2024] 5 realistic idol manga with gags and must-have empathy! Recommended for idol lovers!

The anime "[Mystery Child]" recently reached its final episode, and it continues to gain momentum. Since the anime began airing in April, the first season of this work has ended with great popularity. The TV anime "Lies and Eyes" exhibition and the collaboration café have also contributed to the media mix effect, with the total number of copies of the original book sold surpassing 12 million and a second anime season in the works.

In addition, "Idol" by YOASOBI, the theme song of the anime, recorded 230 million views on YouTube in just three months after its release. Not only popular in Japan, "Idol" was ranked No. 1 on the YouTube music charts Top 100 songs Global and was No. 1 on the Billboard JAPAN Streaming Songs chart for 13 weeks in a row. It has also gained popularity worldwide, including 13 consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Japan Streaming Songs chart.

After reading such a popular manga, many people must have thought, "I want to read other idol manga too! I want to read other idol manga! In this article, we will introduce five idol manga titles that we would like to recommend to such people.

Realistic idol manga

If My Guess Went to the Budokan, I'd Die by Auri Hirao

The manga "Myeshi ga Budokan itte Kareta Kareta Shitekaru" is an idol support comedy manga serialized in COMIC Ryu since the August 2015 issue, which has been adapted into a TV anime in January 2020 and a TV drama in October 2022.

Watch the anime "I'll Die If My Guess Goes to Budokan" streaming.

The heroine is Eri, a 20-year-old freelancer living in Okayama Prefecture. She is a crazy fan of Maina Ichii, a member of the local idol group "Cham jam." She devotes all of her income to her idol, sells all of her personal clothes, and wears only the jersey she was assigned to wear in high school.

However, the idol Maina, whom Eri is pushing for, is the least popular in the group and has zero confidence as an idol. She is grateful to Eri for her enthusiastic support, but because of the unspoken rule that "idols should not get too close to certain fans," she is intentionally unfriendly to them.

The manga depicts the difference between Eri, an enthusiastic fan, and Maina, who is unable to properly express her gratitude. If you have a favorite fan, you may be able to sympathize with Eri's enthusiastic support. It is a unique idol manga with a different angle from other works.

Back Street Girls written by Jasmine Gyu / 12 volumes

Back Street Girls" has been serialized in Young Magazine since issue #16 in 2015, and in July 2018 it was made into a TV anime as "Back Street Girs -Gokudorsu".

Watch the anime "Back Street Girls" streaming.

The main characters are former yakuza Kentaro Yamamoto, Ryo Tachibana, and Kazuhiko Sugihara. After committing a blunder, they are forced to undergo a sex change operation and full body surgery, and are ordered to become idols, forming the underground idol unit "Gokudolls.

The "Gokudolls" become more popular than expected. The story depicts their struggles as idols, overcoming jealousy among the members, their national terrestrial debut, movie auditions, and other events.

The novel setting in which three former yakuza members become idols, and the comical depiction of their activities. The story of these three gangsters who have no honor and honorless idols will make you want to cheer them on.

Kami Kuzu Idol

After "Kami Kuzu Idol" appeared in the July 2017 issue of "Comic Zero-Sum" and "Zero-Sum Online," it began serialization in the February 2018 issue of the same magazine. It was also selected as No. 3 in the Comics category of the "Next Comic Award 2019." It is also being adapted into an anime in the summer of 2022.

Watch the anime "Kami Kuzu☆Idol" in distribution.

The main character is Yuya Niyodo, a member of the male idol unit "ZINGS. Since he wants to make easy money as an idol, he is fed up with troublesome things such as fan service. Because of this, he is sometimes booed by fans as a "dead-eyed idol," and he is fired by his agency.

Then one day, Yuya meets Asahi Mogami, a former idol and ghost who has already passed away. Yuya, who wants to earn money for fun, and Asahi, who wants to be an idol, have the same interests, so Asahi possesses Yuya and they work hard at their idol activities.

The scene where the unmotivated Yuya appears at a live concert sitting on a chair because he is "too tired" and turns off the microphone is unintentionally funny because it is not the kind of behavior one would expect from an idol. This idol manga is recommended for those who like gag manga.

A story about an old man (36) who becomes an idol Author: Mochiko Mochida

This work is a comic adaptation of an idol novel that was serialized on "Shosetsu-kaerou" (Novelist's Letter).

The main character is Miroku Osaki, 36 years old, weighing 120 kg, unemployed, a recluse, and a virgin. He was bullied in school for being fat, and was laid off from the company he worked for.

One day, Osaki fell in love with a certain "Odottemita (I tried dancing to it)" video. Wanting to try it himself, he started going to the gym and karaoke, and he lost a lot of weight and transformed into a very handsome man. By mistake, he uploaded his own dance video, which caused a public uproar and buzz. He then forms an idol group with the president of an entertainment agency and an ex-host he met at the gym.

The readers will be encouraged by the sight of Miroku, who had been a recluse, gradually getting out of the house. This is a work that should be read by people of all ages.

Sayonara Miniskirt

Sayonara Miniskirt" is a manga serialized in "Ribbon" from the September 2018 issue.

The main character, Hanako Amamiya, was once the steadfast center of the very popular idol group "PURE CLUB. However, at a handshake event six months ago, her arm was cut by an enthusiastic fan with a knife.

Traumatized both mentally and physically, Hanakoi retired from idol singing. She dared to look like a male student at school by shortening her hair and wearing a boy's school uniform. However, a male student recognizes her as Hanakoi, the former center of "PURE CLUB. From there, a light gradually begins to shine in Hanakoi's heart, but she discovers someone who has the same habit as the culprit--and the story begins to unfold.

This work is full of suspenseful elements, and is of course recommended for readers who like "[guess who]". The way Hanako's heart opens up is also unintentionally captivating.

This time, we introduced five idol manga. Why don't you try reading other idol manga before the second season of "[Mystery Child]" starts?