Niedielko Illia

Chainsaw Man is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from December 2018 to December 2020, with its chapters collected in eleven tankobon volumes. It follows the story of Denji, an impoverished young man who after making a contract with a dog-like devil named Pochita, he fuses with Denji, granting him the ability to transform parts of his body into chainsaws. Denji eventually joins the Public Safety Devil Hunters, a government agency focused on fighting against devils whenever they become a threat to the world.

A second part of the manga is set to be serialized in Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ online magazine starting in Q3 2022. In North America, the manga is licensed in English by Viz Media, for both print and digital release, and it is also published by Shueisha on the Manga Plus online platform. An anime television series adaptation produced by MAPPA is set to premiere in 2022.

As of December 2021, the manga had over 12 million copies in circulation. In 2021, it won the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shonen category, as well as the Harvey Awards in the Best Manga category. Chainsaw Man has been overall well received by critics, who have commended its storytelling and characters, and have particularly highlighted its violent scenes within the context of the story.

Synopsis

Setting

The story is set in a world where Devils are born from human fears. Devils are usually dangerous and malevolent, their power proportional to the fear they incite. However, humans can form contracts with them to use their power, and there are individuals specializing in hunting and employing them, called Devil Hunters. Devils originate from Hell, and exist in a cycle between Earth and Hell: they migrate to Earth when killed in Hell, and vice-versa. Dwelling in Hell are extremely powerful Devils called Primal Fears, which have never been killed. Transit between planes appears to be overseen by the Hell Devil.

A Devil may, in certain conditions, inhabit the body of a dead human, gaining some of their memories and personality; such a creature is called a Fiend. Devils who naturally have a humanoid form are said to be benevolent to humans.

The events of the story take place in 1997, in an alternate timeline where the Soviet Union still exists, and many events such as the Holocaust appear to have not occurred.

Denji is a young man trapped in poverty, working off his deceased father's debt to the yakuza by working as a Devil Hunter, aided by Pochita, his canine companion and Chainsaw Devil. Denji is betrayed by the Yakuza, who kill him for a contract with the Zombie Devil. Pochita makes a contract with Denji, merging with him and reviving him as a human-devil Hybrid, under the condition that Denji have a "normal life". Denji massacres the yakuza, and is approached by a team of governmental Devil Hunters, the Public Safety Division, led by Makima, who persuades him to join their ranks. Agreeing, Denji is partnered with Power, the Blood Fiend, and Aki Hayakawa, a self-destructive Devil Hunter. Makima promises Denji any favor, provided he kill the Gun Devil, perpetrator of the greatest massacre in human history.

Denji's group encounters another hybrid, the Katana Man, a vengeful yakuza seemingly allied with the Gun Devil, who kills a great portion of the Division. Denji and Power are trained by Kishibe, a master Devil-hunter who distrusts Makima; Aki makes a deal with the Future Devil, who foresees a "horrible death" for him. The Division launches a counter-attack against the Katana Man, capturing him.

Some time later, Denji begins a romance with a woman named Reze, who is actually the Bomb Woman, a Hybrid spy for the Soviet Union, sent to capture him. Though returning his affection, she attacks the city, with the Division barely saving Denji. After recovering, Denji fights her, and accepts a proposal to leave Japan together; before they can reunite, Makima secretly captures her. Denji's fight with the Bomb Woman reveals his existence to the world.

The Division learns that four assassin groups are targeting Denji: Chinese hunter Quanxi; a mysterious enemy of Makima called "Santa Claus"; three American brothers; and a Russian woman teaching a pupil, Tolka. Denji is outfitted with a security detail. Though the brothers are repelled, and Quanxi initially stalls, Santa Claus uses their Doll Devil powers for a large horde attack. After a follow-up by Quanxi, Tolka's master reveals herself as the true "Santa Claus", and has all parties transported to Hell, where they are attacked by the Darkness Devil. Santa Claus makes a contract with the Darkness Devil that empowers her.

Makima retrieves the group from Hell. Quanxi, revealed as a Hybrid, helps Denji defeat Santa Claus; Makima dispatches her afterwards. After Denji recovers, Makima reveals that the Gun Devil is actually a geopolitical asset, with many factions controlling pieces of it. As Aki begs Makima for Denji's safety, the president of the United States orders the Gun Devil to attack Japan and kill Makima. Revealed to be the Control Devil, Makima confronts the Gun Devil and wins. Aki dies in the attack, and the Gun Devil takes his body as a Fiend. Denji is attacked by the Gun Fiend, and, helped by civilians, kills it; Aki's death devastates him. While seemingly consoling him, Makima kills Power, revealing herself responsible for Denji's losses, having plotted to void his contract with Pochita by crushing his dreams of a normal life.

Kishibe attacks her, supported by the Hell Devil, and she calls for "Chainsaw Man" to save her. Controlling Denji's body, Pochita assumes his true form and dispatches it. Makima explains her goals: to use Pochita's power to eliminate concepts from reality by eating their respective Devils to create a world without suffering; to this end, she was empowered by the government with immortality. Fighting the Chainsaw Man using the brainwashed Hybrids, which include Katana Man, Reze, and Quanxi, she wins, as Denji's heroic deeds have weakened Pochita. Power reforms from a remnant of her blood, escapes with Chainsaw Man, and, mortally wounded, restores Denji's will to live, having him promise to find her when she is reborn in Hell.

Invigorated by public support for him, Denji confronts Makima and defeats her; to bypass her immortality, he eats her body. Kishibe later reveals that Makima was annihilated, but the Control Devil resurfaced in the form of a little girl, now named Nayuta. He asks Denji to care for and look after her, and Pochita reaffirms this mission in Denji's dreams. Later, Denji enrolls in high school and continues fighting devils under the public eye.

Characters

A young man with scruffy blond hair, sharp yellowish-brown eyes with bags underneath, and sharp teeth. As a young boy, he inherits his father's debt from the yakuza upon his father's death. After meeting the Chainsaw Devil Pochita, he becomes a Devil Hunter in an attempt to clear his debt. The yakuza kill him, and Pochita becomes his heart, setting a contract with Denji, who is to live his dreams of a normal life. After this, he can transform into the devil-human hybrid known as Chainsaw Man by pulling the cord on his chest. After meeting Makima, he becomes a Public Safety Devil Hunter, to live in humane conditions. His primary motivation is his attraction to Makima.

A mysterious woman serving as the head of Public Safety Division 4, who takes Denji as her human pet. Makima is cunning, intelligent and manipulative, controlling Denji by taking advantage of his attraction to her with promises of a relationship, while threatening him with extermination in case of disobedience. For much of the story, her goals are unknown and her good intentions are ambiguous. She is later revealed to be the Control Devil, which embodies the fear of domination, and seeks to use the Chainsaw Man, to whom she is enamored, to create a world without suffering. To this end, she masterminds the misfortunes befalling Denji over the series. After being killed by Denji, she is reborn as a child called Nayuta , and placed in his care, to be raised as a better person.

A Public Safety Devil Hunter working under Makima's squad. He has a contract with the Fox Devil and Curse Devil, allowing him to summon the former's head and use a lethal spike in exchange for his lifespan. He later makes a contract with the Future Devil, allowing him to see a few seconds into the future. Aki is stoic, mature and dependable, but has a soft center when alone. He grows to greatly care about Denji and Power, despite clashing with them. He is killed during a fight between Makima and the Gun Devil, and becomes the Gun Fiend, which Denji is forced to kill.

