Wikipedia

I Hear the Sunspot

I Hear the Sunspot (Japanese: ひだまりが聴こえる, Hepburn: Hidamari ga Kikoeru) is a Japanese manga series by Yuki Fumino. I Hear the Sunspot is serialized in the semi-monthly boys' love manga anthology Canna since December 22, 2013.

I Hear the Sunspot
First collected volume cover
ひだまりが聴こえる
(Hidamari ga Kikoeru)
GenreBoys' love[1]
Manga
Written byYuki Fumino
Published byFrance Shoin
English publisher
  • NA: One Peace Books
ImprintCanna Comics
MagazineCanna
DemographicJosei
Original runDecember 22, 2013 (2013-12-22) – present
Volumes7
Live-action film
Directed byDaisuke Kamijō
ReleasedJune 24, 2017 (2017-06-24)
Television drama
Directed by
  • Fūga Yaegashi
  • Shō Makino
  • Takanobu Harashima
Written by
  • Izumi Kawasaki
Original network
Original run July 3, 2024 (2024-07-03) – present

A live-action film adaptation of the first volume was released on June 24, 2017. A separate live-action television drama adaptation began broadcasting on TV Tokyo on July 3, 2024.

Plot

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College student Taichi Sagawa learns that his lonely classmate, Kohei Sugihara, is deaf, and he enrolls in a part-time job to take notes for him in exchange for food. As the two become more acquainted with each other, they develop a strong friendship that eventually turns into love.

Characters

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Kohei Sugihara (杉原 航平, Sugihara Kōhei)
Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa (audio drama)
Portrayed by: Hideya Tawada (film),[2] Motoki Nakazawa (TV drama)[3]
Kohei is a college student who had a sudden hearing loss in high school, and because of his disability, he struggles to fit in and is usually seen alone.
Taichi Sagawa (佐川 太一, Sagawa Taichi)
Voiced by: Junya Enoki (audio drama)
Portrayed by: Akira Onodera [ja] (film),[2] Toranosuke Kobayashi [ja] (TV drama)[3]
Taichi is an optimistic and outgoing college student who takes on the job of taking notes for Kohei part-time in exchange for food.
Yoko (ヨコ)
Voiced by: Yoshiki Nakajima (audio drama)
Portrayed by: Ryo Mitsuya [ja] (film)[4]

Media

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Manga

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I Hear the Sunspot is written and illustrated by Yuki Fumino as her debut work.[1] Fumino came up with the idea of writing about the hearing impaired from being around friends and acquaintances who had a hearing disability.[5] She wrote I Hear the Sunspot based on what she learned from them as well as visiting a sign language school.[5]

I Hear the Sunspot was serialized in the semi-monthly yaoi manga anthology Canna from December 22, 2013[6] to August 2014.[1] Originally released as a single-volume story,[1][7] it was followed up with I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness from April 22, 2015[8] to February 2016.[7] After the story's end, Fumino continued with a third series, titled I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, from October 2016 to December 2019.[7][9] A fourth series titled I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons began publication in December 2020 and is still ongoing.[10] The chapters have been released in 7 bound volumes by France Shoin under the Canna Comics imprint as of April 2023.[11]

One Peace Books publishes I Hear the Sunspot in English for North American distribution.[12]

