Terra Formars
Terra Formars is a Japanese manga series written by and illustrated by. It was originally serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Miracle Jump from January to December 2011, and was transferred to Weekly Young Jump in April 2012. Its chapters have been collected in 23 volumes as of July 2024. The story follows humanity's struggle against mutated humanoid cockroaches on Mars, leading to deadly expeditions and battles to save Earth from a mysterious virus and the invading creatures. In North America, the manga is licensed for English release by Viz Media.
A two-episode original video animation adaptation, Terra Formars: Bugs 2 Arc, was released in 2014, and an anime television series adaptation, covering the Annex 1 story arc, was broadcast as well in that same year. A second season, Terra Formars: Revenge, was broadcast in 2016. A live action film adaptation directed by Takashi Miike was released in 2016.
Plot
In an attempt to colonize Mars, 21st-century scientists are tasked with terraforming the planet. Their goal is to seed Mars with modified algae that can absorb sunlight and purify the atmosphere, along with cockroaches, whose corpses will help spread the algae across the planet as they feed.Five hundred years later, the first crewed ship to Mars lands, and its six crew members are attacked by giant mutated humanoid cockroaches with incredible physical strength, later labeled "Terraformars." The crew is wiped out after sending a warning back to Earth. Two years later, BUGS II, a multinational expedition of genetically modified humans, is sent to collect ten samples of both sexes of roaches and exterminate the mutated bugs to take control of the red planet. Only two survivors manage to return to Earth, one of whom vows to return and avenge their fallen companions. As a third expedition is assembled, questions arise about the true origin of the Terraformars and their connection to an unknown disease afflicting mankind, known as the Alien Engine Virus, or A.E. Virus. To combat the Terraformars' strength and agility, members of the second and third expeditions undergo genetic modification to inherit the characteristics of other organisms, a process made possible only after having a special organ implanted, which carries a 36% chance of survival during the surgery.
The third expedition also ends with most of its crew members killed, either in battles against the Terraformars or in conflicts among themselves within the multi-sided struggle between the various factions aboard the ship, each with its own opposing interests. Despite this, the few survivors manage to collect enough samples for research on a cure for the A.E. Virus and return home. However, a new fight against the Terraformars begins when it is revealed that the creatures arrived on Earth long before. After multiplying at an alarming rate and adapting to their new environment far better than they did on their homeworld, they initiate their plan to take over the planet.
Characters
BUGS 2
;Shokichi Komachi;Ichiro Hiruma
;Nanao Akita
;Donatello K. Davis
;Thien
;Zhang Ming-Ming
;God Lee
;Maria Viren
;Victoria Wood
Annex I
;Akari Hizamaru;Michelle K. Davis
;Marcos Eringrad Garcia
;Alex Kandley Stewart
;Sheila Levitt
;Keiji Onizuka
;Kanako Sanjō
;Yaeko Yanasegawa
;Jared Anderson
;Sylvester Asimov
;Ivan Perepelkin
;Elena Perepelkina
;Alexander Asimov
;Nina Yujik
;Aaron Yujik
;Sergei Seleznyov
;Anastasia Andreevna Politkovskaya
;Liu Yiwu
;Jet
;Bao Zhilan
;Xi Chun-Li
;Hong
;Borgijin Dorjiberke
;Adolf Reinhard
;Eva Frost
;Isabella R. Leon
;Joseph Gustav Newton
;Wolf Redfield
;Peggy Forty
;Erika Nakanojō
;Amelia Venkatesh
;Ryuichi and Ryuji Robson
Others
;Alexander Gustav Newton;Shichisei Hiruma
;Kou Honda
;Gerald Goodman
;Luke Snorresson
;Petra Eheim
;Yuriko Minamoto
;Sakurato Harukaze
;Gina S. Asimov
;Rosa Reinhardt
;Jessica Bellwood
;Rokka Hiruma
;Kai Yanchao
Terraformars
The Terraformars are humanoid cockroaches standing two meters tall, created by the mysterious Rahab civilization. They possess an innate hostility toward humanity. Their internal anatomy is nearly identical to Earth cockroaches, granting them tremendous speed, strength, and resilience. They can remain mobile even when decapitated if their Suboesophageal ganglion is intact. While initially animalistic, they rapidly adapt; many have incorporated abilities from deceased crewmembers of previous expeditions, mimicking the M.O. Procedure. Evolved Terraformars exhibit high intelligence and complex social organization, rallying from a Martian pyramid. Their advanced intellect allows them to operate technology, infiltrate Earth, and pursue a goal of restoring the Rahab civilization under leaders who employ both martial and scientific strategies.Media
Manga
Written by and illustrated by, Terra Formars was first serialized in Shueisha's Miracle Jump magazine from January 13 to December 13, 2011. It later moved to Weekly Young Jump starting on April 26, 2012. The manga entered an indefinite hiatus in December 2018; it resumed in the magazine on April 4, 2024. It entered hiatus again in April 2025, and is set to resume on December 18 of the same year. Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual volumes. The first volume was released on April 19, 2012. As of July 18, 2024, 23 volumes have been released.In North America, the manga has been licensed by Viz Media.
