Itsuwaribito


Itsuwaribito is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by. It was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday, running from January 2009 to February 2010, and it was subsequently transferred to the Club Sunday website, where it ran from February 2010 to August 2013. Its chapters were collected in 23 volumes. In North America, it was licensed for English release by Viz Media.

Plot

Utsuho's childhood honesty inadvertently caused a major disaster, leading him to adopt a life of deception thereafter. Raised in an orphan village by a monk, he became a habitual troublemaker. Though the monk encouraged him to aid others, Utsuho refused to abandon his deceitful ways, instead resolving to use his talent for trickery for benevolent purposes.
During his travels, he befriended three companions: Pochi, an innocent ; Yakuma, a disciplined and skilled young doctor; and Neya, a graceful teenage Itsuwaribito with a guileless demeanor. Together, they journeyed across Japan, where Utsuho sought to expand his makeshift family and assist others through his lies.

Characters

;Utsuho Azako:
;Pochi/Ponpokoriichitchoriina III
;Koshiro Yakuma
;Neya Muito
;Hikae Nibyou
;Iwashi Yashima
;Uzume

Publication

Written and illustrated by, Itsuwaribito started in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday on January 28, 2009. The series ran for 51 chapters, until February 10, 2010. It was then transferred to Shogakukan's website Club Sunday, starting on February 19, 2010. The series finished with its 223rd chapter on August 27, 2013, and an additional chapter was released on September 3 of the same year. Shogakukan collected its chapters in 23 volumes, released from May 18, 2009, to November 18, 2013.
In North America; Viz Media announced they license of the manga in July 2010. Viz Media released the volumes from December 14, 2010, to April 10, 2018.

Volumes

Reception

Carlo Santos, writing for Anime News Network, felt that the series was a generic Shōnen manga| adventure series but enjoyed the lead's moral ambiguity, feeling it spiced up fight scenes. He criticized the poor pacing in the second volume. Katherine Dacey described the manga as a "tonal mess," contrasting the bloody fight scenes with the cute talking tanuki and the "uncomplicated" protagonist. Leroy Douresseaux felt the series had potential, enjoying the premise, and feeling that the series hit its stride more in the second volume. Danica Davidson felt that the lead became more sympathetic during the first volume. Holly von Winckel noted the extreme violence used by the author to distinguish the protagonist from the 'real' bad guys, feeling that the tanuki character was an "antidote" to this strong violence. Patti Martinson felt that the premise was gimmicky, but that the second volume "explored" the issue more than she had hoped. Nick Smith describes the lead character as being an "even less likeable version of Naruto," summing up the first volume as being both enjoyable and frustrating. Deb Aoki noted the combination of gore and cute elements, making the first volume "difficult to recommend." Davey C. Jones enjoyed the fast pace of the second volume.