The Blood Fiend and a Public Safety Devil Hunter in Makima's squad. Power looks like a young woman with long hair; as a Fiend, she has short red horns protruding from her head. Power loves violence and is childish, greedy, almost entirely self-motivated, and willing to harm others for her own satisfaction. Power loves her cat, Meowy, at one point willing to sacrifice Denji's life to save him. She comes to care deeply for Denji and Aki, her first true friends. She is killed by Makima in front of Denji, to break Denji's spirit. Power revives as the Blood Devil from Denji's blood, but is fatally wounded by Makima again. Before dying, Power makes a contract with Denji - in exchange for her blood, she asks Denji to find the reborn Blood Devil and turn her back into Power so that they may be friends again.

Public Safety Devil Hunters

The strongest devil hunter in the organization. Older than most other hunters, he is scarred and cynical. He trains Denji and Power, and was partnered with Quanxi in his youth. He secretly plots against Makima.

Aki's first partner. She wears an eyepatch and is partnered with the Ghost Devil, allowing her to use its invisible arm from anywhere. She is killed by Sawatari's Snake Devil while fighting Katana Man.

A young woman with an unnamed contract, who started work as a Devil hunter under Makima's experimental squad. Despite her timid and cowardly attitude, she shows amazing speed and reflexes when threatened.

Public Safety Devils/Fiends

A humanoid Devil embodying the fear of angels. Appearing as an enigmatic androgynous young man, he holds no particular malice against humans but enjoys seeing them suffer. He is partnered with Aki after Himeno's death and is regarded as the second-strongest Public Safety agent, but his laziness holds him back.

The wildly enthusiastic and unstable Shark Fiend, who can "swim" through solid objects and transform into a more monstrous shark-like form. He is partnered with Denji, whom he worships. He later sacrifices himself to revive Denji during the battle with the Darkness Devil in Hell.

The friendly and polite Violence Fiend who possesses immense strength and can transform into a more monstrous form when his mask is taken off. He still has most of his human brain and can remember several details about his past life, which is unusual for Fiends.

A Chinese devil hunter and one of the assassins sent to take Denji's heart. She is a lesbian in a polyamorous relationship with four female Fiends. She is a hybrid with a Devil related to crossbows. According to Santa Claus, she is the "first devil hunter". She is beheaded by Makima, but later revived by her along with Reze and Katana Man to fight the Chainsaw Man.

Santa Claus

One of the assassins sent after Denji. Introduced as an elderly German man, it is revealed later on that Santa Claus is multiple people, the real body being a Russian woman referred to as "master" by her pupil Tolka, who she also turns into a body for her. The master has a contract with the Doll Devil, and has the ability to turn people into dolls under her control, which become part of the Santa Claus hivemind. She enacts a plot to send Denji and several hunters to Hell as sacrifices to the Darkness Devil in exchange for power to kill Makima. She is defeated by an on-fire Denji, and her mind is destroyed by one of Quanxi's lovers, the Cosmos Fiend.

Devils and hybrids

The Chainsaw Devil who merged with Denji, and was originally the Chainsaw Man himself prior to meeting Denji. He has the ability to eat a devil and erase their existence, making him "the Devil that Devils fear most". He first appears in his dog form, actually a weakened state after a fight with mysterious opponents. His true devil form is a large, darker version of Denji’s hybrid form with four arms.

The grandson of the yakuza boss who had Denji and Pochita killed, and a supposed agent of the Gun Devil. Like Denji, he is a human-devil hybrid with the heart of the Katana Devil, able to transform into his hybrid form by removing his hand. His real name is unknown, and his handler is Akane Sawatari, a former Public Safety hunter.

A girl with a crush on Denji who works at a cafe. She is later revealed to be a hybrid with the Bomb Devil, able to transform by pulling a grenade pin on her neck, and a Soviet spy sent to kill Denji. On her way to seemingly escape with Denji after their fight, she is captured by the Angel Devil under control of Makima.

One of the most powerful and feared Devils in the world. Thirteen years before the series' events, the Gun Devil manifested after a terrorist attack, and attacked the world, killing 1.2 million people in under five minutes before vanishing. It was later defeated and scattered into pieces by an unknown entity, and the governments of several countries have gathered these remains to form contracts with it. The president of the United States summons it to kill Makima. Makima defeats it, but it possesses Aki's body, turning into the Gun Fiend. It later dies at the hand of Denji.

An unfathomably powerful Devil representing the primal fear of darkness, residing in Hell.

Despite the series' violence and dark humor, Fujimoto always wanted to serialize in Weekly Shonen Jump, but he had the feeling that his work would be "buried" if he had made a "Jump-like manga", so he tried to retain much of his individuality as a creator while making only the structure and characters Jump-like. Fujimoto also said that, despite its success in the magazine, he wanted to write the second part of the series on Shonen Jump+, because he wanted to do a completely different series from the first part. According to him, there is not much of a difference in working between Weekly Shonen Jump and Shonen Jump+, explaining that there were a few depictions that got stopped during the rough draft stage, but he was allowed to do anything he wanted regarding the logic of the story.

Fujimoto said that he took inspiration from various works. During the serialization of Chainsaw Man, Fujimoto said that he was too busy, but he watched as many new things as he could and borrowed various elements from what he saw. On Twitter, he stated that he was a fan of the 2016 film trilogy Kizumonogatari, and that the trilogy's final battle, shown in Part 3: Reiketsu, inspired the final battle of Chainsaw Man. He also described the series as being a "wicked FLCL" and "pop Abara." Fujimoto had various elements from the series planned from the beginning, while other things were added as it progressed. He did not have specific plans to bring payoff to the meaningful-sounding words and things that felt "off", adding that he left various things vague to make the series' second part easier to do.

Regarding the anime adaptation of the series, Fujimoto stated that he talked to the people handling it and he was comfortable leaving things to them. When the anime series was officially announced, Fujimoto commented: "Chainsaw Man is like a copycat of Dorohedoro and Jujutsu Kaisen, and the studio of Dorohedoro and Jujutsu Kaisen will produce its anime!? I have nothing to say! Please do it!!.

Chainsaw Man is written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The series' first part, "Public Safety arc" , ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from December 3, 2018,to December 14, 2020. Shueisha collected its chapters into eleven individual tankobon volumes, released from March 4, 2019, to March 4, 2021.

In North America, Viz Media published the series' first two chapters on their Weekly Shonen Jump digital magazine for its "Jump Start" initiative.The series was then published on the Shonen Jump digital platform after the cancellation of Weekly Shonen Jump. Shueisha also simulpublished the series in English on the app and website Manga Plus starting in January 2019. In February 2020, Viz Media announced the digital and print release of the manga.Viz Media posted an official trailer for the manga, featuring a high-octane opera vocals as its soundtrack. The first volume was released on October 6, 2020.

The manga is also licensed in France by Kazé, in Italy, Mexico and Brazil by Panini, in Spain by Norma Editorial, in Thailand by Siam Inter Comics, in Poland by Waneko, in Germany by Egmont Manga,in Argentina by Editorial Ivrea, in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing, in South Korea by Haksan Publishing, in Russia by Azbooka-Atticus, and in Vietnam by Tre Publishing House.

On December 14, 2020, following the series' conclusion in Weekly Shōnen Jump, a second part was announced to start on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ online magazine. On December 19, 2020, it was announced that the second part, "School arc" , will feature Denji going to school. The second part will begin serialization in Q3 2022.