No. Title Original release date English release date
1I Hear the Sunspot
Hidamari ga Kikoeru (ひだまりが聴こえる)		October 27, 2014 (2014-10-27)[11]
978-4-8296-8561-7		August 15, 2017 (2017-08-15)[12]
978-1-9449-3730-0
  • Chapters 1-5
  • The Journey Continues
2I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness
Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Kōfukuron (ひだまりが聴こえる-幸福論-)		May 27, 2016 (2016-05-27)[13]
978-4-8296-8580-8		February 13, 2018 (2018-02-13)[14]
978-1-9449-3741-6
  • Chapters 1-6 [Chapters 6-11]
  • That Feeling
3I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 1
Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Rimitto 1 (ひだまりが聴こえる－リミット－１)		October 27, 2017 (2017-10-27)[15]
978-4-8296-8599-0		November 20, 2018 (2018-11-20)[16]
978-1-6427-3004-3
  • Chapters 1-5 [Chapters 12-16]
  • Way Back When
4I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 2
Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Rimitto 2 (ひだまりが聴こえる－リミット－２)		December 27, 2018 (2018-12-27)[17]
978-4-8296-8615-7		September 17, 2019 (2019-09-17)[18]
978-1-6427-3028-9
  • Chapters 6-10 [Chapters 17-21]
  • Winter of Freshman Year
5I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Volume 3
Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Rimitto 3 (ひだまりが聴こえる－リミット－３)		May 28, 2020 (2020-05-28)[19]
978-4-8296-8633-1		April 13, 2021 (2021-04-13)[20]
978-1-6427-3103-3
  • Chapters 11-15 [Chapters 22-26]
  • Afterglow
  • Gift
6I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons Volume 1
Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Shunkashūtō 1 (ひだまりが聴こえる－春夏秋冬－１)		December 28, 2021 (2021-12-28)[21]
978-4-8296-8659-1		April 18, 2023 [22]
978-1-6427-3233-7
  • Chapters 1-5 [Chapters 27-31]
  • Transparent
  • Never-Ending Summer
7Hidamari ga Kikoeru: Shunkashūtō 2 (ひだまりが聴こえる－春夏秋冬－2)April 28, 2023[23]
978-4-8296-8674-4		July 2, 2024
978-1-64273-335-8
  • Chapters 6-10 [Chapters 32-36]
  • My Little Tears

Film

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Hideya Tawada (pictured in 2018) portrayed Kohei in the film.

A live-action film adaptation of I Hear the Sunspot was announced through the physical release of the first volume on the wrap-around band.[1] The film starred Hideya Tawada as Kohei and Akira Onodera [ja] as Taichi.[2][4] Ryo Mitsuya [ja] was later cast as Yoko.[24] Additional cast members included Ami Yamazaki, Miyū Ōsaka, Hiroe Igeta, Rima Matsuda, Yūki Fukumoto, Tsubasa Shimada, Hideyuki Araki, Anna Kijima, Suzuno Nomura, Norihisa Hiranuma, Shinshō Nakamura, and Reiko Takashima.[4] The film was directed by Daisuke Kamijō.[4] It was released on June 24, 2017.[4]

Television drama

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A live-action television drama adaptation was announced on May 28, 2024.[3] The series premiered on U-Next on June 26, 2024, before being broadcast on July 3, 2024, on TV Tokyo.[3] The series stars Motoki Nakazawa as Kohei and Toranosuke Kobayashi [ja] as Taichi.[3] It is directed by Fūga Yaegashi, Shō Makino, and Takanobu Harashima, with screenplay written by Izumi Kawasaki.[3]

Reception

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Rebecca Silverman from Anime News Network reviewed I Hear the Sunspot favorably, praising its exploration of school stereotypes and Kohei and Taichi's relationship.[25] Regarding Theory of Happiness, she described it as being "sweet and thoughtful" and praised the art, but she also stated that it had "excessive" angst.[26] For Limit, Silverman praised the story's exploration of "different lived experiences of being 'normal'".[27] The Journal of Anime and Manga Studies described Kohei as an example of how people with disabilities and queer identities are seen as outsiders in Japanese society.[28]

At San Diego Comic-Con in 2018, I Hear the Sunspot was selected as an "under-appreciated gem" at a panel composed of manga critics and industry insiders.[29] I Hear the Sunspot was selected by visitors of the website Nijimen as one of the best boys' love manga for newcomers to the genre.[30] It was included in 2018 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens produced by American Library Association's Young Adult Library Services Association.[31]

