The Darwin Incident

The Darwin Incident
First tankōbon volume cover
ダーウィン事変
(Dāuin Jihen)
Genre
Manga
Written byShun Umezawa [ja]
Published byKodansha
English publisher
ImprintAfternoon KC
MagazineMonthly Afternoon
DemographicSeinen
Original runJune 25, 2020 – present
Volumes8
Anime television series
Directed by
  • Naokatsu Tsuda
  • Katsuichi Nakayama
Written byShinichi Inotsume
StudioBellnox Films

The Darwin Incident (Japanese: ダーウィン事変, Hepburn: Dāuin Jihen) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shun Umezawa [ja]. It has been serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon since June 2020. An anime television series adaptation produced by Bellnox Films has been announced.

By May 2024, the manga had over 1.6 million copies in circulation. In 2022, The Darwin Incident won the 15th Manga Taishō, as well as the Excellence Award at the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival.

Plot

During a commando operation carried out by an animal rights organization in a biological research institute, a pregnant chimpanzee is discovered, which will give birth to a "humanzee", a half-human, half-chimpanzee being. Named Charlie, he is raised by human parents for fifteen years. Neither human nor animal, his behavior and his sensitivity will create sparks within the community. But Charlie is unaware that elsewhere, a group of vegan activists seek to make of him their emblem.

When Charlie entered high school, he met Lucy, a girl who was ridiculed as a "nerd" but was a bright girl, and developed friendship with him. However, the ALA (Animal Liberation Alliance), which "repeatedly engages in terrorist activities in search of animal liberation", adds Charlie to its comrades and "plans to lure him into terrorism", taking extreme measures. It causes the townspeople to change their attitude towards Charlie and his family.

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Shun Umezawa [ja], The Darwin Incident started in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Monthly Afternoon on June 25, 2020.[3] Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on November 20, 2020.[4] As of November 21, 2024, eight volumes have been released.[5]

During their panel at Anime NYC 2022, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the manga,[6][7] with the first volume released on September 5, 2023.[8]

Volumes

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 November 20, 2020[9]978-4-06-521398-8September 5, 2023[8]978-1-64-729316-1
  • 1. "Hybridization"
  • 2. "Observers" (観察者, Kansatsusha)
  • 3. "Kaleidoscope Eyes" (万華鏡の目, Mangekyō no Me)
  • 4. "Heterosis" (ヘテローシス, Heterōshisu)
  • 5. "One of a Kind"[a]
2 May 21, 2021[10]978-4-06-523314-6November 7, 2023[11]978-1-64-729317-8
  • 6. "A Gap in the Law"
  • 7. "The Struggle for Rights" (権利のための闘争？, Kenri no Tame no Tōsō)
  • 8. "Omen" (兆し, Kizashi)
  • 9. "Direct Action" (セイギノミカタ, Sei Ginomikata)
  • 10. "Red Pill" (レッド・ピル, Reddo piru)
  • 11. "Trickster"
3 November 22, 2021[12]978-4-06-525778-4January 23, 2024[13]978-1-64-729318-5
  • 12. "Visitors" (訪問者, Hōmon sha)
  • 13. "Scapegoat" (スケープゴート, Sukeipugōto)
  • 14. "Is-Ought"
  • 15. "Bluebeard's Castle ①" (青髭の城にて①, Aohige no Shiro Nite ①)
  • 16. "Bluebeard's Castle ②" (青髭の城にて②, Aohige no Shiro Nite ②)
  • 17. "Bluebeard's Castle ③" (青髭の城にて③, Aohige no Shiro Nite ③)
4 April 21, 2022[14]978-4-06-527946-5March 5, 2024[15]978-1-64-729337-6
  • 18. "Unowned Property" (無主物, Mushu Butsu)
  • 19. "Transfer of Ownership" (所有権の移転, Shoyū Ken no Iten)
  • 20. "Sexual Dimorphism" (性的二形, Seiteki Futanari)
  • 21. "Little Shop of Horrors"
  • 22. "Will"
5 March 23, 2023[16]978-4-06-531026-7May 7, 2024[17]978-1-64-729343-7
  • 23. "A Family Affair"
  • 24. "Pet Cemetery"
  • 25. "The Price of Logos" (ロゴスの代償, Rogosu no Daishō)
  • 26. "On the Border"
  • 27. "Galton Inc." (ゴルトン社, Goruton Sha)
6 November 22, 2023[18]978-4-06-533687-8July 9, 2024[19]978-1-64-729355-0
  • 28. "Animal Spirits"
  • 29. "Manhunt"
  • 30. "Surrogate"
  • 31. "Summit Meeting" (首脳会談, Shunō Kaidan)
  • 32. "The Darwinian Algorithm" (ダーウィンのアルゴリズム, Dāwin no Arugorizumu)
7 May 22, 2024[20]978-4-06-535534-3June 10, 2025[21]978-1-64-729453-3
8 November 21, 2024[5]978-4-06-537463-4——