"Putin – khuylo!" ( commonly translated as "Putin is a dickhead") is a Ukrainian, Belarusian and Russian slogan deriding Russian President Vladimir Putin. It originated in Ukraine in 2014 having grown from a football chant first performed by FC Metalist Kharkiv ultras and Shaktar Donetsk ultras in March 2014 on the onset of the Russo-Ukrainian War. The phrase has become a protest song and is very widespread throughout Ukraine among supporters of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and, more generally, those who opposed Vladimir Putin in both Russia and Ukraine.

The obscene term (mat) is variously transliterated as huilo, huylo, khuilo, khuylo, or xujlo. Its core is (khuy), literally "dick" in both Russian and Ukrainian. In combination with -lo it may be translated as "dickwad", "dickhead" or "prick". The words are identical in Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian.

In May 2014, media outlets reported that the Russian profanity khuilo had been added to the Urban Dictionary as a synonym for Vladimir Putin.

Another abbreviation containing a similarly suggestive meaning is (PTN PNKh), which stands for (Putin, poshol na khuy, which is similar to "Putin, go fuck yourself", which could be rendered in English as "PTN GFY").

The chant has its origins in "Surkis Khuylo!", a football chant that was initiated by the ultras of FC Metalist Kharkiv some time in 2010, during the height of a feud between two Ukrainian oligarchs, Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, then-owner of "Metalist", and Hryhoriy Surkis, then-president of the Football Federation of Ukraine who had strong historic and family ties with FC Dynamo Kyiv. The Kharkiv fans, who sided with their club president, chanted "Surkis Khuylo!" to express their dislike of the Football Federation president in vulgar and profane form.

The first recorded public performance of the "Putin khuylo!" chant and the song that grew from it took place in March 2014 in Kharkiv when the local fans chanted it during their street march. The recording was soon posted to YouTube. Various groups of Ukrainian ultras of major Ukrainian clubs with the exception of FC Sevastopol have historically held strong pro-Ukrainian, sometimes nationalist, political views. These football fans sided with Ukraine at the onset of the Russian annexation of Crimea and military intervention as well as during the pro-Russian unrest in the East and South of Ukraine, when the city of Kharkiv was in turmoil. Soon, the song that vulgarly derided Putin gained wider popularity, spreading among other clubs, such as the fans of Shakhtar Donetsk (Donetsk) and Dynamo Kyiv (Kyiv), who were formerly feuding but sang the song together. During the Russian intervention and partial occupation of Ukraine, the ultras of various Ukrainian clubs set aside their rivalries and chanted the song in joint street marches.[8] The chant became "a nationwide cultural meme" according to The Guardian.[16] Alexander J. Motyl reported, "A shorthand, more modest version of the lyrics has even entered the popular discourse. If you want to express your views of Putin, all you need do is say 'la-la la-la la-la', and everything's quite clear," which is a reference to the refrain of the chant.

Artemy Troitsky identified the melody of the chant as coming from the song "Speedy Gonzales", a hit for American singer Pat Boone in 1962.

In June 2015, the Russian Federal Security Service started a criminal prosecution and investigation of activist Daria Poludova for using the song on the VK social network.

When Russian television channel TNT aired one episode of the Ukrainian sitcom "Servant of the People" in December 2019, a scene containing a joke that referenced the song, in which the fictional president played by Volodymyr Zelensky asked "Putin hublo?" when told that Putin wore a Hublot watch, was cut out of the episode. The omission occurred only within central Russia and the Moscow region, but not in the eastern regions of the country.

Several Ukrainian mainstream rock music bands included or adapted the chant into their music. A metal remix, released on 21 April 2014 by AstrogentA, added instrumentation and reworked the video of the March 30 protest chant to depict its spread throughout Ukrainian football clubs. The Ukrainian band Teleri received international attention following the 6 May 2014 release of a song and a video titled "Putin Hello!" Their song uses a double entendre, substituting the objectionable word "khuylo" with the English word "Hello!" Alluding to the "Putin Khuylo!" chant, the video features band players wearing Ukrainian football club colors and posing as ultras marching and chanting "Putin Hello" as the refrain of the song. The band members asserted, tongue-in-cheek, that the linking of their song to an offensive anti-Putin chant was a misunderstanding and insisted that the only people who found the chant objectionable were Russians unfamiliar with English.

Hromadske.TV aired a live performance of the song by Lemonchiki Project on 29 May 2014. The rock band Druha Rika performed the song at their concert on 13 June 2014. Other rock adaptations were made by Mad Heads and Haydamaky. The Kyiv Post reviewed nine video versions of the song and two other related songs.

In October 2014, Belarusians joined visiting Ukrainians in a performance of the chant by "nearly the entire stadium" at a UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match in Barysaw, Belarus, resulting in more than 100 Ukrainian and 30 Belarusian football fans being detained and questioned, reportedly on suspicion of using "obscene language". Seven, all Ukrainian, were sentenced to five days in jail for obscene language, while one was given a 10-day sentence for allegedly wearing a swastika.

Hromadske.TV aired a footage showing Andrii Deshchytsia, then-acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, uttering the word "khuylo" in reference to the Russian President Putin during his plea with protesters in front of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv on the evening of 14 June 2014 following the Ukrainian Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 shoot-down by the Russia-armed rebels. Deshchytsya pleaded the protesters to refrain from violence directed at the Embassy that would cause a bigger diplomatic scandal. Deshchytsia stated: "He (Putin) is a khuylo, but - disperse, please!" Shortly afterward, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko nominated a different diplomat to lead the Foreign Affairs ministry. According to the Ukrainian media, the presidential plan to replace the minister was known prior to the incident, being proposed as part of a bigger reshuffle in the Ukrainian government. Soon after, Poroshenko praised the work of Deshchytsia, who was then leaving his ministerial position, and the parliament gave the outgoing minister a standing ovation.

Deshchytsia's use of the wording caused widespread discontent among the Russian leadership. However, Geoffrey Pyatt, the US ambassador to Ukraine, wrote on Twitter that minister Deshchytsia's use of the chant had been "seeking to defuse a dangerous situation", calling Deshchytsia "a skilled diplomat and credit to Ukraine."

On July 2, 2014, Arsen Avakov who was a Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs, one of the country's major security agencies, published a Facebook post with a photo he took that showed a bus stop near Sloviansk covered by a "Putin Khuilo!" graffiti. The minister post included his comment to the picture saying: "A private opinion some place near Slovyansk. Aligning myself." A week later, on July 9, 2014, Avakov met the troops of the Kyiv-1 Special Police force battalion. After the traditional drill exchange of "Glory to Ukraine!" greeting followed by the customary "To Heroes, Glory!" response, Avakov exclaimed "Putin!" to which the troops responded "khuylo!" The minister was clearly happy with the response and gave a "Vol'no!" ("at ease!") drill command.

The phrase became popular again during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian brewer Yuri Zastavny began preparing glass bottles to be used for anti-Russian Molotov cocktails with the English-lettered label "Putin Huylo".

Ukrainian hackers disabled electric vehicle charging stations in Russia so that instead of providing charge the stations display a scrolling message that includes the phrase.

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (Japanese: かぐや様は告らせたい ～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～, Hepburn: Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Ren'ai Zunōsen, transl. "Lady Kaguya wants to make them confess: The Geniuses' War of Hearts and Minds") is a Japanese romantic comedy manga series by Aka Akasaka. It began serialization in Shueisha's seinen manga magazine Miracle Jump in May 2015 and was transferred to Weekly Young Jump in March 2016. In North America, the manga is licensed in English by Viz Media.

