Recent from talks
Nothing was collected or created yet.
Starving Anonymous
View on Wikipedia| Starving Anonymous | |
![]() First volume cover | |
| 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous- (Shokuryō Jinrui: Starving Anonymous) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Yuu Kuraishi |
| Illustrated by | Kazu Inabe |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | e Young Magazine |
| Original run | March 11, 2016 – November 5, 2018 |
| Volumes | 7 |
| Manga | |
| Starving Anonymous Re:Velation | |
| Written by | Yuu Kuraishi |
| Illustrated by | Kazu Inabe |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher |
|
| Magazine | Comic Days |
| Original run | April 8, 2021 – June 15, 2023 |
| Volumes | 7 |
Starving Anonymous (Japanese: 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-, Hepburn: Shokuryō Jinrui: Starving Anonymous) is a Japanese manga series written by Yuu Kuraishi and illustrated by Kazu Inabe. It was serialized on the manga website e Young Magazine from March 2016 to November 2018, and published in seven tankōbon volumes.
A sequel series, titled Shokuryō Jinrui Re: Starving Re:velation, started serialization on the Comic Days manga website from April 2021 to June 15, 2023. As of July 2023, it has been published in seven tankōbon volumes.
Premise
[edit]Set in a dystopian near-future facing climate change and shortages, teenager I'e is riding the bus home from school when all of the passengers begin to pass out. They've all been gassed.
I'e wakes up within a horrifying facility where captured humans are farmed, bred, and experimented on by other humans in the cultish service of large, monstrous, insect-like creatures they hope will save the planet.
I'e teams up with four others, his friend Kazu who was on the bus with him, a middle-aged man named Ogura who has been secretly living in the facility for years, and two men named Natsune and Yamabiki who have similarly avoided being trapped. The group attempts to explore and escape the facility, encountering other horrific revelations along the way.
Publication
[edit]The series is written by Yuu Kuraishi and illustrated by Kazu Inabe. It started serialization on Kodansha's e Young Magazine manga website on March 11, 2016.[3][4] The series finished serialization on November 5, 2018.[2] The series was published in seven tankōbon volumes.[5]
A sequel series, titled Starving Anonymous Re:Velation, started releasing on the Comic Days manga website on April 8, 2021. The sequel is also written by Yuu Kuraishi and illustrated by Kazu Inabe.[6] As of July 2023, the sequel has been published in seven tankōbon volumes.[7]
In February 2018, Kodansha USA announced they licensed the series for English publication digitally.[8] Kodansha are publishing the sequel series in English on their K Manga service.[9]
Volume list
[edit]Main series
[edit]| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 20, 2016[10] | 978-4-06-382855-9 | March 13, 2018[11] | 978-1-64-212176-6 |
| 2 | March 17, 2017[12] | 978-4-06-382941-9 | April 10, 2018[13] | 978-1-64-212177-3 |
| 3 | June 20, 2017[14] | 978-4-06-382985-3 | May 29, 2018[15] | 978-1-64-212178-0 |
| 4 | November 20, 2017[16] | 978-4-06-510305-0 | June 12, 2018[17] | 978-1-64-212290-9 |
| 5 | April 20, 2018[18] | 978-4-06-511264-9 | July 10, 2018[19] | 978-1-64-212319-7 |
| 6 | September 20, 2018[20] | 978-4-06-512702-5 | January 8, 2019[21] | 978-1-64-212615-0 |
| 7 | February 20, 2019[5] | 978-4-06-514554-8 | June 18, 2019[22] | 978-1-64-212893-2 |
Sequel
[edit]| No. | Release date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 8, 2021[23] | 978-4-06-524869-0 |
| 2 | January 12, 2022[24] | 978-4-06-526537-6 |
| 3 | April 13, 2022[25] | 978-4-06-527396-8 |
| 4 | September 14, 2022[26] | 978-4-06-529220-4 |
| 5 | February 8, 2023[27] | 978-4-06-530635-2 |
| 6 | April 12, 2023[28] | 978-4-06-531335-0 |
| 7 | July 12, 2023[7] | 978-4-06-532413-4 |
Reception
[edit]Bernard Monasterolo from Le Monde praised the plot for its "morbid imagination", and called the art a "real success".[29] Koiwai from Manga News also praised the first volume, calling it a "successful introduction".[30] Erwan Lafleuriel from IGN also praised the plot, stating it was "carried out smoothly".[31] Contrary to Monasterolo, Koiwai, and Lafleuriel's thoughts, Katherine Dacey from Manga Critic criticized the series, calling the story "efficient but artless" and stating the art "ranges from slickly generic to willfully ugly".[1]
The series ranked tenth in the first Next Manga Award in the web manga category.[32]
See also
[edit]- Fort of Apocalypse — Another manga series by the same authors.
