Barakamon
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.
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, 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
;Seishu Handa;Naru Kotoishi
Supporting characters
;Miwa Yamamura;Tamako Arai
;Hiroshi Kido
;Hina Kubota
;Kentaro Ohama
;Akihiko Arai
;Yūjirō Kido
;Kazuyuki Sakamoto
;Takao Kawafuji
;Kosuke Kanzaki
;Kosaku Kotoishi
;Iwao Yamamura
;Seimei Handa
;Emi Handa
''Handa-kun''
;Junichi Aizawa;Reo Nikaido
;Akane Tsutsui
;Yukio Kondo
;Kei Hanada
;Miyoko Kinjo
;Maiko Mori
;Sawako Tennoji
;Kotaro Higashino
;Juri
;Kasumi Hiroyama
;Asahi Ichimiya
;Soichi Nagamasa
;Sosuke Kojika
;Tsukasa Komichi
;Tomohiro Shiromoto
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 Handa-kun, 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, 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 "Rashisa" performed by Super Beaver, and the ending theme is "Innocence" by.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, 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.