A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired in Japan from January to March 2019. A second season aired from April to June 2020. An OVA episode was released in 2021, and a third season will premiere in April 2022. It was also adapted into a live-action film directed by Hayato Kawai, which was released in Japan in September 2019. The anime series is licensed in North America by Aniplex of America.

As of April 2021, the manga had over 15 million copies in circulation. In 2020, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War won the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category.

In the senior high school division of Shuchiin Academy, student council president Miyuki Shirogane and vice president Kaguya Shinomiya appear to be a perfect match. Kaguya is the daughter of a wealthy conglomerate family, and Miyuki is the top student at the school and well-known across the prefecture. Although they like each other, they are too proud to confess their love, coming up with many schemes to make the other confess.

Akasaka was writing the manga Instant Bullets for Young Jump and wanted to come up with another series. In an interview on Livedoor News, Akasaka said the original plot for Kaguya-sama was more of a fantasy and game of death, but his editor wanted something more mainstream and, at the time, Young Jump did not have a casual romcom series. It was Akasaka's first manga in the romcom genre.

Akasaka set the series in high school as it was a time when he did not have much experience with dating and romance himself. He was thinking of high school relationships while smoking some food, and came up with the concept of wanting to reclaim some of his emotions of his youth in a fantasy. He envisioned "two tsunderes who like each other having battles of the mind". He thought that was a very common concept, but was surprised to find that readers were telling him that his premise was innovative. Also at first, he wanted to do more intellectual battles like Death Note but the theme changed more to "clashing of romantic emotions".[4] He has also cited School Rumble as an influence on his work.

Character design

The characters' names were derived from The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. He liked princess stories, and Kaguya-hime was one of the most famous princess stories. In developing the characters, he said that Kaguya and Miyuki initially have the same personality and thought process, like twins, which made their exposition to the reader easier to understand. He then developed more divergence between the two. Other characters were developed in the same manner, starting as shallow and template-like, but being filled with realistic feelings and drawn from the experience of the author and of others he knew. He especially liked contrasting characters whose internal personalities differ from their external portrayal.

Development and themes

In developing a chapter or story, Akasaka would think about emotions first and then write about experiencing the emotions, such as what Kaguya would feel if she were jealous. He would then arrange the characters and events around that emotion. When he thinks of some emotion that he hasn't developed into a story yet, he writes it on a sticky note or notebook to be used later.[4]

Akasaka said that he originally wanted to make a manga that would help office ladies relax, but since he is an otaku, it seems to follow in that. He also believes the manga is more about providing the reader with something exciting and conveying meaningful messages about human relationships rather than to showcase a number of character gags and reactions.[4]

Akasaka said that Miyuki and Kaguya's becoming third-year students marks the second half of the story.[4][6] When asked about the ending, he said he does not know whether he will go with the bad ending as with Kaguya-hime, but wouldn't mind if it did. He is also considering giving each character a curtain call chapter like they do in the dating sims.

Aka Akasaka launched the series in the June issue of Shueisha's Miracle Jump magazine on May 19, 2015.[7] The series last chapter in Miracle Jump was published in its February 2016 issue on January 19, 2016.[8] The manga was then switched to the publisher's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump on March 24, 2016.[9][10] A special chapter ran in the debut issue of Young Jump Gold on May 18, 2017.[11] In October 2021, it was announced that the manga entered its final arc.[12] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on March 18, 2016.[13] As of December 17, 2021, twenty-four volumes have been released.[14]

North American publisher Viz Media announced their license to the series during their panel at San Diego Comic-Con International on July 20, 2017.[10]

A spin-off manga by Shinta Sakayama, titled Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Dōjin-ban (かぐや様は告らせたい 同人版, transl. "Kaguya Wants to be Confessed to - Dōjin Edition"), was launched on Shueisha's Tonari no Young Jump website on June 14, 2018, and it was serialized on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.[15] The spin-off finished on June 25, 2020.[16] Shueisha released four tankōbon volumes between December 19, 2018 and July 17, 2020.[17]

A yonkoma spin-off, written by G3 Ida and titled Kaguya-sama o Kataritai (かぐや様を語りたい, transl. "We Want to Talk About Kaguya"), launched in Weekly Young Jump on July 26, 2018. The yonkoma focuses on two newspaper/press club girls who idolize Kaguya and the gang but have no clue what really goes on inside the student council.[15] Shueisha released the first collected tankōbon volume on March 19, 2019.[18] As of August 18, 2021, five volumes have been released.

An anime television series adaptation was announced by Shueisha on June 1, 2018.[20] The series is directed by Shinichi Omata under the pseudonym Mamoru Hatakeyama and written by Yasuhiro Nakanishi, with animation by A-1 Pictures. Yuuko Yahiro is providing the character designs, while Jin Aketagawa is the sound director. Kei Haneoka is composing the series' music.[21] The series aired from January 12 to March 30, 2019, broadcasting on MBS, Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, Chukyo TV, and TV Niigata.[21][22] The series ran for 12 episodes.[23] Masayuki Suzuki, Rikka Ihara, and Yoshiki Mizuno performs the series' opening song "Love Dramatic feat. Ihara Rikka", while Halca performs the series' ending theme song "Sentimental Crisis".[24][25] Aniplex of America have acquired the series in North America, and streamed the series on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and FunimationNow.[26] In Australia and New Zealand, AnimeLab simulcasted the series within the region.[27] The series is licensed by Muse Communication and is streaming on Netflix in Southeast Asia.

A second season titled Kaguya-sama: Love Is War? was announced on October 19, 2019. The staff and cast returned to reprise their roles.[28] It aired from April 11 to June 27, 2020 on the Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, BS11, Abema TV service, MBS and TV Niigata. The second season will feature Kaguya's character song "Kotae Awase" and a key visual with the new characters Miko and Osaragi as they join the returning main characters of the series.[29] Suzuki returned to perform the season's opening theme "Daddy! Daddy Do!" with Airi Suzuki, while Haruka Fukuhara's "Kaze ni Fukarete" ("Blown by the Wind") was used as the ending.[30] The season received its world premiere prior to Japanese broadcast at Anime Festival Sydney on March 8, 2020.[31] Funimation acquired exclusive streaming rights for the season in late March; the company began airing an English dub for the second season on July 25, with the first season dub streaming on March 9, 2021.[32][33][34] In Southeast Asia, Muse Communication released the season on Netflix.[35]

On October 25, 2020, an original video animation episode and a third season were concurrently announced for production during the “Kaguya-sama Wants To Tell You On Stage” special event.[36] An OVA was bundled with the manga's twenty-second volume, which was released on May 19, 2021.[37] On October 21, 2021, it was revealed the third season, titled Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-, would premiere in April 2022, with returning staff and cast members.

The film premiered in Japan on September 6, 2019. Sho Hirano was announced for the role of Miyuki Shirogane, and Kanna Hashimoto was announced for the role of Kaguya Shinomiya. Hayato Kawai directed the film, Yūichi Tokunaga wrote the screenplay, and principal photography was conducted in March to April 2019.[39]

A sequel to the film was announced on January 6, 2021. It premiered in Japanese cinemas on August 20, 2021. Hirano, Hasimoto, Nana Asakawa, and Hayato Sano, actors of Chika Fujiwara and Yu Ishigami respectively, returned to reprise their roles.

