Sabikui Bisco


Sabikui Bisco, also known as Rust-Eater Bisco, is a Japanese light novel series written by Shinji Cobkubo and illustrated by K Akagishi, with world-building art by mocha. ASCII Media Works have released ten volumes since March 2018 under their Dengeki Bunko label. The light novel is licensed in North America by Yen Press. A manga adaptation with art by Rokudo Takahashi was serialized online between April 2019 and March 2021 via Square Enix's online manga magazine Manga UP!. It was collected in four volumes. The second part of the manga with art by Sō Natsuki was serialized in the same magazine between December 2021 and October 2022 and has been collected in two volumes. An anime television series adaptation produced by OZ aired from January to March 2022. A second season has been announced.

Plot

Set in post-apocalyptic Japan, the land is ravaged by rust, a deadly plague-like wind which affects everything it touches, including humans. It is believed to originate from mushroom spores and so Bisco Akaboshi, a Mushroom Keeper and archer whose arrows instantly grow mushrooms wherever they land, is a wanted criminal. He and his giant crab Akutagawa team up with the young doctor Milo Nekoyanagi to search the wastelands for the legendary "Sabikui", a mushroom said to devour all forms of rust.

Characters

;Bisco Akaboshi
;Milo Nekoyanagi
;Pawoo Nekoyanagi
;Jabi
;Kurokawa
;Tirol Ōchagama

Media

Light novels

The series ended with its tenth volume.

Manga

A manga adaptation with art by Yūsuke Takahashi was serialized online between April 10, 2019, and March 2, 2021, via Square Enix's online manga magazine Manga UP!. It was collected in four volumes. The second part of the manga with art by Sō Natsuki was serialized in the same magazine between December 15, 2021, and October 28, 2022, and has been collected in three volumes. Both parts are licensed digitally in North America by Comikey.

First part

Second part

Anime

During the "Kadokawa [Light Novel Expo 2020]" event on March 6, 2021, it was announced that the series would be receiving an anime television series adaptation by OZ. Atsushi Itagaki is directing the series, with Sadayuki Murai writing the series' scripts, Ai Asari and Ikariya designing the characters, and Takeshi Ueda and Hinako Tsubakiyama composing the series' music. It aired from January 11 to March 29, 2022, on Tokyo MX and other channels. The opening theme song is "Kaze no Oto Sae Kikoenai" by JUNNA, while the ending theme song is "Hōkō" by Ryōta Suzuki and Natsuki Hanae as their respective characters. Both Crunchyroll and Funimation streamed the series outside of Asia. Muse Communication licensed the series in South and Southeast Asia; available to watch on iQiyi and also Muse Asia YouTube Channel. This series aired on Animax across Southeast Asia starting May 17, 2022.
The anime was released on DVD and Blu-ray in Japan across 3 volumes, each volume containing 4 episodes. The first volume was released on March 23, 2022, and the last volume was released on May 25, 2022. Crunchyroll released the series on Blu-ray in North America on January 3, 2023.
A second season was announced at the Dengeki Bunko 30th anniversary event on July 16, 2023.

Episode list

Reception

In 2019, the light novel ranked first in the overall ranking and in the new work ranking in Takarajimasha's annual light novel guide book Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, in the bunkobon category, becoming the first series to do this. As of October 2021 the series has over 300,000 copies in circulation.