Handa-kun

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by . The story follows Seishu Handa, a calligrapher who moves to the remote Gotō Islands off the western coast of Kyūshū, and his various interactions with the people of the island. The manga started with three one-shots published in Square Enix's ''Gangan Powered'' magazine from February 2008 to February 2009, and began serialization on the ''Gangan Online'' website on the same month; it was also serialized in parallel in the ''Monthly Shōnen Gangan'' magazine from July 2014 and finished in December 2018; it resumed for a limited time in the magazine from April to September 2023. Its chapters were collected in 19 volumes.

A 12-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by Kinema Citrus, aired from July to September 2014. An 11-episode television drama adaptation by Kyodo Television aired from July to September 2023. A spin-off manga series, titled ''Handa-kun'', was serialized in ''Monthly Shōnen Gangan'' from October 2013 to September 2016. The spin-off received 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Diomedéa, aired from July to September 2016.

In North America, both the original manga and the spin-off have been licensed by Yen Press. The anime adaptations of both works have been licensed by Funimation (later Crunchyroll).

Plot

Seishu Handa is a professional calligrapher, despite his young age. When the elderly curator of an exhibition criticizes his calligraphy for being too unoriginal ("like a textbook"), Seishu gets angry and punches him. Because of this, his father sends him off for a retreat on Goto Island, near Kyushu. There, he meets the colorful villagers, interacts with them, and begins to find his own style.

The title of the series means "energetic/cheerful one" in the local provincial Goto Islands' dialect. The first episode is also called "''Barakakodon/ばらかこどん''" which means "energetic/cheerful kid", which refers to Naru Kotoishi, a very hyperactive kid that comes into Handa's life.

The prequel spin-off ''Handa-kun'' is about Seishu Handa's high school days, six years prior to the events of ''Barakamon''.

Characters

''Barakamon''

Main characters

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:Handa is a 23-year-old master calligrapher who dedicates his life to the art. His real name is . After punching a gallery curator for calling his calligraphy "boring," "rigid," "academic," and "bland", he is sent by his father to a small town in the Goto Islands to focus on his calligraphy as he waits out his "banishment". He is typically childish and a short-tempered adult. He's also easy to scare. He's affectionately called by the people of the village area of town. As a teenager, he was equally popular among the boys and girls from his school but was under the impression that most of the school hated him when in fact, he was worshipped by others who misunderstood his methods from interactions with him. He eventually discovers the truth of his reputation and was dismayed to hear his best friend was teasing him the whole time. While Handa came to understand that, he was overwhelmed by the popularity.
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:Naru is a 7-year-old (6-year-old in the beginning) girl in her first year at a local elementary; she lives on the Gotō Islands alone with her grandfather. Her personality is very energetic, curious, and childish. She visits Handa's house every day to play. She is typically reckless, thinking after she acts; this is shown by all the time she disobeys Handa.

Supporting characters

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:A 14-year-old middle school student with a bit of a boyish personality who is friends with Tamako and Naru. Naru learned many weird things from emulating her (mainly things she shouldn't know), for which Seishu scolded her. She created five copies of the key to Seishu's house back when it was the kids' base, one of which she lost in the hills behind his house.
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:A 14-year-old middle school student. She has been a lover of manga since childhood and recently began aiming to be a manga artist. She has been struggling with her repressed yaoi interests ever since Handa moved in. She also owns one of the keys to Seishu's house.
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:Son of the village chief. He is a high school student who hates how he is average in everything, such as looks, grades, sports, and activities. He delivers meals to Handa's home and sometimes cooks for him. He likes to fish, and aims for the ''hisanio'', or the striped beakfish, when fishing with others. He also owns one of the keys to Seishu's house.
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:She is a child from the island, and Naru's best friend. She is very shy and quick to cry, especially when dealing with strangers or whenever she's really happy. When she first met Handa, she quickly started crying.
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:A boy with a buzzcut and friend of Naru. He is just like Naru: a really energetic kid. He loves to hunt for beetles and other insects. The first time he meets Seishu, he gives him a butt jab.
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:Tamako's responsible younger brother. He loves gaming, and frequently watches his grandmother's store for her.
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:The village chief and Hiroshi's father. He is laid back and brings Seishu medicine and food.
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:The vice-principal of Naru's school, who Seishu says doesn't look like a teacher. He has a habit of smoking and enjoys fishing in the village's pond.
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:Seishu's art dealer, and friend since middle school. He arranges Handa's calligraphy work and other needs. He says that he prioritizes Handa for his skills as a money maker, but actually cares deeply for him. He is responsible for Handa's extreme anxiety as a high schooler when he jokingly told him their senior hated him.
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:A high school calligrapher. He idolizes Seishu and started calligraphy professionally after seeing an exhibition of his. He got the first prize in a calligraphy competition in which Handa entered. He is generally polite, if a bit effete, and hates bugs.
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:Naru's grandfather. He gives Seishu a ride on his tractor both times Seishu came to the island. He is kind to Seishu but frequently asks favors of him.
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:Miwa's father. He is an eccentric and intimidating man, who Seishu thinks resembles a Yakuza.
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:Seishu's father. He is a man of few words and a little awkward. He was the one to send Seishu to the island, and also lived there when he was around his son's age.
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:Seishu's mother. She was against him going to the island, and tries to convince him not to go back, believing his time on the island turned him into a strange person. Despite her appearances, she is actually rather outspoken and short-tempered.