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War had over 6.5 million copies in circulation as of April 2019,[42] over 8.5 million copies as of October 2019,[43] over 9 million copies in circulation as of December 2019,[44] over 13 million copies in circulation as of October 2020[45] and over 15 million copies in circulation as of April 2021.[46] It was the ninth-best-selling manga in 2019, with over 4 million copies sold.[47] The series won the 3rd Next Manga Award in the comics division for manga published in print book format in 2017.[48] In 2020, along with Aoashi, the manga won the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category.[49][50][51] On TV Asahi's Manga Sōsenkyo 2021 poll, in which 150.000 people voted for their top 100 manga series, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War ranked #50.[52]

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network gave the first two volumes of the manga a positive review, calling it "one of the more unique rom-com premises out there". She noted that the second volume was better than the first, indicating development on the part of the author, and commenting that it boded well for the lastingness of the series. She was more ambivalent about the art, saying that it lacked polish and that faces in particular tended to suffer.[2]

At the 2020 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, the Kaguya-sama: Love Is War anime was selected for Best Comedy, Best Couple, and Best Ending Sequence ("Chikatto Chika Chika").[53] The character Chika Fujiwara was nominated for Best Girl in the awards.[54] At the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, the second season of the Kaguya-sama: Love Is War anime was selected for Best Comedy, and the main character of the series, Kaguya Shinomiya, was selected for Best Girl. The anime's opening "DADDY! DADDY! DO!" by Masayuki Suzuki was nominated for Best Opening Sequence in the awards.

Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious is a Japanese light novel series written by Light Tuchihi and illustrated by Saori Toyota. It began serialization online in June 2016 on the Kadokawa's novel publishing website Kakuyomu. It was then acquired by Fujimi Shobo, who published the first light novel volume in February 2017 under their Kadokawa Books imprint. Seven volumes have been released as of December 2019. The light novel series is licensed in North America by Yen Press. A manga adaptation with art by Koyuki has been serialized in Fujimi Shobo's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Dragon Age since November 2018. It has been collected in four tankōbon volumes. An anime television series adaptation by White Fox aired from October to December 2019.

Ristarte is a novice goddess who is placed in charge of saving the world of Gaeabrande from a Demon Lord by summoning a human hero. An S-class world, Gaeabrande is extremely dangerous, so Ristarte is careful to select a hero who will be able to prevail against the enemies. She settles on Seiya Ryūgūin, whose stats are many times greater than any other contender. Unfortunately, upon summoning him, Ristarte finds to her dismay that he is ridiculously cautious of everything, including her. Refusing to even enter Gaeabrande's safest areas until he has trained to a level that he is comfortable with, Seiya's reticence drives the goddess crazy. However, when the pair finally do set foot on Gaeabrande, events may prove this hero's caution is well justified.

Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara (Japanese); Anthony Bowling (English)

An overpowered hero who excels at everything, except for one minor problem – he is too cautious.

Voiced by: Aki Toyosaki (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English)

The Goddess of Healing who is tasked with choosing a hero to save Gaeabrande, to which end she summons Seiya. Upon first meeting Seiya, she is immediately infatuated with him due to his perfect physique and complexion.

Voiced by: Kengo Kawanis (Japanese); Chris Thurman (English)

A young dragonkin warrior who ends up being Seiya's apprentice and one of his baggage carriers.

Voiced by: Aoi Koga (Japanese); Sarah Wiedenheft (English)

A young dragonkin mage who is Mash's childhood friend. Like Mash, she ends up being one of Seiya's baggage carriers. Starting off as a magic caster, she learns and focuses more on support type abilities.

Voiced by: Hibiku Yamamura (Japanese); Marissa Lenti (English)

Ristarte's senior goddess, and her go-to goddess if Seiya needed someone to train him. The Goddess of Sealing, she has saved numerous worlds.

Voiced by: Atsushi Ono (Japanese); Chris Rager (English)

A brawny god who wields a sword. He is known as the Divine Blade. Seiya ran him to the ground during training, even to the point of hiding from him.

Voiced by: Keiko Han (Japanese); Jessica Cavanagh (English)

The Great Goddess who serves as the leader of the other gods.

Voiced by: Fairouz Ai (Japanese); Katelyn Barr (English)

The Goddess of Destruction. Despite resistance, she goes on to train Seiya with a few restrictions.

Voiced by: Sayumi WatabeEp. 5 credits (Japanese); Kimberly Grace (English)

The Goddess of Fire.

Voiced by: Shiori Izawa (Japanese); Alexis Tipton (English)

The Goddess of War. She has a major crush on Seiya, going berserk and demented when he rejected her at first.

Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Samantha Herek (English)

The Goddess of Archery. She is known for her nymphomania.

The series was first published online in Kadokawa's user-generated novel publishing website Kakuyomu in June 2016 by Light Tuchihi. Later on, publisher Fujimi Shobo acquired the title and published the first volume as a light novel under their Kadokawa Books imprint in February 2017. The series is licensed in North America by Yen Press.

A manga adaptation of the series by Koyuki began publication on November 9, 2018 in Fujimi Shobo's Monthly Dragon Age. The manga is also licensed in North America by Yen Press.

An anime television series adaptation by White Fox was announced on November 7, 2018. The series was directed by Masayuki Sakoi, with Kenta Ihara handling series composition, Mai Toda designing the characters, and Yoshiaki Fujisawa composing the music. It aired from October 2 to December 27, 2019 on AT-X and other channels. Myth & Roid performed the series' opening theme song "TIT FOR TAT", while Riko Azuna performed the series' ending theme song "be perfect, plz!". Funimation has licensed the series for a SimulDub. The third episode, which was supposed to air on October 16, 2019, was delayed by a week due to production issues, with a re-broadcast of Episode 2 taking its place. Similarly, Episode 10 was delayed for a week due to production issues, with a recap episode taking its place. Characters from the series have also appeared in the crossover anime series Isekai Quartet.

Oresuki (俺好き), short for Ore wo Suki Nano wa Omae Dake ka yo (Japanese: 俺を好きなのはお前だけかよ, lit. "Are You Really the Only One Who Likes Me?"), is a Japanese harem, romantic comedy light novel series written by Rakuda and illustrated by Buriki. ASCII Media Works published seventeen volumes from February 2016 to January 2022 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint.

A manga adaptation with illustration by Yū Ijima was serialized via Shueisha's online manga app Shōnen Jump+ from February 2017 to August 2020. It has been collected in six tankōbon volumes. An anime television series adaptation by Connect aired from October to December 2019. An OVA was released in September 2020.

Oresuki revolves around Amatsuyu "Joro" Kisaragi, an ordinary high school student who is invited out alone by two beautiful girls: the upperclassman Sakura "Cosmos" Akino and his childhood friend Aoi "Himawari" Hinata. Expecting to hear their confessions, he triumphantly goes to meet each of them in turn. However, both Cosmos and Himawari confess to Joro that they like his best friend, Taiyо̄ "Sun-chan" Ōga, instead of him. He reluctantly agrees to help both girls pursue Sun-chan in the hope of dating the loser, only to suddenly be confessed to by the unremarkable bookworm Sumireko "Pansy" Sanshokuin, who is the girl Sun-chan is in love with.

Ore wo Suki Nano wa Omae Dake ka yo is written by Rakuda and illustrated by Buriki. ASCII Media Works published the first volume on February 10, 2016 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. The seventeenth and last volume was published on January 8, 2022.