- My Wife is Wagatsuma-san — Another manga series written by Yuu Kuraishi.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Dacey, Katherine (March 27, 2018). "A First Look at Starving Anonymous". Manga Critic. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ a b Sherman, Jennifer (November 5, 2018). "Starving Anonymous Horror Manga Ends". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ e Young Magazine [@e_youngmagazine] (March 11, 2016). ★巨弾新連載★ (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 22, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous- 第1話. e Young Magazine (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on March 16, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ a b 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(7) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ Hazra, Adriana (April 18, 2021). "Starving Anonymous Manga Gets Sequel". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ a b 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(7) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- ^ Ressler, Karen (February 27, 2018). "Kodansha USA Licenses Starving Anonymous, Perfect World, Liar x Liar Manga Digitally". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Kodansha's K Manga app launches with 60 English simupubs among 400 titles". Sora News 24. May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 1". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(2) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 2". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(3) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 3". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(4) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 4". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(5) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 5". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ 食糧人類-Starving Anonymous-(6) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 6". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Starving Anonymous, Volume 7". Kodansha USA. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(1) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(2) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(3) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
- ^ 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(4) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ^ 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(5) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ 食糧人類Re: -Starving Re:velation-(6) (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ Monasterolo, Bernard (October 28, 2018). "" Starving Anonymous ", le manga qui vous mène à l'abattoir". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ Koiwai (October 12, 2018). "Starving Anonymous Vol. 1". Manga News (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ Lafleuriel, Erwan (March 12, 2020). "Starving Anonymous - Review". IGN (in French). Retrieved May 29, 2021.
- ^ "Past Winners" (in Japanese). Next Manga Award. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
External links
[edit]- Official website (in Japanese)
- Starving Anonymous (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
Starving Anonymous
View on GrokipediaOverview
Premise
Starving Anonymous follows high school students I'e and Kazu, who experience an ordinary day commuting home on a bus until it suddenly fills with a mysterious gas, causing them to lose consciousness.[2][1] Upon awakening, they find themselves thrust into a nightmarish dystopian reality far removed from their everyday lives.[4] The core premise centers on humanity's entrapment within a vast, sealed enclosure known as the Cradle, where resources are severely limited, forcing survivors to scavenge for sustenance amid constant peril from grotesque, monstrous entities.[5] This isolated environment amplifies the immediate desperation, as individuals must navigate brutal competition for food and safety, highlighting themes of survival and human depravity.[1] From its outset, the series establishes a graphic horror tone through vivid depictions of starvation's physical toll, visceral violence, and profound moral quandaries that test the protagonists' resolve without resolution.[4] The narrative emphasizes the raw isolation and hopelessness of this world, drawing readers into a relentless struggle against overwhelming odds.[2]Setting
The world of Starving Anonymous is a dystopian near-future Earth devastated by climate change, manifesting in extreme weather anomalies such as unseasonal heat waves, alongside acute resource shortages and a plummeting birth rate that exacerbate societal collapse.[6] These conditions have triggered a global food crisis, forcing humanity into desperate measures for survival, with limited supplies leading to widespread starvation and the commodification of human life as a resource.[2][1] At the heart of this narrative is the Cradle, a vast, enclosed bunker-like facility constructed as an ark to isolate inhabitants from the toxic external environment, where a hypnotic gas is systematically deployed to abduct and transport individuals into containment.[1][5] This self-contained structure, built just three years prior to the main events as a cooling tower repurposed for survival, features compartmentalized sections including storage buildings and processing areas, where infrastructure shows signs of strain from overuse amid the scarcity.[7] Food rationing systems within the Cradle have irreparably failed, perpetuating cycles of hunger that drive the emergence of grotesque mutations among desperate humans, resembling ghouls warped by prolonged deprivation and exposure to experimental conditions.[6] Society inside the Cradle is rigidly stratified, divided between a controlling elite—overseen by scientific and administrative figures like the Halcyon Group—who monopolize access to scant resources, and the captive underclass treated as livestock for breeding and consumption to sustain the facility's operations, ultimately serving extraterrestrial overlords.[5][3] The atmosphere is one of perpetual oppression, marked by dim, confined spaces that evoke endless night, failing life-support mechanisms, and the pervasive stench of decay, amplifying the psychological strain of isolation and malnutrition, which induces hallucinations and erodes mental resilience among the confined.[4] This toxic interplay of environmental hazards and societal hierarchies underscores the horror of a world where survival demands unthinkable sacrifices.[2]Production
Creative Team