Spin-offs
The series has inspired seven spin-off manga:- Terrafo Police, written by Manpuku Dō and illustrated by Kaito Shibano. Serialized in Jump X from May 10 to October 10, 2014. Its chapters were collected in a single volume, released on November 19, 2014.
- Kyō no Terra Formars wa Oyasumi Desu, a parody manga by Shōta Hattori. Serialized on the Tonari no Young Jump website from June 11, 2014, to October 12, 2016. Its chapters were collected in six volumes, released from November 19, 2014, to November 18, 2016.
- Oshiete! Michelle Kyōkan an erotic gag series by Serebixi-Ryōsangata. Previewed on Tonari no Young Jump on May 10, 2014, it was serialized in Miracle Jump from June 17 to November 18 of that same year. Its chapters were collected in a single volume, released on November 19, 2014.
- Terra Formars Gaiden Rain Hard, by Satoshi Kimura, focused on Adolph Reinhard. Serialized in Ultra Jump from October 18, 2014, to February 19, 2015. Its chapters were collected in a single volume, released on February 19, 2015.
- Terra Formars Gaiden Asimov, by Boichi, focusing on Sylvester Asimov before his trip to Mars. Serialized in Grand Jump from November 4, 2015, to June 15, 2016. Its chapters were collected in two volumes, released on March 18 and August 19, 2016.
- Terra Formars Gaiden Keiji Onizuka, by Saki Nonoyama, focusing on Keiji Onizuka before his trip to Mars. Serialized in Miracle Jump from December 15, 2015, to April 19, 2016. Its chapters were collected in a single volume, released on April 19, 2016.
- Terraho-kun, a gag manga series by Forbidden Shibukawa. Serialized in Weekly Young Jump from January 7 to April 14, 2016. Its chapters were collected in a single volume, released on May 19, 2016.
Volumes
Anime
A 13-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by Liden Films, was broadcast from September 26 to December 19, 2014. The anime is licensed in the United Kingdom by Kazé UK and in North America by Viz Media. Madman Entertainment acquired the series for release in Australia and New Zealand.A second series, Terra Formars: Revenge, was announced in November 2015, with changes to the series' main staff and the main cast returning to reprise their roles. Liden Films and TYO Animations produced the sequel. The anime premiered on April 2, 2016.
An OVA adaptation of the manga's Earth Arc was planned for a May 2017 release, but was delayed to an August 2018 release instead.
Film
A live-action film adaptation, directed by Takashi Miike, was announced in February 2015. It was released on April 29, 2016.Novels
A novel by, titled Terraformars: Lost Mission I – Memories of the Moon, was published by Shueisha, under its Jump J-Books imprint, on August 20, 2014. A second novel by, Terraformars: Lost Mission II – Return to the Sorrowful Mother, started serialization in Miracle Jump on January 19, 2016, and the volume was published on April 19 of that same year.A three-novel series by Kenichi Fujiwara, titled Terra Formars The Outer Mission, was published by Shueisha under its Dash X Bunko from November 21, 2014, to May 25, 2016.
Games
A Nintendo 3DS game developed by FuRyu, titled Terra Formars: Akaki Hoshi no Gekitō, was released on April 2, 2015. A pachislot game machine, Pachislot Terra Formars, developed by, was released in Japan on June 20, 2016, with an early access for iPhone and Android devices on June 16.Reception
The sixth volume reached the number one place on the Oricon List of [Oricon number-one manga of 2013|weekly manga chart] in the week of August 19–25, 2013, with 317,248 copies. By February 2015, the 11 first volumes of Terra Formars had over 10 million copies in circulation; the manga had sold 13 million copies by August 2015; it had over 16 million copies in print by April 2018; and over 21 million copies in print by November 2018.Terra Formars was number one on the 2013 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Top 20 Manga for Male Readers survey. It was placed second in the 2013 Zenkoku Shotenin ga Eranda Osusume Comic, a ranking of the top 15 manga recommended by Japanese bookstores. It was also nominated for the sixth Manga Taishō in the same year.