An anime television series adaptation was announced at the "Dengeki Bunko 25th Anniversary Fall Dengeki Festival" event on October 7, 2018. The series was animated by Connect and directed by Noriaki Akitaya, with Rakuda handling series composition, Shoko Takimoto designing the characters, and Yoshiaki Fujisawa composing the music. The series aired from October 3 to December 26, 2019 on Tokyo MX, GYT, GTV, BS11, TVA, and ytv. Shuka Saitō performed the series' opening theme song "Papapa", while Haruka Tomatsu, Haruka Shiraishi, and Sachika Misawa performed the series' ending theme song "Hanakotoba". Aniplex of America licensed the series for distribution in English speaking regions, and streamed the series on Crunchyroll, FunimationNow in North America and the United Kingdom, HIDIVE in North America, and AnimeLab in Australia and New Zealand. An OVA was set to premiere on May 23, 2020, but was delayed to September 2, 2020.

C is a 2011 Japanese anime television series produced by Tatsunoko Production. The story follows Kimimaro Yoga, an economics student who is introduced to the alternate reality of the Financial District, where people bet their own futures in battles. Entres—the series' term for the fighters—can accumulate large quantities of money by winning but they will have their futures altered if they lose. As the story proceeds Kimimaro starts to perceive the effects of the Financial District's existence in the real world.

The anime was directed by Kenji Nakamura, who was given the opportunity to create a storyline for an original series. Nakamura was affected by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers—one of the key events of the financial crisis of 2007–08—and envisioned a story about economic battles. He was moved by stories he heard during the interviews he conducted with people related to the economics field, and the series became darker in tone during its development. Through macroeconomics jargon, the series addresses trust and the need to act to ensure a better future.

The series was broadcast in Japan on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block between April 15 and June 24, 2011, before being released on DVD and Blu-Ray discs by Toho. It was simulcasted with a week's delay by Funimation Entertainment in the United States, by Siren Visual in Australia, and by Anime on Demand in the United Kingdom. The anime also aired in the United States on the Funimation Channel and on Pivot in 2013. Its home media distribution was handled by Funimation in the United States, by Siren Visual in Australia, and by MVM Entertainment in the United Kingdom.

C's premise and core concept have been praised by Western reviewers, who were nonetheless disappointed by the execution of the story and the development of the characters. One of the critics' main concerns was that the story was inconclusive and that some plot elements were not fully worked. Its art received mixed responses but was highly criticized for its use of 3D computer graphics, while the musical score was mainly praised. The series has also been highlighted both as a good action show and as a series that can arouse reflective discussions on economic philosophy.

C is set in a world where Japan goes through a financial crisis that causes high rates of unemployment, crime, and suicide. The series revolves around Kimimaro Yoga, a 19-year-old boy raised by his aunt after his father disappeared and his mother died. A scholarship student of economics, his only dream is to live a stable, ordinary life. One day he meets Masakaki, a mysterious man who offers him a large amount of money if he will allow his "future" to be held as collateral. When Kimimaro accepts the money, he becomes an "Entre" (short for "entrepreneur") and is drawn into the alternative reality of the Financial District, where Entres make transactions using a special currency called Midas Money.

In the Financial District, each Entre is paired with a special creature who personifies their futures known as "Assets"; Kimimaro is designated to be accompanied by Mashu, a horned girl who can conjure up fire-based attacks. Entres are summoned there once a week to compete against each other, betting their money in a battle known as "Deal". Entres who lose all of their money and become bankrupt are banished from the Financial District with tragic consequences to them or their loved ones in reality. Kimimaro first discovers this when he defeats one of his professors, Daisuke Ebara, who entered Deals to support his family. Daisuke's punishment for bankruptcy is the erasure of his children from history.

Kimimaro discovers that bankruptcy led his father to commit suicide and he finds a reason to continue there despite his disinterest in money and his fear of hurting others. Kimimaro's attitude attracts veteran Entre Soichiro Mikuni who wants him to join the Starling Guild, whose members' aim is to win by small margins so their victories do not greatly affect reality. Mikuni has a great influence over both the Japanese Government and the whole of Japan's finance market and aims to own Tokyo's Financial District. Born into a wealthy family, Mikuni was a rebel who wanted to be a musician; as his band broke up, Mikuni became a personal assistant to his father. When the elder Mikuni's corporation started to crumble as a result of the financial crisis, he chose to save it, denying his terminally ill daughter Takako the funds she needed to undergo a medical procedure unavailable in Japan. Swearing vengeance on his father after Takako fell into a coma, Mikuni bought out his father's company with the money he earned from his first victory in the Financial District to take away the thing his father held most dear. Because of this, Mikuni's Asset, Q, is modeled after his sister.

It is later revealed the risk is not limited to the individual Entres' futures. Kimimaro starts to notice a few buildings disappearing in Tokyo. Later, the Southeast Asian Financial District goes bankrupt and starts disappearing, along with Singapore, and parts of Hong Kong and Shanghai. Mikuni uses his ability, "Darkness", to protect Japan from the effects of the district's collapse. In exchange for 20 years of Mikuni's future, Masakaki allows a large quantity of Midas Money to be printed and deposited into Mikuni's account. Mikuni and his colleagues use the Midas Money to invest in failing institutions in Japan. Artificially propping up failing banks and enterprises spares the Japanese economy but causes unintended consequences. People begin disappearing, poverty increases, birth rates decline, and morale drops as the Midas Money starts to invade the real Tokyo.

To investigate the nature of Financial Districts, the International Monetary Fund sends Jennifer Sato to become an Entre in Tokyo. Seeing the effects of Mikuni's actions, Sato and Kimimaro try to stop him from using up his remaining future to print more Midas Money. Mikuni defeats Sato after she passes her Asset, George, to Kimimaro, who confronts Mikuni when he is about to use the Midas Money press in exchange for rest of his future. With the help of Masakaki, Kimimaro realizes he is in possession of a black card, giving him the means to revert the press. A struggle for control over the press ensues, and Mikuni and Kimimaro engage in a Deal. The battle is concluded when Midas Money disappears from the world along with Mikuni's powers, allowing the crisis to pass through Japan without influence. Declared the winner, Kimimaro orders the reversing of the presses and the return of the futures to their original places. With the Assets disappearing as a result, Mashu kisses Kimimaro before she disappears. Kimimaro then returns to reality to find that US dollar has become Japan's official currency and everyone's futures have been returned to them. However, Masakaki appears before Kimimaro and explains to him that the Financial District can reappear.

C was produced by Tatsunoko Production and was directed by Kenji Nakamura. The script was chiefly written by Noboru Takagi, who was helped by Manabu Ishikawa, Shinsuke Onishi and Kenji Sugihara. Character designs were handled by Mebae, animation character design was done by Takashi Hashimoto, while Yuuho Taniuchi was in charge of art design, and Keiichi Sato was the conceptual designer. Kōji Yamamoto was the main producer, working with producers Makoto Kimura, Daisuke Konaka and Takeshi Yoda. Hashimoto was the main animation director, Hiroshi Itō was the art director, and Yuzo Sato was the CGI director. Taku Iwasaki composed the musical score and Yukio Nagasaki was the sound director.

The idea of a money-themed anime arose after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in 2008, an event that resulted in the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history and is considered one of the key events of the financial crisis of 2007–08 that led to the Great Recession. At first, however, the anime's focus was not on money itself; its premise involved economic battles taking place around the world and the plan was to create something lighter than the final result. The premise changed around January 2010 at the culmination of the recession, when Nakamura perceived a common feeling that Japan would not recover from the crash. After researching the history of currency, between February and August 2010 he conducted over twenty interviews with retired politicians from the Central Bank, finance professionals, college professors, nonprofit organization (NPO) members and other experts. He expected to find a broad consensus but was frustrated by obtaining too many divergent opinions and to know there was no such consensus in economics because it involves human action.