Yuu Kuraishi served as the primary writer for Starving Anonymous, drawing on his established background in horror manga to craft the series' intense survival narrative and underlying social themes.[1] Kuraishi, who previously co-created the zombie apocalypse story Fort of Apocalypse (2011–2015) with artist Kazu Inabe, brought a similar focus on human desperation and societal collapse to Starving Anonymous, where protagonists navigate a world ravaged by famine and regeneration experiments.[8] His scripting emphasized psychological tension and critiques of overpopulation and resource scarcity, integrating these elements seamlessly into the plot's high-stakes action.[2] Kazu Inabe provided the illustrations, leveraging his expertise in grotesque and visceral artwork to heighten the manga's body horror and violence.[1] Inabe, known for his detailed depictions of mutilated forms and chaotic environments in prior works like Fort of Apocalypse, employed techniques such as exaggerated shading and dynamic paneling to amplify dread and physical suffering in Starving Anonymous.[9] These methods, including close-up renders of regenerating flesh and bloodied confrontations, balanced the visual intensity with the story's pacing, ensuring that horror elements supported rather than overwhelmed the narrative progression.[10] Kengo Mizutani contributed the original concept for the series, providing foundational ideas that shaped its dystopian premise of human experimentation amid global crises.[1] While primarily a supporting role, Mizutani's involvement extended to aspects of the storyline, particularly in volume adaptations and the sequel Starving Anonymous Re:Velation, which concluded in 2023 with seven volumes, where he is credited alongside Kuraishi and Inabe.[11][12] The editorial team at Kodansha, overseeing serialization in e Young Magazine, handled production coordination, though specific editors remain uncredited in public records.[2] The creative dynamics between Kuraishi and Inabe, built on their successful prior collaboration for Fort of Apocalypse, allowed Kuraishi's detailed story outlines—focusing on survival mechanics and thematic depth—to be visualized by Inabe in a way that maintained tight plot pacing while maximizing visual impact through horror aesthetics.[8] No public information details assistants for inking or backgrounds, suggesting a core team effort under Kodansha's guidance.[13]Development
The development of Starving Anonymous originated from the creative synergy of its team, building directly on the success of their prior collaboration, the zombie survival manga Fort of Apocalypse (also known as Apocalypse no Toride), serialized from 2011 to 2015. Original concept creator Kengo Mizutani, writer Yuu Kuraishi, and artist Kazu Inabe sought to craft another high-stakes survival narrative, this time centered on a reversed food chain where humans become prey in a grotesque, conspiracy-driven world.[14] The series was conceived as a "survival panic" story emphasizing humanity's vulnerability, with early planning focused on a digital-first approach for Kodansha's e Young Magazine platform.[15] The writing and artistic process involved adapting to the vertical-scrolling digital format of e Young Magazine, which influenced pacing decisions such as strategic cliffhangers to maintain reader engagement across episodic releases. Kuraishi developed the scripts from Mizutani's core concept of humans as livestock, iterating through storyboards to heighten tension through psychological and physical isolation without relying on overt supernatural tropes, instead grounding the horror in plausible escalations of scarcity and predation. Inabe faced particular challenges in ethically rendering the graphic depictions of cannibalism and monstrous consumption, opting for meticulous anatomical detail to evoke visceral revulsion while avoiding sensationalism, drawing from his experience illustrating zombies in Fort of Apocalypse to balance horror with narrative impact.[16][17] Key artistic and narrative decisions included selecting ordinary high school protagonists—passive types who get caught up in events—to enhance relatability and underscore themes of sudden vulnerability among everyday youth. The evolution from initial concept sketches to final scripts incorporated feedback loops between the team, with some early ideas for alternate survival paths reportedly refined or scrapped to streamline the escalating despair. Pre-serialization development spanned approximately 2015 to early 2016, prioritizing the construction of atmospheric tension through confined settings and moral dilemmas before the debut in March 2016.[13][17]Publication
Serialization
Starving Anonymous was serialized digitally on Kodansha's platforms, originally debuting on Young Magazine Kaizokuban on April 28, 2014, and continuing on e Young Magazine website following its 2016 relaunch, until November 5, 2018, consisting of 64 black-and-white chapters released on an irregular schedule and later compiled into seven tankōbon volumes.[3] The sequel series, Shokuryō Jinrui Re: Starving Re:velation, transitioned to serialization on the Comic Days website from April 8, 2021, to June 15, 2023, maintaining a comparable digital black-and-white format with 61 chapters across seven tankōbon volumes.[12] This digital-first approach on Kodansha's online platforms facilitated episodic chapter releases directly to readers, contrasting with the constraints of traditional print magazines by enabling more flexible scheduling and immediate accessibility.[18]Volume Releases
The main series of Starving Anonymous, originally titled Shokuryou Jinrui, was compiled into seven tankōbon volumes by Kodansha under the Young Magazine Comics imprint from 2016 to 2019.[19] The volumes feature cover art that progressively intensifies the horror elements, beginning with subtle depictions of human figures in confined spaces and evolving to more explicit imagery of monstrous transformations and despair. Page counts range from 192 to 208, with each volume including author notes and minor extras such as concept sketches.[20]| Volume | Japanese Release Date | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 20, 2016 | 192 [19] |
| 2 | March 17, 2017 | 208 [20] |
| 3 | June 20, 2017 | 208 [21] |
| 4 | November 20, 2017 | 192 [22] |
| 5 | April 20, 2018 | 192 [23] |
| 6 | September 20, 2018 | 192 |
| 7 | February 20, 2019 | 192 [24] |
| Volume | Japanese Release Date | Pages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 8, 2021 | 192 [27] |
| 2 | January 12, 2022 | 192 [27] |
| 3 | April 13, 2022 | 192 [27] |
| 4 | September 14, 2022 | 192 [27] |
| 5 | February 8, 2023 | 192 [27] |
| 6 | April 12, 2023 | 192 [26] |
| 7 | July 12, 2023 | 192 [28] |

