Ok wow, I have no idea how I missed out on this manga for such a long time. I absolutely love Barakamon yet, I never knew it had this spin-off/prequel thing. I was overjoyed when I found out about its existence. And sure enough, Handa-kun did not disappoint. Yes, this manga basically tells the story of Handa Sei from Barakamon when he was in high school and it is just as entertaining.
So welcome back to another edition of our manga recommendation series. This week we are talking about the hilarious manga, Handa-kun. I recently learned about this when someone told me Barakamon has a prequel. I immediately jumped in upon learning about this and I absolutely don’t regret it. So let’s get started.
Introduction
Handa-kun is written and illustrated by Yoshino Satsuki, the same as Barakamon. It came out technically after Barakamon, even though Barakamon ended in 2019. This manga was serialized in Shonen Gangan and is short at just 7 volumes or 34 chapters. It does have an anime adaptation by Diomedea studios which came out in the Summer season of 2016. You can check that out as well if you want.
Plot
You know “Haven’t you Heard? I’m Sakamoto”, right? Handa-kun is kind of similar to that. Handa Sei is really popular in high school but, he is unaware of his popularity. His classmates basically worship him but, to him, it feels like they’re teasing/bullying him. He tries to stop the bullying but only ends up creating more followers in the process.
Yeah, I know the plot is pretty bonkers compared to the down-to-earth Barakamon. But you know, I promise, you will find the same level of enjoyment in this manga as well—simple straightforward SOL fun. If you are into that kind of stuff, Handa-kun is right up your alley. The plot follows an episodic pattern and basically only exists for character interaction, the main focus of the manga.
Characters
Handa’s character is really entertaining in his own right, I agree. But his friends, Takao and Yukio are really well done too. The characters in this manga are pretty well written and all of them contribute a lot to the entertainment value of this manga, A few characters do return in Barakamon, so their character development continues over in that manga. The connection between both mangas is pretty well done.
Art
Again, pretty straightforward in this department as well. I love the art style and the variety in character designs and stuff but it’s not like god tier or anything. It more than gets the job done though. Again, it is an SOL so not like the art matters too much or anything. But it is nice.
Why should you check out Handa-kun?
Quick pointers on why you should check out this manga:
- Good plot
- Great characters
- Really funny
- Decent art
Conclusion
That is all for now. Let me know what you guys think in the comments. Handa-kun is a really entertaining manga and I really recommend checking it out. With that said, I will take my leave here. See ya!!