''Handa-kun''

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:Leader of the Handa Club, he initially hated Handa when he thought Handa was trying to take the job of class rep away from him. When Handa turns the job down, Aizawa claims that Handa did so because he cares deeply for the feelings of others. Aizawa then relinquishes the job of class rep to Handa, while taking the vice class rep position himself resolving to do Handa's job anyway.
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:An attractive and popular student who was jealous of Handa for stealing his fans and popularity. When Handa shows him kindness (while mistaking him for a homeless person), he gave up his modeling job to be closer to Handa and joins the Handa Club.
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:A large rather thuggish brute who was formerly an androgynous boy that was often picked on before he became a truant, to get stronger and succeeded. He stayed at home until he was visited by Handa and the latter unintentionally saved him from a group of thugs. Grateful, Tsutsui decided to go back to school and dedicate himself to being Handa's bodyguard and get him to notice him. He becomes a member of the Handa Club and of the four members, he is the one who believes Handa is a strong guy.
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:A second year student, he is an average young man. He is a member of the Handa Club and of the four members, he is the only normal member as he is more rational minded than the others. Because of this, Kondo is the only one who can properly understand Handa's thoughts while the others often pick on him. Due to his personality, he is the only one that Handa is comfortable with though believes him to be harassing him.
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:Hanada is a young man that is physically identical to Handa in almost every way aside from his overbite which he keeps hidden under mask. He pretends to be Handa often.
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:She is a classmate of Handa. Initially, a normal quiet girl who had feelings for Handa. These feelings turn into an obsession after he shows her kindness and she becomes a stalker of his. She is nicknamed the "Eraser" both for how her peers disappear and how Handa returned her eraser.
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:Maiko is a girl with pink hair in twin-tails. She has a crush on Handa and gives him a love letter, though he takes it as a letter of challenge. She has a way of giving back-handed comments about her best friend, Juri.
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:Juri is a girl with an oversized head. She seems to have a crush on Handa though she denies it. Maiko is her best friend, though Juri questions why she is friends with her as Maiko often makes insulting comments about her.
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Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by , ''Barakamon'' started as a one-shot in Square Enix's ''Gangan Powered'' on February 22, 2008. Two other chapters appeared in the magazine, with the third one released on February 21, 2009; the manga continued as a serial on the ''Gangan Online'' website from the same day. Starting on July 11, 2014, the manga was published in parallel in ''Monthly Shōnen Gangan''. The series finished in ''Monthly Shōnen Gangan'' on December 12, 2018, and on ''Gangan Online'' on January 10, 2019. Square Enix collected its chapters in 18 volumes, released from July 22, 2009, to December 12, 2018. The series resumed limited serialization in ''Monthly Shōnen Gangan'' from April 12 to September 12, 2023. A 19th volume was published on July 12, 2023.

In North America, the manga was licensed for English release by Yen Press. The first eighteen volumes were released from October 28, 2014, to August 20, 2019.

A spin-off/prequel manga, titled , also written and illustrated by Yoshino, was serialized in ''Monthly Shōnen Gangan'' from October 12, 2013, to September 12, 2016. It focuses on Seishu's life as a high school student, six years prior to the events of ''Barakamon''. Square Enix collected its chapters in seven volumes, released from June 21, 2014, to September 12, 2016. Yen Press licensed the manga (first in digital and later in print), and published the seven volumes in print from February 23, 2016, to September 19, 2017.

Anime

An anime adaptation by the studio, Kinema Citrus, began airing on July 5, 2014. Funimation has licensed the series for streaming and home video release, and Crunchyroll streamed it. The opening theme song is performed by Super Beaver, and the ending theme is "Innocence" by NoisyCell.

An anime television adaptation of the ''Handa-kun'' spin-off manga was announced on Square Enix's ''Gangan Online'' website on February 1, 2016. It began airing on July 7, 2016 on TBS and CBC, and later began airing on MBS, BS-TBS, and TBS Channel 1. The 12-episode series was directed by Yoshitaka Koyama and produced by Diomedéa. Michiko Yokote, Mariko Kunisawa, and Miharu Hirami wrote the series' scripts, while Mayuko Matsumoto designed the characters and Kenji Kawai composed the music. The opening theme song, titled "The LiBERTY", was performed by Fo'xTails, and the ending theme song, titled "HIDE-AND-SEEK", was performed by Kenichi Suzumura. Funimation has also licensed the series for streaming and home video release and plans a broadcast dub for the series.

''Barakamon'' episodes

''Handa-kun'' episodes

Drama

In April 2023, a television drama adaptation, produced by Kyodo Television, was announced. The series is directed by Keita Kono, with Masataka Takamaru serving as producer, Kumiko Asō handling the screenplay and Juichi Uehara in charge of planning. It was aired from July 12 to September 20, 2023 on Fuji TV. Perfume performed their 28th single titled "" as the theme song.

Episodes

Notes

References

External links

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''Handa-kun'' (anime)
at TBS
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{{Diomedéa

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