[[:Image:Genshiken vol1 cover.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The cover of the first English-language volume of Genshiken, as released by Del Rey Manga.]] This is a list of volumes and chapters of the manga series Genshiken, by Kio Shimoku. The series is published in Japan by Kodansha and in English for the North American market by Del Rey Manga In Japan, the series was serialized from June 2002 to June 2006 in Afternoon magazine, and reprinted in nine collected volumes released between December 2002 and December 2006. The English version, translated by David Ury, was released between April 2005 and November 2007.
Genshiken follows the everyday lives of a college club for otaku, Shiiou University's "Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture" (現代視覚文化研究会, Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyūkai), or just "Genshiken" for short. The story begins in Spring 2002 with the character Kanji Sasahara's discovery of the club as a freshman, and progresses until his graduation in March 2006. This timeframe is roughly contemporaneous with the comic's original serialization. Story dates are established periodically by background evidence in the manga, such as calendars, as well as through cyclical events such as school fairs, graduations, and the Summer and Winter "Comic Festival" (Comifes), which precisely mirrors the real-life Comic Market. These dates provide a contextual basis not only for the characters' progression through college, but also the particular era which the characters inhabit, whose iteration of otaku culture the Genshiken manga is a commentary upon. In much the same way, the anime adaptation is considerably more vague about when the series takes place, allowing it to reference more recent developments in the subculture that had not yet taken place at the time of the manga's original publication.
The collected volumes generally have six chapters each. Additionally, each volume contains between-chapter interludes with regards to an otaku-specific topic. This can range from the characters discussing the best moments in the Kujibiki Unbalance anime (a show within a show for the series) in volume four, Tanaka's construction of a figure from scratch in volume six, or reviewing character designs for the newer Kujibiki Unbalance adaptation in volume eight. Although these side-bits do not often pertain directly to the plot of the volume, they provide additional commentary on particular elements of fandom as well as the characters themselves, while further establishing a sense of reality for the world the characters inhabit.
List of volumes
edit| Volume | ISBN | Release date | ||
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| 1 | ISBN 978-4063211443 | ISBN 978-0345481696 | December 20, 2002 | April 26, 2005 |
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| 2 | ISBN 978-4063211511 | ISBN 978-0345481702 | June 23, 2003 | July 26, 2005 |
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| 3 | ISBN 978-4063211559 | ISBN 978-0345481719 | December 22, 2003 | October 25, 2005 |
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| 4 | ISBN 978-4063211627 | ISBN 978-0345482426 | June 23, 2004 | January 31, 2006 |
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| 5 | ISBN 978-4063211641 | ISBN 978-0345491534 | November 22, 2004 | April 25, 2006 |
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| 6 | ISBN 978-4063211702 ISBN 978-4063646399 |
ISBN 978-0345491541 | June 23, 2005 | July 25, 2006 |
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| 7 | ISBN 978-4063211740 | ISBN 978-0345491558 | December 22, 2005 | October 31, 2006 |
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| 8 | ISBN 978-4063211795 | ISBN 978-0345491565 | August 23, 2006 | March 27, 2007 |
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| 9 | ISBN 978-4063211832 ISBN 978-4063646740 |
ISBN 978-0345501974 | December 22, 2006 | November 27, 2007 |
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References and notes
edit- ^ The Japanese volumes 6 and 9 have two ISBNs; the second for each refers to a limited edition which included an alternate cover and a collection of Genshiken dōjinshi by other manga artists. Volume 9's limited release also contained a drama CD performed by the seiyū from the anime, with (for the first time) Kaori Mizuhashi as Ogiue.
- ^ Unclear within the chapter itself, but cemented by the date of chapter 5.
- ^ The third day of Comifes 62.
- ^ Some time prior to the first chapter of the manga.
- ^ While the club is to be eliminated "by the end of December," the planning board in the background on page 44 shows the days of the month falling on the same weekdays as November 2002.
- ^ Comiket 63 was held from 28-30 December 2002. Since Ohno went to Comifes the day before with Tanaka, it cannot be the first day, but it is unclear whether it is the second or third day.
- ^ Madarame's hand is still in a cast, so the "two months" of required healing time have not yet fully elapsed since the end of december.
- ^ Madarame's hand is no longer in its cast.
- ^ This two-page comic was originally featured in "Mini Afternoon", a sample booklet distributed to bookstores as part of Kodansha's "Afternoon KC Festival 2003" promotion.
- ^ 15-17 August, though it isn't entirely clear which day they go.
- ^ The end of the chapter, at least, takes place on the third day of Comifes 65, the last Tuesday of December 2003.
- ^ The chapter goes until Sasahara submits his application for Comifes 66 (which has to be prior to the deadline in mid-February). The narration states that the Comifes arc will resume five months later, which happens to be the end of June.
- ^ It is a new academic year, and hence recruiting time for student organizations.
- ^ Some time after Takayanagi's comment in chapter 24 that the Manga Society girls already hate the Genshiken girls.
- ^ Not long after Ogiue joins, in the previous chapter.
- ^ The dates are referenced at the beginning and end of the chapter; the date of the event itself matches the real-life dates of Comiket 66.
- ^ a b c Direct continuation of the previous chapter.
- ^ Saki is reading the dōjinshi at the after-party, and is "totally offended".
- ^ The first day of Comiket 67, held on the last Wednesday and Thursday in December 2004.
- ^ Has to be prior to mid-February, because Ogiue is applying to the Summer Comifes.
- ^ Keiko is taking Shiiou's entrance exams, and Chuo University's entrance exams take place in mid-February.
- ^ The Spring student club fair of the year.
- ^ The chapter begins some time before Comifes, and ends with the arrival of Angela and Sue several days prior.
- ^ The second day of Comifes 68; Ogiue remarks that they'll be back "tomorrow" with Angela and Sue, which is referenced as the third day of the convention in the next chapter.
- ^ The chapter begins on the third day of Comifes 68, and ends some time in September (as per Keiko's comment).
- ^ Established from the date of Ogiue's SMS two days later.
- ^ a b Volumes 8 and 9 of Genshiken contain a number of chapters not included in the original serialization; these were inserted into the numbering of the series and the numbers of subsequent chapters were adjusted to match.
- ^ a b c d Did not appear in the original serialization.
- ^ The flashback is "five years ago," in the Spring of Ogiue's third year of junior high school (i.e. 9th Grade in the US school system).
- ^ Presumably just prior to Ogiue talking about her past with the other girls.
- ^ The next day after chapter 44.
- ^ Direct continuation of the previous chapter; the date of 11 September at the end is given in Ogiue's SMS.
- ^ Begins the day after the end of the previous chapter; later, Madarame mentions he hasn't seen her since the trip, about a week ago.
- ^ The fall student festival at Shiiou University.
- ^ Did not appear in the original serialization. However, the first six pages of this chapter were included in chapter 48 (chapter 53 in this volume); this accounts for the out-of-place "Next year..." narration box on page 8.
- ^ Originally serialized as chapter 48, with the first six pages of chapter 50, "Alone with Susie".
- ^ Originally serialized as chapter 49.
- ^ Originally serialized as chapter 50.
- ^ Comiket 69 took place over these two days in December 2005. It is not clear which day they attend.
- ^ The chapter takes place on New Year's Eve and they return the next morning.