Nakamura was moved by the stories of two interviewees; a trader impressed that U.S. CEOs were dealing with billions of dollars at the same time the Japanese economy was in poor condition, showing his concern for his country on the world stage; and the story of the Future Bank Business Association, an NPO that provided loans to individuals to upgrade their old refrigerators to more efficient models and that received the payment with the difference in energy savings. For Nakamura, both interviews showed the interviewees' desire to help Japan despite their divergent opinions on how to do it.

The interviewees made clear Japanese people should act and that they could choose between having stability and poverty or chaos and wealth. Nakamura concluded that not deciding which path to take led to ruinous consequences, that waiting was not an option, and that people should design the future in the present. At the same time, he was worried the Japanese were abandoning their concern for the future generation by pushing financial risk into the future. By hearing inspiring stories, Nakamura pondered why people would try to help someone they had never met; he considers this question and the necessity to act to build a better future to be the main themes of C.

Nakamura appointed Naoki Osaka, the editor-in-chief of economics publisher Toyo Keizai, to be the anime's advisor and concluded he could not make a "light" economic story. Nakamura purposely made the Financial District setting seem other-worldly, although it is connected to the real world. This way he could fulfill one of the missions an anime has in his opinion; to present a difficult and specialized theme in a soft way to an unfamiliar audience. He kept the story as a battle anime as a means of keeping it entertaining, which also gave him the possibility of changing it into a more in-depth media, gradually introducing finance and macroeconomics jargon metaphorically through the battles. On portraying the characters and their reasons to battle, and after reading the gambling-themed manga Kaiji, Naoki and Nakamura tried to avoid depicting money as something that would unequivocally make people crazy, and felt this path should be avoided.

Kimimaro's objectives in life were interpreted as representing those of an average 21st-century person. When he succeeds in the Financial District, the other characters say it is a rarity for a newcomer, which was interpreted as a metaphor for "the difficulty regular people have in finding a secure economic foothold nowadays, when nepotism is rife amongst big money institutes". Kimimaro and Mikuni can be seen as depicting different perspectives about money and the morals of pursuing and accumulating it. Nakamura did not present any view as the correct one, but preferred to leave grey areas for the viewer; "Control asks how far you're willing to go for money – and how far is too far". Others thought it was not a neutral presentation and that "it can serve as a broad treatise against modern economics and globalism". The recurrence of the number 666 was interpreted as a subtle affirmation that "money is the root of all evil".

Kimimaro's objectives in life were interpreted as representing those of an average 21st-century person. When he succeeds in the Financial District, the other characters say it is a rarity for a newcomer, which was interpreted as a metaphor for "the difficulty regular people have in finding a secure economic foothold nowadays, when nepotism is rife amongst big money institutes". Kimimaro and Mikuni can be seen as depicting different perspectives about money and the morals of pursuing and accumulating it. Nakamura did not present any view as the correct one, but preferred to leave grey areas for the viewer; "Control asks how far you're willing to go for money – and how far is too far". Others thought it was not a neutral presentation and that "it can serve as a broad treatise against modern economics and globalism". The recurrence of the number 666 was interpreted as a subtle affirmation that "money is the root of all evil".

In the context of a crash, Nakamura may have tried "to reflect the sense of futility and confusion" it caused. In such a scenario, "To most people, money – serious, high level money and the inner workings of the real world finance sectors – is confusing at best, unknowable at worst". The financial markets and credit were highlighted as the anime's focus. One reviewer said the anime could be directed towards the extension of the modern credit ("After we leverage our retirement funds, aren't our futures the next logical step?") or the credit itself ("Is getting money now and working it and its compounding interest off for years to come really that different from trading on future potential for present gain?"). Business and banking were also considered the anime's subject because they were portrayed as "the ultimate form of gambling". The story's exchange of a portion of one's life for money could also be interpreted as a metaphor for wage labor. Following that logic, the Deals become a metaphor for commerce because one takes another person's money, which represents the slice of a person's life. The show also depicts the value of money as a mutually-agreed-upon cultural fiction that can disappear when the agreement breaks, meaning one's life is exchanged for what is merely inked paper.

The series' eleven episodes were initially broadcast consecutively on Fuji Television's anime-dedicated block Noitamina from April 15, to June 24, 2011. The series was licensed to be simulcasted on the Internet in six territories, including the English-speaking Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Funimation Entertainment and Anime on Demand simulcasted the series starting from April 21, 2011 on their own respective websites, while Siren Visual made it available through Anime News Network in Australia on April 22. In the United States, the series also aired on the Funimation Channel beginning on January 14, 2013, and on Pivot TV from October 5, 2013. In the United Kingdom, after Anime on Demand went defunct, it was added to Animax UK's streaming site; the first episode was available on March 6, 2015.

The episodes of C were later released on DVD and Blu-Ray in Japan; produced by Pony Canyon, the four volumes were released by Toho between August 19 and November 25, 2011. A rental version of the DVD was also made available by Toho from September 9 and December 9, 2011. In the United States, Funimation released an English-dubbed version of the series in a DVD/Blu-ray combo limited edition set on October 30, 2012; a budget-priced re-release followed on July 19, 2016. In Australia and in the United Kingdom, it was released as a DVD box set with English and Japanese audio available on November 15, 2012, by Siren Visual, and on October 14, 2013, by MVM Entertainment, respectively.

All of the episodes had "Matryoshka" (マトリョーシカ, Matoryōshika) sung by Nico Touches the Walls as the opening theme and "RPG" sung by School Food Punishment as the ending theme. Along with the score composed by Taku Iwasaki, these songs were released in a 24-track original soundtrack CD by Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Ki/oon Music label on August 17, 2011.

Sales data for C are scarce; the first DVD and Blu-Ray volume sold 460 and 1,180 copies respectively. The anime has been praised for its themes and originality, but is sometimes criticized for its execution and story. UK Anime Network's Andy Hanley wrote that if the series "managed to live up to its lofty ambitions and goals", it would be "an absolute classic". Bradley Meek of THEM Anime Reviews and Carl Kimlinger from Anime News Network (ANN) were more specific on the cause of the problem, saying that despite its unique, interesting concepts, poor writing and the "dully unimaginative narrative mechanics" hinder its potential. Likewise, Luke Carroll, also from ANN, praised it for trying new ideas not previously seen in anime but said it does not deliver them satisfactorily. In a more positive review, Erin Finnegan of Otaku USA said although there was no satisfactory conclusion, viewers wanting something unusual would find it worth watching. The most positive analysis was done by The Fandom Post's Chris Beveridge, who said the series "does all ties things together well and leaves you with a satisfied feeling about the overall experience".

André Van Renssen from Active Anime and Meek found C to be interesting mainly as an action show. The latter called the Deals "one of the great things about this series", while Carroll found them "surprisingly intense". In opposition, Beveridge praised C for avoiding a sole focus on the battles and providing a show that centers on the characters' actions, highlighting "the tightness of the themes and the gray areas that drive it all home". Finnegan called it a "smart show" that has "thoughtful themes about the economy's effect on people's lives". Although Hanley and Carroll also saw this reflective aspect in a positive light, Kimlinger regarded it as a negative, saying debating economic philosophy is the show's sole point of interest and calling its story "a total and utter bore".

