Christmas is over and the new year is almost upon us. This usually means New Year’s resolutions and the time-honored tradition of struggling with change. Luckily for us, Kodansha Comics has brought a big change to their print lineup and finally begun printing physical copies of Saint Young Men, in English. For anyone that isn’t familiar with Saint Young Men, this comedic slice-of-life story involves Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha sharing an apartment together in Tokyo. Hijinks ensue as they navigate blending in with the citizens of Tokyo.
While the manga has been available in Europe and Japan for the last decade and Kodansha began releasing copies of the manga digitally in April of this year, this marks the first time the series has ever been available in English. Fittingly, the series is being printed as 2-in-1 hardcover tankōbons, with glossy covers and binding to match.
Also included in the volume are copious footnotes on the Christian and Buddhist references found within the manga, which is helpful for those puns and gags that may go over one’s head. This is one of the nicest tankōbon volumes I’ve seen to date and is sure to make an excellent conversation piece. Fans won’t have long to wait for the next volumes in the series, as they’re slated for release in March and June of next year. Until then, you can always tide yourself over with the Saint Young Men anime or the Saint Young Men live-action series.
What’s your New Year’s resolution? Whether it’s trying new food from our exclusive Japanese snacks, getting into cosplay, or even learning Japanese, J-List has what every fan of Japan needs to make their New Year’s resolutions come true. Don’t forget to check out our blog and Twitter for the newest product updates and sales as they roll in, and have a Happy New Year!
Images via Twitter user Minovsky