This was an interesting book. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the two main characters. I didn't quite get the humor of the jokes themselves. Perhaps something is missing in translation. That being said, it was a fun story.

Thanks NetGalley and VizvMedia for access to this arc!

4.5/5 stars!

This was a good, fast read. Watching Higashikata and Shijima become friends and comedy partners together was fun, and seeing Shijima's stage fright slowly melt away was good! Ended quickly to me, I want to know what their comedy routine will be!

I always love a book about following your heart instead of what is expected of you. This one was even better because it was full of humor! I loved the jokes throughout the book and will definitely be buying the series for my library. It was a great slice of life that doesn't revolve around romance.

On her last day before moving across country, Shijima's classmate begs him to tell her something funny so she may smile again. He fails to come up with anything, and decides to devote his life to comedy so he'll be ready if he ever finds her again. Shijima also serves on the Student Council, and he's tasked with getting more information out of classmate Higashikata before the school's festival. Higashikata instead finds out Shijima is one of the most popular teen joke-writers in all of Japan, and he begs him to become his comedy partner! But Shijima is deathly afraid of public speaking. Higashikata, a consummate performer and child movie-star, swears he'll support Shijima and carry the scenes. The two have some mild success at their school's talent show, so they decide to enter a local competition as a way to prove to Shijima's family he is serious about a life in comedy. They must win this competition to be able to advance to the next round, and to gain the support of their family and friends, or else be forced to give up comedy in favor of a sensible life striving to get into a top university.
The storyline of this volume is engaging and what makes me what to keep reading this series. However, the comedy doesn’t work at all, and readers will probably be wondering what they missed out on. Instead of writing new situations or jokes, the translators and localizers decided to stick to the Japanese source material. The problem is, Japanese humor relies heavily on puns that cannot be translated. So then if fidelity is the choice, this really suffered from lack of translation notes often found in works that rely heavily on a knowledge of Japanese language and culture. Despite the humor problems, the two main boys are interesting and have drawn me in, so I might continue reading just to see how things turn out for them. If readers get emotionally invested in Shijima and Higashikata, they might also be inclined pick up the next volume, but this is probably not a series that's going to be widely read.

So far, none of the jokes really rely on bathroom humor or sexual innuendo, so this might be fine for younger audiences. The only thing is, how forgiving will younger audiences be that the jokes aren't funny at all?

Sara's Rating: 6/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

This first volume of this slice of life manga puts a stage fright comedian on a journey to finally use his skills on the stage. There are definitely some laugh out loud moments and a definitely theme of going for what you love versus what is expected.

First off this art was amazing, it was a beautiful manga to look at. Even parts of it seem to be drawn differently - just overall impressive. The story felt different, I'm sure there are other things similar, but nothing really that I've read. The comedy wasn't the most funny thing I've seen our there - but that could be the translation and just being made in a different culture. The characters were really great, and super likable. I think it's a good start to a series and amazing debut from this mangaka. I can't wait to read the next volumes in the series. I think the idea of facing your fears and trying things you want to do/make you happy is such an empowering message.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #vizmedia for an e-copy of #ShowhaShotenVol1 by Akinari Asakura to read and review.

Fandom works. By which I mean, if someone likes something a creator does, they’re a lot more likely to seek out that creator’s next thing. That’s the reason I tried Show-ha Shoten Volume 1.

It’s illustrated by Takeshi Obata, who’s probably best known in this country for drawing Death Note, but I better remember him from Bakuman and earlier, Hikaru no Go. Story is by Akinari Asakura, a novelist making his manga debut.

These types of shonen manga series are generally about a young man trying to succeed in some area, eventually achieving public recognition. (Bakuman was about making comics; Hikaru no Go, the game of go; Death Note, killing people and getting away with it.) This time, it’s comedy. But this kind of comedy, focusing on a duo, isn’t exactly familiar to US readers, who may be thinking of stand-up. These kinds of paired teams or double acts were most popular in the US in the 60s. (Think of Abbott and Costello and Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, for instance, or in the UK, Morecambe and Wise.)

