their guaranteed success, Higashikata asks Shijima to join him in an audacious dream—to rise to the top of Japan’s comedy scene by winning major events in both stand-up and sketch comedy!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781974736829
Publisher:	VIZ Media LLC
Publication date:	02/07/2023
Series:	Show-ha Shoten! , #1
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	198,895
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 5.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Akinari Asakura is a novelist whose previous works include the mysteries Ore de wa nai Enjou (I’m Not the One Being Flamed), Kyoushitsu ga, Hitori ni naru made (Until I’m Alone in the Classroom), Noir Revenant, and the critically acclaimed Rokunin no Usotsuki na Daigakusei (Six Lying College Students). This is his first full-length work as a manga writer.

Takeshi Obata was born in 1969 in Niigata, Japan, and first achieved international recognition as the artist of the wildly popular Shonen Jump title Hikaru no Go, which won the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize: Shinsei “New Hope” Award and the 2000 Shogakukan Manga Award. He went on to illustrate the smash hit Death Note as well as the hugely successful manga Bakuman。and All You Need Is Kill.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/01/2023

Gr 9 Up—Azemichi wants to become funny as a way to prove to his former crush, whose family has resettled somewhere unbeknownst to him, that he's more than just an ordinary, nice guy. Higashikata is looking for a comedy partner in order to create laughter so loud, it reaches his former partner (who passed away) way up in the heavens. When these high school boys join forces, they'll let nothing stand in their way as they pursue their comedy goals at full tilt. This manga title is edutainment excellence when it comes to comedy. Not only will readers learn about the Japanese comedy scene but they'll also learn about the fundamentals of creating the art form from scratch. Fans of "Bakuman" and "Carole & Tuesday" will appreciate the protagonists here, as the dissimilarities in their talents mean they end up complementing each other quite well. Obata returns with his familiar art style, lending a light yet detailed quality on every page. Certain jokes, particularly ones by Azemichi, may go over readers' heads due to their not being unconditionally translatable from their original Japanese into English. Regardless, this shonen story about two dark horses in the world of comedy is sure to delight teens. VERDICT One of the best manga series debuts of 2023 so far, and one teens will be able to rally behind as they pursue dreams of their own.—Joe Pascullo

School Library Journal