Given (manga)
Given is a Japanese manga series created by Natsuki Kizu. It ran in the bimonthly manga magazine Chéri+ from 2013 until 2023 and has been compiled into nine tankōbon volumes by Shinshokan.
The story follows four students who come together to form the amateur rock band Given, blending themes of music and emotional growth as their personal and romantic relationships evolve. At the core of the narrative is the developing relationship between electric guitarist Ritsuka Uenoyama and introverted vocalist Mafuyu Sato, while a parallel storyline delves into the deeper and more complex bond between bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji.
Exploring themes such as love, grief, and self-discovery, Given portrays how music becomes both an outlet and a connection point for its characters. The series has been adapted across several formats, beginning with an audio drama in 2016. An 11-episode anime television adaptation aired in 2019 on Fuji TV's Noitamina block, marking a milestone as the first boys' love anime featured in that programming slot. This was followed by a theatrical anime film in 2020 that expanded on the characters' relationships, and a live-action television drama that aired in 2021, introducing the story to a wider audience.
The English-language edition of the manga is licensed in North America by SuBLime, a joint imprint of Viz Media and Animate. The anime and film are distributed internationally by Crunchyroll, further boosting the franchise's global reach and fanbase.
Plot
Given is structured around four major story arcs, each exploring different character dynamics and emotional developments. The first arc introduces the band's formation and focuses on Ritsuka Uenoyama and Mafuyu Sato's growing relationship. The second centers on Akihiko Kaji and Haruki Nakayama as the group prepares for its first music competition. The third shifts to Mafuyu's childhood friends, Hiiragi Kashima and Shizusumi Yagi, confronting their shared history and unspoken feelings. The final arc follows Mafuyu's personal journey as he searches for direction in life, while Ritsuka works to complete a song built around a demo left behind by Mafuyu's late boyfriend, Yuki Yoshida, an effort to give Mafuyu both closure and a way back to music.Ritsuka and Mafuyu
Ritsuka Uenoyama, a high school guitarist, plays in a band with college students Haruki Nakayama and Akihiko Kaji. One day, he repairs the broken strings on a owned by his quiet classmate, Mafuyu Sato, and reluctantly agrees to teach him guitar. Ritsuka soon discovers Mafuyu's extraordinary singing voice and invites him to join the band.Over time, Ritsuka learns that the guitar once belonged to Yuki Yoshida Mafuyu's childhood friend and former boyfriend, who died by suicide. As the band prepares for its first live show, Mafuyu struggles to write lyrics, eventually channeling his grief into a raw, emotional performance that leaves a lasting impression. The experience brings Ritsuka and Mafuyu closer, culminating in a backstage kiss and the start of their romantic relationship. The band decides on the name Given, symbolizing the "gift" of Mafuyu's voice and the fate that brought them together.
Akihiko and Haruki
Following the success of their first live performance, Given gains attention online. They enter an amateur music competition, but creative progress is slowed by unresolved feelings, Haruki harbors unspoken love for Akihiko, who remains entangled in a complicated relationship with his ex, Ugetsu Murata. As tensions rise, Akihiko moves out of the apartment he shares with Ugetsu and confronts Haruki, acknowledging the feelings between them. The encounter is emotionally charged, leading to an intimate but ambiguous shift in their relationship.Akihiko temporarily moves in with Haruki, and while they settle into a routine, their romantic tension remains unresolved. On the day of the qualifying concert, Akihiko breaks things off with Ugetsu. Though the band performs a new song written by Mafuyu, they fail to advance in the competition. Akihiko later moves out and begins focusing seriously on his music studies. Months later, after a violin competition, he confesses his feelings to Haruki, revealing that his efforts to grow were driven by a desire to be someone worthy of Haruki's love. The two officially begin dating.
Hiragi and Shizusumi
The death of Yuki Yoshida casts a long shadow over his former bandmates Hiragi Kashima and Shizusumi Yagi, both of whom carry lingering guilt and unresolved emotions. As members of the band Syh, they continue with plans for a major debut, but the sudden loss of their guitarist leads them to eventually temporarily bring in Ritsuka, as there previous temporary player stepped back to attend university.During this time, Hiragi struggles with guilt over Yuki's death and his role in it, while Shizusumi finds it difficult to articulate his own feelings. Their shared grief slowly brings them back together. As the emotional walls begin to break down, Hiragi confronts the feelings he's long kept buried and takes the first step toward a romantic relationship with Shizusumi.
Characters
Main characters
;Mafuyu Sato;Ritsuka Uenoyama
;Haruki Nakayama
;Akihiko Kaji
;Hiragi Kashima
;Shizusumi Yagi
Supporting characters
;Yuki Yoshida;Ugetsu Murata
;Yayoi Uenoyama
;Shōgo Itaya
;Ryō Ueki
;Kōji Yatake
;Tsubaki
Media
Manga
Given has been serialized in the bimonthly magazine Chéri+ since April 2013. In Japan, the series has been collected into nine bound volumes published by Shinshokan. An English-language translation is published by Viz Media under their SuBLime imprint, with the first volume released in February 2020. The series ended serialization on March 30, 2023.On January 30, 2024, Given's spin-off epilogue series, Given 10th Mix, premiered in the March 2024 issue of Chéri+. Its events take place 10 years after the conclusion of the original manga.