Shijima writes jokes, quite successfully, for radio and TV competitions but is shy in real life. He is bullied into teaming up with the extraverted Higashikata, who is fine being the center of attention but needs a script, for a school comedy show.

There’s the requisite touch of dramatic history, as Shijima is motivated by a crush from two years ago. (We’re told he’s 16, but he looks about 12, so his tragedy is also a bit funny, as he’s still a kid.) She moved away and wanted to part with laughter, but he couldn’t tell her something funny on demand. Higashikata, on the other hand, lost his former partner when he died. (This is a bit heavy for comedy, but the two genres often underpin each other.)

I don’t know how long I’ll be around for this — as is typical of these kinds of boys’ competition manga, there isn’t a lot of great female representation — but for now, learning about how this kind of media works in another country adds a layer of interest to a traditional “work to be a champion” manga. And of course, it’s beautifully illustrated.

What a breath of fresh air! On the surface, Show-ha Shoten!'s premise shares many similarities with artist Takeshi Obata's previous series, Bakuman, but once you jump into the story, Show-ha Shoten! truly shines. High schoolers Azemichi Shijima and Taiyo Higashikata are definitely an odd couple, but that dynamic might be just what they need if they want to achieve their dream to become a top comedy duo in Japan.

Obata's cartooning is a standout, and its his dynamic character expressions that sell the physical comedy of this series. Akinari Asakura's quippy writing is perfect in this story that relies so heavily on selling a punchline that you can't hear out loud. Stephen Paul's translation is inventive and reads smoothly. Translating comedy is a difficult task, and Stephen Paul, also notable for his translations of Saint Young Men and Akane Banashi, rises the challenge. James Gaubatz' lettering and sound effects treatment complements the art, especially in comedy scenes where clapping sound effects fill the page.


Translation: Stephen Paul
Touch-Up Art and Lettering: James Gaubatz
Designer: Kam Li
Shonen Jump Editor: Alexis Kirsch
Graphic Novel Editor: Hope Donovan

Show-ha Shoten stood out to me when I was looking for a new title to read because it was a manga about comedy. I’ve read plenty of comedy manga in the past, but never a manga that focused on the journey of pursuing the job of a comedian. My interest was immediately piqued. Set up as a slice-of-life manga this series follows two high school students Azemichi Shijimi and Taiyo Higashikata who both have a passion for comedy. Shijimi is known already as “Everyday Shijimi” and has gained notoriety from an online radio show. Higashikata has an acting background but has more of an interest in comedy. The two have a chance meeting at their school and decide to team up as a comedy duo.

This series (from the first volume) moves at a slow pace as readers get to see Higashikata’s and Shijima’s journey of self-discovery and how they work to try to create their comedy sketches and establish themselves through performances. Both have different obstacles to overcome as well as together to improve themselves. Neither has worked in comedy as a duo so they have to learn how to read and ad-lib off each other. On top of that, Shijimi struggles to work through his stage fright. It’s a learning process the duo and readers root for them to succeed because they see the character’s genuine passion for comedy.

I appreciated how the first volume sets up the story while also giving readers some background to comedy terms and performance art for those unfamiliar with it. This series asks the questions “What does it mean to laugh?” or “What does it mean to be funny?”. An added bonus for me was that this series is illustrated by Takeshi Obata from Death Note, which is one of my favorite series.

This was a really great manga and a super fast read! The characters were great and I can really relate to Azemichi Shijima stage fright. I can't wait to read the next volume to see fi they win the comedy competition!

I received an eARC of this title through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I thought this was an interesting start to a manga. I liked how each main character had their own reason for enjoying comedy and wanting to achieve their goals in being comedians. I find it interesting how the main character can explain the fundamentals of comedy and know how to apply them. I would never have viewed comedy that way, so the idea that his brain has absorbed all that information is truly intriguing.

For me, personally, I had a hard time following the comedy routines and how they were funny. It may be a personal thing and just something I need to adjust to. But I found other parts funny, especially with convincing the family that they wanted to do comedy.

I would give volume 2 a chance. I was sad when it ended because I was just starting to get into the story.

