Blue Box (manga)
Blue Box | |
![]() Cover of the first tankōbon volume of Blue Box, featuring Chinatsu Kano and Taiki Inomata | |
アオのハコ (Ao no Hako) | |
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Genre | |
Manga | |
Written by | Kōji Miura |
Published by | Shueisha |
English publisher | |
Imprint | Jump Comics |
Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Jump |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | April 12, 2021 – present |
Volumes | 5 |
Blue Box[Jp. 1] is a Japanese romantic comedy and sports manga series written and illustrated by Kōji Miura. It has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump since April 2021, with its chapters collected into five tankōbon volumes as of June 2022.
Synopsis
The series focuses on Taiki Inomata, a student at Eimei Junior and Senior High who is a member of the boys' badminton team. Every morning, he trains alongside his upperclasswoman and fellow crush Chinatsu Kano, who is on the girls' basketball team. However, Chinatsu moves in with Taiki's family when her parents leave Japan to work abroad. With Chinatsu now living with him, Taiki aims to slowly develop his relationship with her as they both strive to make it to the national championship with their respective teams.[4]
Publication
Blue Box is written and illustrated by Kōji Miura.[5][6] The manga began its serialization in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump in the 19th issue published on April 12, 2021.[7][8] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on August 4, 2021.[9] As of June 3, 2022, five volumes have been released.[10]
Blue Box has been licensed for simultaneous publication in North America as it is released in Japan, with its chapters being digitally launched by Viz Media on its Shonen Jump website.[11] Shueisha also simulpublishes the series in English for free on the Manga Plus app and website.[12] In February 2022, Viz Media announced that they had licensed the series in print format, with the first volume set to be released on November 1 of the same year.[13][14]
Volume list
No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | ||
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1 | August 4, 2021[15] | 978-4-08-882731-5 | November 1, 2022[14] | 978-1-97-473462-7 | ||
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2 | October 4, 2021[16] | 978-4-08-882794-0 | — | — | ||
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3 | January 4, 2022[17] | 978-4-08-883007-0 | — | — | ||
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4 | March 4, 2022[18] | 978-4-08-883063-6 | — | — | ||
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5 | June 3, 2022[10] | 978-4-08-883149-7 | — | — | ||
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6 | August 4, 2022[19] | 978-4-08-883192-3 | — | — |
Chapters not yet in tankōbon format
These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume.
- "It Didn't Come True" (叶ってないよ, Kanak Te Nai Yo)
- "August 26" (8月26日, 8 Gatsu 26-nichi)
- "August 26, Part 2" (8月26日②, 8 Gatsu 26-nichi ②)
- "August 26, Part 3" (8月26日③, 8 Gatsu 26-nichi ③)
- "If We Weren't a Year Apart" (私たちが1年離れていなかったら, Watashi tachi ga 1 nen hanare te i nakat tara)
- "At Morning Practice Again" (また朝練で, Mata Choren De)
- "Unfair Woman" (ずるい女, Zurui Onna)
- "This is Just Right" (このくらいが丁度いい, Kono kurai ga chodo ii)
- "Of course I Want to See It" (見たいでしょ, Mitai Desho)
- "Doing Great" (良くやってるよ, Yoku Yatteru yo)
- "Hydration" (水分補給, Suibun Hokyuu)
- "Inomata" (イノマタ君, Inomata Kun)
- "Who Do You Think I Am?" (何様だよ, Nanizama da yo)
- "I know" (私は知っている, Watashi wa shitsu te iru)
Reception
Popularity
In August 2021, the first volume of the manga had over 170,000 copies in circulation in less than a week after its release.[20]
In June 2021, Blue Box was nominated for the seventh Next Manga Award in the Best Print Manga category;[21] it placed 8th out of 50 nominees, but won the Global Prize.[22][23] The series ranked 4th on the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2022.[24]
Critical response
Anthony Gramuglia of Comic Book Resources (CBR) stated, "Blue Box is a sentimental story about human connection. It's beautifully drawn, at times resembling a shōjo manga more than a typical shōnen. If Blue Box continues, it will likely become an earnest, sincere entry in Shōnen Jump's romantic catalog."[25] Timothy Donohoo of CBR compared Blue Box to Kenta Shinohara's Witch Watch and Shigure Tokita's Don't Blush, Sekime-san! due to both series having concepts and romantic aspects similar to Blue Box's.[26]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ Donohoo, Timothy (July 9, 2021). "Shonen Jump: Why Witch Watch Is Hexing Its Magical Competition". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
- ^ Collins, Hannah (May 13, 2021). "Shonen Jump Round-Up: Every New Winter/Spring 2021 Title". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ 『アオのハコ』恋愛×部活で描く“ジャンプの新風” ピュアが満載のこんな漫画を待っていた (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ 気になる先輩との距離が一変し…ジャンプの青春ラブストーリー「アオのハコ」1巻 (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. August 4, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- ^ 「ジャンプの漫画学校」第2期募集、『チェンソーマン』藤本タツキが漫画家志望者の講師に (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. June 14, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
- ^ ジャンプの漫画学校、好評で多媒体で掲載実績 連載デビュー9作品で2期生募集 (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. June 14, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 4, 2021). "Shonen Jump Magazine Launches 2 New Manga as Phantom Seer Ends". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ スポーツ強豪校を舞台にした青春部活ラブストーリー、ジャンプで始動. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 12, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ <今週の新刊>テレビアニメ&劇場版も話題の「僕のヒーローアカデミア」 「ダンダダン」「空挺ドラゴンズ」も (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
- ^ a b アオのハコ 5 (in Japanese). Shueisha.
- ^ Donohoo, Timothy (May 2, 2021). "Blue Box Is Shonen Jump's Latest Bad(minton) Romance". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ Hazra, Adriana (April 10, 2021). "Viz Media Releases Blue Box Manga in English (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (February 15, 2022). "Viz Announces Fall 2022 Book Releases Including Mission: Yozakura Family, Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe Manga, Jujutsu Kaisen Novels". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
- ^ a b "Blue Box, Vol. 1". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ アオのハコ 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
- ^ アオのハコ 2 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ アオのハコ 3 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ アオのハコ 4 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
- ^ アオのハコ 6 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ 漫画「アオのハコ」コミックス1巻、発売即日10万部の重版が決定! 累計17万部突破で大躍進 (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
- ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (June 21, 2021). "Voting Opens for Tsugi ni Kuru Manga 2021 Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
- ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (August 24, 2021). "Kaiju No. 8, Oshi no Ko Win Next Manga Awards Web, Print Categories". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
- ^ 「次にくるマンガ大賞2021」ノミネート作品発表 ウマ娘、【推しの子】、葬送のフリーレンなど話題作続々 (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. June 18, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
- ^ 書店員が選んだおすすめコミック2022、第1位は龍幸伸「ダンダダン」. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ Gramuglia, Anthony (June 18, 2021). "Shonen Jump's 5 Newest Manga, Ranked". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ Donohoo, Timothy (September 15, 2021). "Shonen Jump's Newest Goldmine Is Awkward Romances". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
External links
- Blue Box official website at Weekly Shōnen Jump (in Japanese)
- Blue Box official website at Viz Media
- Blue Box on Manga Plus
- Blue Box at Anime News Network's encyclopedia