Given is the first multi-volume work produced by manga artist Natsuki Kizu, following her two previous single-volume series Yukimura-sensei to Kei-kun and Links.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation produced by Lerche was announced during a Fuji TV press conference on March 14, 2019. The series aired from July 11 to September 19, 2019, on Noitamina, the network's late-night anime programming block, making Given the first BL series to air on Noitamina. The series is syndicated by Crunchyroll, which simulcasts the series worldwide outside of Asia. In Southeast Asia, the series was released on WeTV on May 18, 2021.The series' primary production staff includes Hikaru Yamaguchi as director, Yuniko Ayana as scriptwriter, Mina Osawa as character designer, and as score composer. The series' four original songs — the opening theme "Kizuato", the closing theme "Marutsuke", and the original songs "Session" and "Fuyu no hanashi" — are composed and performed by Centimillimental, with additional vocals from Mafuyu voice actor Shōgo Yano on "Marutsuke" and "Fuyu no hanashi". The anime features a new voice cast, recasting the roles from the Crown Works audio drama.
Given : Existence on the Other Hand, an original animation DVD, was released on December 1, 2021, bundled with the manga's seventh volume.
Episodes
The majority of the episode titles in Given are references to British alternative rock songs, Ritsuka's favorite genre of music;episode nine is titled after the original song performed in the episode.Media release
Aniplex released Given across four volumes, in DVD and Blu-ray media formats.Film
A film sequel to the Given anime series was announced on September 19, 2019. The film is a direct continuation of the anime series and adapts the second arc of the manga, which focuses on the relationship between Haruki and Akihiko. Development of the film was transferred from Noitamina to Blue Lynx, Fuji TV's yaoi anime label launched in 2019. The production staff and voice cast of the anime adaptation returned for the film, including Hikaru Yamaguchi as director and Yuniko Ayana as screenwriter. The film was originally scheduled for release on May 16, 2020, but was delayed to August 22, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Select screenings of the film from August 22 to 28 included an interview with the film's main cast and footage of Mafuyu voice actor Shōgo Yano performing "Marutsuke". Streaming service Crunchyroll announced in October 2020 that it had acquired international distribution rights outside of Asia for the film, which it released on February 2, 2021. In Southeast Asia, WeTV released the film on May 25, 2021.A sequel anime film was announced in March 2023, and later revealed as a two-part film project in August of that year. with the first part, Hiiragi Mix was released in Japan on January 27, 2024, and the second part, To the Sea on September 20, 2024.
Stage play
A stage play adaptation of Given was announced on April 3, 2020, with Fumiya Matsuzaki as director and Given anime screenplay writer Yuniko Ayana returning as scriptwriter. Originally slated to be staged at theaters in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka from August 15 to September 6, 2020, it was initially cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic before being rescheduled to November 2021.A 2nd stage play adaptation Butai Given: Umi e was set to run in May 2025, but it was cancelled due to the bankruptcy and closure of theater company Trifle Entertainment in January 2025.
Live-action drama
A six-episode live-action drama adaptation of Given was announced on May 26, 2021, and was released on Fuji TV's FOD streaming service on July 17, 2021. The series is directed by and stars Jin Suzuki as Ritsuka Uenoyama, Sanari as Mafuyu Satō, Kai Inowaki as Akihiko Kaji, and Shuntarō Yanagi as Haruki Nakayama. Crunchyroll licensed the series for distribution in English in non-Asian regions.Discography
Audio drama albums
An audio drama CD adapting scenes from the first volume of Given was included with the February 2016 issue of Chéri+. That same month, Crown Works began to release a series of audiobook drama CDs that adapt each volume of the manga.Extended plays
An eight-track extended play titled Gift was released by Sony Music Japan on August 26, 2020. The album, credited to "Given" and marketed as an album by the band, collects the original songs from the television anime series and film. The album's cover artwork features an original illustration by Natsuki Kizu.Reception
Manga
The second volume of Given reached #39 on Oricon, selling 17,484 copies in its second week for a total of 30,308 copies as of February 2016. The third volume reached #37 on Oricon and sold 24,345 copies in its first week. The series ranked #7 in the boys' love category on the digital book service BookLive! in the first half of 2019.Anime
The anime adaptation of Given was positively received by critics. In a review of episodes one and two for Anime News Network, Steve Jones called the series "one of the season's most emotionally resonant offerings," praising its soundtrack and Yamaguchi's direction. The series' writing, which Jones noted was "undercooked, but not egregiously so" in his initial review, was noted by Jones as improving in subsequent episodes. Specific praise was given to the relationship between Mafuyu and Ritsuka, with Jones calling it "one of the most compelling anime romances of the year."In a review for Crunchyroll, Adam Wescott called Given "the best show you aren't watching right now," giving specific praise to its sound and lighting design.