In Japan, volume 1 of Limit ranked at no. 45 on Oricon and sold 16,833 physical copies in its first week of sales.[32] Volume 2 of Limit ranked at no. 31 on Oricon and sold 20,128 physical copies in its first week of sales.[33]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Sherman, Jennifer (May 28, 2016). "Hidamari ga Kikoeru Boys-Love Manga Gets Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 22, 2016). "Yuki Fumino's Hidamari ga Kikoeru Boys-Love Manga Gets Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Tai, Anita (May 27, 2024). "Yuki Fumino's I Hear the Sunspot Boys-Love Manga Gets Live-Action Series". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Pineda, Rafael Antonio (June 19, 2017). "Hidamari ga Kikoeru Live-Action Film's 4-Minute Clip Streamed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "An Interview with Yuki Fumino". One Peace Books. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  6. ^ "オリジナルボーイズラブアンソロジー Canna Vol.33" [Original Boys Love Anthology Canna Vol. 33]. Canna (in Japanese). France Shoin. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 28, 2019). "Yuki Fumino Ends I Hear the Sunspot: Limit Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  8. ^ "難聴の大学生描くBL「ひだまりが聴こえる」続編がスタート". Natalie (in Japanese). April 22, 2015. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  9. ^ "実写化もした「ひだまりが聴こえる」新シリーズ発売、文乃ゆきが初サイン会". Natalie (in Japanese). September 27, 2017. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  10. ^ "オリジナルボーイズラブアンソロジーCanna Vol.75" (in Japanese). France Shoin. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  11. ^ a b "ひだまりが聴こえる" [I Hear the Sunspot]. Canna (in Japanese). France Shoin. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  12. ^ a b Ressler, Karen (May 28, 2016). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, August 13–19". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  13. ^ "【5月27日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). May 27, 2016. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  14. ^ Ressler, Karen (February 13, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, February 11–17". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  15. ^ "【10月27日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). October 27, 2017. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  16. ^ Ressler, Karen (November 20, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, November 18–24". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  17. ^ "【12月28日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). December 27, 2018. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  18. ^ Ressler, Karen (November 20, 2018). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, September 15–21". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  19. ^ "【5月28日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). May 28, 2020. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  20. ^ Mateo, Alex (April 13, 2021). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, April 11–17". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  21. ^ "【12月27日付】本日発売の単行本リスト". Natalie (in Japanese). December 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  22. ^ "I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons, Vol. 1". One Peace Books. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  23. ^ "ひだまりが聴こえる－春夏秋冬－2" [I Hear the Sunspot: Four Seasons, Vol. 2]. Canna (in Japanese). France Shoin. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  24. ^ "多和田秀弥×小野寺晃良の映画「ひだまりが聴こえる」三津谷亮らも出演". Natalie (in Japanese). March 30, 2017. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  25. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (October 17, 2017). "I Hear the Sunspot GN". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  26. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (March 4, 2018). "I Hear the Sunspot: Theory of Happiness GN". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  27. ^ Silverman, Rebecca (April 21, 2021). "I Hear the Sunspot: Limit GN". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  28. ^ Barrett Percy, Corinne (November 15, 2020). ""I Hear You Just Fine"": Disability and Queer Identity in Yuki Fumino's I Hear the Sunspot". Journal of Anime and Manga Studies. 1: 35–75. doi:10.21900/j.jams.v1.233. hdl:2142/108991. S2CID 225118016. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  29. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (July 24, 2018). "Best and Worst Manga of 2018 Results - Comic-Con International". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  30. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (August 10, 2018). "Readers Pick the Best Boys-Love Manga for Beginners". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  31. ^ Ressler, Karen (February 16, 2018). "My Brother's Husband Ranks in YALSA's Top 10 Graphic Novels for Teens". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  32. ^ Ressler, Karen (November 1, 2017). "Japanese Comic Ranking, October 23–29". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  33. ^ Ressler, Karen (January 9, 2019). "Japanese Comic Ranking, December 24–30". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
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