Showa-ha Shoten! Volume One introduces the reader to two high school boys who both have tragic reasons for wanting to become comedians.

Showa-ha Shoten! Volume One
Written by: Akinari Asakura
Publisher: Shueisha, Inc.
English Publisher: VIZ Media
Release Date: February 7, 2023

The volume introduces the reader to a high school boy named Azemichi Shijima. He’s a shy boy who, back in middle school, was asked by a girl to say something funny to her before she moved away. But, being the shy kid that he is, he couldn’t come up with anything. Since that happened, he started studying comedy and began sending in funny captions to radio shows under a fake name (“Everyday Shijimi”), and has become notorious for constantly winning contests being held by both radio and television shows.

Azemichi, who was coerced into joining the student council by his teacher because of his good grades, is given the assignment of talking to another first-year student who signed up to do a comedy routine for the culture festival. Unfortunately, he has so much listed on his application as “undecided” that they want answers before they can allow him to participate.

It’s through this assignment that Azemichi meets Taiyo Higashikata, a boy who has dreams of being a comedian but doesn’t have the follow-through. The reason he’s wanting to pursue comedy is because he had a friend who he did a comedy duo with, but his friend passed away. Taiyo wants to keep going in order to carry on his friend’s dream. While Azemichi is talking with Taiyo, it’s accidentally revealed that Azemichi is “Everyday Shijimi.” When Taiyo learns this, he really wants Azemichi to be his partner. The shy Azemichi is hesitant, but Taiyo comes up with a plan that forces Azemichi to partner with him for the culture festival.

Even though Azemichi comes up with a brief outline for a sketch on short notice, and Azemichi starts out with some stage fright, the two of them actually pull it off and are a hit at the culture festival. Taiyo wants to continue working with Azemichi and participate in other events, but Azemichi says his parents probably won’t go along with it. It’s revealed that Taiyo is a former child actor and that Azemichi’s family is familiar with his work… well, except for Azemichi. But as Azemichi predicted, his father puts up resistance to the idea of Azemichi going into comedy. However, Azemichi’s father says that he’ll consider Azemichi’s request… if the two of them can make the family laugh. Azemichi knows this is a challenge, but he comes up with a creative way to accomplish the goal.

What I liked about the depiction of Azemichi’s father is the fact that his reluctance to let Azemichi become a comedian is rooted in his father’s own experiences in his youth. I appreciated the way Asakura depicted the father’s reluctance to support his son because he is shown being this way in a realistic manner and not in any kind of exaggerated or comedic way. Basically, it’s not treated as a joke.

While Azemichi is able to meet his father’s condition, he’s still not entirely sure about supporting his son 100 percent. When Taiyo mentions a competition they’re planning to participate in, Azemichi’s father says they have to win the competition or the boys’ days as a comedy duo will be over. They agree to this condition.

Even though the event is a local competition, a finalist duo from the previous year’s big competition are competing. As Azemichi and Taiyo, who are the last contestants to go up, see the reactions of the crowd, Azemichi realizes the truth of what’s going on. The volume ends with the two of them trying to write something new that will hopefully impress the audience. I thought this was a great spot to end the volume on, because it will make readers want to continue on to see what Azemichi and Taiyo come up with for a new routine, as well as to see if this new routine can help them to win the competition.

Before I forget to say anything, I should mention there is a female character who is kind of important in the series at this point. Her name is Akane Hanamori, and she is the treasurer on the student council. She’s also a big fan of comedy, and we see her volunteering to work at the reception desk at the competition that Azemichi and Taiyo are competing in. You could tell at the culture festival that she liked their act, and that she wants to be supportive of them at the competition… but she also understands the reality of going up against a finalist from a bigger competition. I think it’s safe to say that with her love of comedy, that she’ll become an important character for Azemichi and Taiyo to interact with as the story continues.

When it comes to the art, I thought something looked kind of familiar when I saw the art style. At the end of the volume, when I saw that Takeshi Obata, who is known for doing art for such manga as Death Note, Bakuman., and Hikaru no Go, was the artist for the series, I understood why the style looked familiar. After reading Volume One, I think that Obata was a good choice for the artist to provide the art for the series. His style works well for the characters in the series, as well as for the story that’s being portrayed.