Most reviewers found the story to be inconclusive, including Finnegan, who said the series fails to communicate its points, an opinion shared by Carroll. The latter cited the use of shares, Kimimaro's father and his diary, and the way elements of the story relate to Mashu as aspects that are left unresolved or are not satisfactorily concluded. Another example, highlighted by UK Anime's Elliot Page and Hanley, is Kimimaro's love interest – one of the plot elements that Page said are introduced and then forgotten. Hanley said these oversights and poor characterizations restrain the story's potential. The main problem, according to Hanley, is Kimimaro's passivity, which Kimlinger likewise noted. Meek found the characters' motivations are neither relatable nor interesting, criticizing Mikuni's portrayal as someone who wants to safeguard his ailing younger sister but is prepared to sacrifice the rest of the world. Kimlinger wrote that several characters only embody plot points and have no personalities, while Meek also criticized Mashu and Sato as fanservice characters. Hanley said Mikuni's backstory was a weak aspect that adds little to the story, in opposition to Kimlinger, who found it "surprisingly moving", and Beveridge, who described it as "strong". The most positive analysis of the characters was done by Beveridge, who said Kimimaro is a good lead character and Mikuni "gives it that elevated feeling".

elevated feeling".

Most reviewers found the story to be inconclusive, including Finnegan, who said the series fails to communicate its points, an opinion shared by Carroll. The latter cited the use of shares, Kimimaro's father and his diary, and the way elements of the story relate to Mashu as aspects that are left unresolved or are not satisfactorily concluded. Another example, highlighted by UK Anime's Elliot Page and Hanley, is Kimimaro's love interest – one of the plot elements that Page said are introduced and then forgotten. Hanley said these oversights and poor characterizations restrain the story's potential. The main problem, according to Hanley, is Kimimaro's passivity, which Kimlinger likewise noted. Meek found the characters' motivations are neither relatable nor interesting, criticizing Mikuni's portrayal as someone who wants to safeguard his ailing younger sister but is prepared to sacrifice the rest of the world. Kimlinger wrote that several characters only embody plot points and have no personalities, while Meek also criticized Mashu and Sato as fanservice characters. Hanley said Mikuni's backstory was a weak aspect that adds little to the story, in opposition to Kimlinger, who found it "surprisingly moving", and Beveridge, who described it as "strong". The most positive analysis of the characters was done by Beveridge, who said Kimimaro is a good lead character and Mikuni "gives it that elevated feeling".

Most reviewers found the story to be inconclusive, including Finnegan, who said the series fails to communicate its points, an opinion shared by Carroll. The latter cited the use of shares, Kimimaro's father and his diary, and the way elements of the story relate to Mashu as aspects that are left unresolved or are not satisfactorily concluded. Another example, highlighted by UK Anime's Elliot Page and Hanley, is Kimimaro's love interest – one of the plot elements that Page said are introduced and then forgotten. Hanley said these oversights and poor characterizations restrain the story's potential. The main problem, according to Hanley, is Kimimaro's passivity, which Kimlinger likewise noted.

André Van Renssen from Active Anime and Meek found C to be interesting mainly as an action show. The latter called the Deals "one of the great things about this series", while Carroll found them "surprisingly intense". In opposition, Beveridge praised C for avoiding a sole focus on the battles and providing a show that centers on the characters' actions, highlighting "the tightness of the themes and the gray areas that drive it all home". Finnegan called it a "smart show" that has "thoughtful themes about the economy's effect on people's lives". Although Hanley and Carroll also saw this reflective aspect in a positive light, Kimlinger regarded it as a negative, saying debating economic philosophy is the show's sole point of interest and calling its story "a total and utter bore".

Sales data for C are scarce; the first DVD and Blu-Ray volume sold 460 and 1,180 copies respectively. The anime has been praised for its themes and originality, but is sometimes criticized for its execution and story. UK Anime Network's Andy Hanley wrote that if the series "managed to live up to its lofty ambitions and goals", it would be "an absolute classic". Bradley Meek of THEM Anime Reviews and Carl Kimlinger from Anime News Network (ANN) were more specific on the cause of the problem, saying that despite its unique, interesting concepts, poor writing and the "dully unimaginative narrative mechanics" hinder its potential. Likewise, Luke Carroll, also from ANN, praised it for trying new ideas not previously seen in anime but said it does not deliver them satisfactorily. In a more positive review, Erin Finnegan of Otaku USA said although there was no satisfactory conclusion, viewers wanting something unusual would find it worth watching. The most positive analysis was done by The Fandom Post's Chris Beveridge, who said the series "does all ties things together well and leaves you with a satisfied feeling about the overall experience".

Sales data for C are scarce; the first DVD and Blu-Ray volume sold 460 and 1,180 copies respectively. The anime has been praised for its themes and originality, but is sometimes criticized for its execution and story. UK Anime Network's Andy Hanley wrote that if the series "managed to live up to its lofty ambitions and goals", it would be "an absolute classic". Bradley Meek of THEM Anime Reviews and Carl Kimlinger from Anime News Network (ANN) were more specific on the cause of the problem, saying that despite its unique, interesting concepts, poor writing and the "dully unimaginative narrative mechanics" hinder its potential.

All of the episodes had "Matryoshka" (マトリョーシカ, Matoryōshika) sung by Nico Touches the Walls as the opening theme and "RPG" sung by School Food Punishment as the ending theme. Along with the score composed by Taku Iwasaki, these songs were released in a 24-track original soundtrack CD by Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Ki/oon Music label on August 17, 2011.

The episodes of C were later released on DVD and Blu-Ray in Japan; produced by Pony Canyon, the four volumes were released by Toho between August 19 and November 25, 2011. A rental version of the DVD was also made available by Toho from September 9 and December 9, 2011. In the United States, Funimation released an English-dubbed version of the series in a DVD/Blu-ray combo limited edition set on October 30, 2012; a budget-priced re-release followed on July 19, 2016. In Australia and in the United Kingdom, it was released as a DVD box set with English and Japanese audio available on November 15, 2012, by Siren Visual, and on October 14, 2013, by MVM Entertainment, respectively.

The series' eleven episodes were initially broadcast consecutively on Fuji Television's anime-dedicated block Noitamina from April 15, to June 24, 2011. The series was licensed to be simulcasted on the Internet in six territories, including the English-speaking Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Funimation Entertainment and Anime on Demand simulcasted the series starting from April 21, 2011 on their own respective websites, while Siren Visual made it available through Anime News Network in Australia on April 22. In the United States, the series also aired on the Funimation Channel beginning on January 14, 2013, and on Pivot TV from October 5, 2013. In the United Kingdom, after Anime on Demand went defunct, it was added to Animax UK's streaming site; the first episode was available on March 6, 2015.

In the context of a crash, Nakamura may have tried "to reflect the sense of futility and confusion" it caused. In such a scenario, "To most people, money – serious, high level money and the inner workings of the real world finance sectors – is confusing at best, unknowable at worst". The financial markets and credit were highlighted as the anime's focus. One reviewer said the anime could be directed towards the extension of the modern credit ("After we leverage our retirement funds, aren't our futures the next logical step?") or the credit itself ("Is getting money now and working it and its compounding interest off for years to come really that different from trading on future potential for present gain?"). Business and banking were also considered the anime's subject because they were portrayed as "the ultimate form of gambling". The story's exchange of a portion of one's life for money could also be interpreted as a metaphor for wage labor. Following that logic, the Deals become a metaphor for commerce because one takes another person's money, which represents the slice of a person's life. The show also depicts the value of money as a mutually-agreed-upon cultural fiction that can disappear when the agreement breaks, meaning one's life is exchanged for what is merely inked paper.