Overall, I found that I enjoyed reading Showa-ha Shoten! Volume One. I thought the two main characters were engaging, Akane and Azemichi’s father are strong and well-written supporting characters, and I genuinely found myself wanting Azemichi and Taiyo to succeed. In some respects, Azemichi and Taiyo’s desire to win the local competition and their determination to keep going made me think of the sports anime I’ve watched over the past few years. While this story may not focus on sports, there’s still the competition element here that allows the characters to be depicted in a similar manner to protagonists in sports anime and manga. I also liked the fact that even though the two main characters want to become comedians, the manga is depicting the story as a serious drama. There’s comedy in the comedy routines, but the actual story isn’t comedic in nature. I appreciated this dichotomy.

If you enjoy reading stories about high school students who have goals and the drive to try to make their goals, then you’ll likely enjoy Showa-ha Shoten! Volume One.

Show-ha Shoten! Vol. 1 begins the journey of two young men who want to be comedians. They form a comedy duo and begin competing to be the best. The main characters are adorable and easy to cheer for. They are funny and within the first volume, Shijimi already shows significant character development. I want to read more of this series. The art is fun, the story is enjoyable, and the characters are amazing!

From the creators of Death Note, a pair of high school boys are determined to become the kings of comedy. Shy and introverted Azemichi Shijima is a popular comedian, but only with his hidden identity online. His popular and outgoing classmate Taiyo Higashikata is a former child actor with big dreams of making it as a comedian. Together they form a comedic duo with plans to spread laughter across Japan and possibly the world.

While I'm a big fan of the Death creators, this manga series may be even more niche than Bakuman (a manga about manga creators). Unfortunately, the jokes don't translate very well. I found myself struggling to understand the humor so it fell flat with me. I don't see this series doing very well outside of Japan thanks to lack of understanding.

A dynamic first volume with a ton of potential! There's a lot to learn and enjoy from this already, and I'm interested to see how the characters will develop.

Comedy is notoriously hard to translate. (I should know, I've tried!) The fact that this volume's standup comedy comes across as well as it does in a different language is wonderful! So far, this has the beats of a sports manga, of all things, and it also works! This volume is mostly setup, introducing our leads and their stakes, but this has promising potential and I want to see where it goes!

I love manga and anime that teach me something. Yuri on ice taught me about ice skating competitions and training. I learned about volleyball with Haikyu. Now I can learn about comedy and competitions in Japan with Show-ha Shoten! Akinari sensei is a new manga author and I am excited to learn more about Shijima and Taiyo. Two very different boys with an intense passion for comedy. Shijima is on the path to Tokyo U and is very shy. He dreams of being a comedy writer but is scared to tell his family. He can’t even speak up in class how could he ever get on stage. Taiyo finds out Shijima is really Everday Shijimi. Everyday Shijimi has won lots of radio comedy writing challenges. This excites Taiyo who is looking for a comedy partner for the school festival.

I learned so much about performing and writing comedy in volume one I can’t wait to learn more. I hope Shijimi can convince his family and I hope we learn about Taiyo’s past in volume two.

Highly recommend this new series for your collection.

Let me tell you something right now. I will NEVER not pick up something by either Tsugumi Ohba, Takshi Obata, and/or those two working as the perfect author duo. I love them too much to miss out on anything they create, whether they do it together or not.

As for Show-Ha Shoten! I get very strong Bakuman feels from it. It's a similar storyline, and of course, it's also been illustrated by the same artist. Azemichi and Taiyo have great chemistry. I really like Taiyo's outgoing personality and his willingness to both meet Azemichi where he is and push Azemichi out of his comfort zone.

I'm really looking forward to reading this series!

Fun introduction to a comedy duo looking to rise to the top of Japan's comedy scene, featuring the shy and initially timid Shijima and outgoing child actor Higashikata. The art is distinct and works well with the series, while the characters are engaging and full of antics. Will fit into any collection that features shonen, sports themed, or quest style manga.