Anime

In May 2024, it was announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation.[22] The series will be produced by Bellnox Films and directed by Naokatsu Tsuda, with Katsuichi Nakayama serving as series director, Shinichi Inotsume overseeing series scripts, and Shinpei Tomooka designing the characters.[23]

Reception

By May 2024, the manga had over 1.6 million copies in circulation.[24] It ranked 10th on Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2022 list of best manga for male readers.[25] The series won the 15th Manga Taishō in 2022.[26][27][28] The series ranked second on the Publisher Comics' Recommended Comics of 2022.[29] It won an Excellence Award at the 25th Japan Media Arts Festival in 2022.[30] It was ranked fifth at the 1st Late Night Manga Award hosted by Bungeishunjū's Crea magazine in 2022.[31] It was nominated for the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2023;[32] it was also nominated for the 48th edition in the same category in 2024.[33] The manga was awarded the French 17th ACBD's Prize "Asie de la Critique" in 2023.[34] It was nominated for the Japan Society and Anime NYC's first American Manga Awards in the Best New Manga category in 2024.[35]

Notes

  1. ^ "One" (rendered in Latin-script) in the Japanese release.

References

  1. ^ 『マンガ大賞2022』で大賞に輝いた作品『ダーウィン事変』の魅力 人間とチンパンジーから生まれた“ヒューマンジー”の全く新しいヒーロー像に注目. Nippon Broadcasting News Online (in Japanese). Nippon Broadcasting System. April 27, 2022. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  2. ^ マンガ大賞2022『ダーウィン事変』が大賞に決定 半分ヒトで半分チンパンジーが主人公の社会派サスペンス. Nippon News Network (in Japanese). Nippon Television. March 28, 2022. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  3. ^ うめざわしゅんの新連載「ダーウィン事変」がアフタで、第1話をCCライセンスで提供. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. June 25, 2020. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  4. ^ 半分ヒトで半分チンパンジーの主人公を描く、うめざわしゅん「ダーウィン事変」1巻. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 20, 2020. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  5. ^ a b 【11月21日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 21, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "Fall 2023 New Print Licensing Announcement". Kodansha USA. November 23, 2022. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
  7. ^ Hazra, Adriana (November 25, 2022). "Kodansha USA Licenses Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Chat Noir, 15 More Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Mateo, Alex (September 5, 2023). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, September 3–9". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  9. ^ 【11月20日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 20, 2020. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  10. ^ 【5月21日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. May 21, 2021. Archived from the original on August 3, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  11. ^ Mateo, Alex (November 8, 2023). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, November 5–11". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  12. ^ 【11月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 22, 2021. Archived from the original on April 3, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  13. ^ Mateo, Alex (January 25, 2024). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, January 21–27". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  14. ^ 【4月21日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 21, 2022. Archived from the original on August 22, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  15. ^ Mateo, Alex (March 6, 2024). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, March 3–9". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  16. ^ 【3月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 23, 2023. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  17. ^ Mateo, Alex (May 8, 2024). "North American Anime, Manga Releases, May 5–11". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  18. ^ 【11月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 22, 2023. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  19. ^ "The Darwin Incident 6". Penguin Random House. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  20. ^ 【5月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. May 22, 2024. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  21. ^ "The Darwin Incident 7". Penguin Random House. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  22. ^ Cayanan, Joanna; Mateo, Alex (May 21, 2024). "Shun Umezawa's Darwin Incident Manga Gets TV Anime Adaptation". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  23. ^ Mateo, Alex (November 20, 2024). "Darwin Incident Anime Unveils Teaser Visual, Staff". Anime News Network. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  24. ^ 「ダーウィン事変」TVアニメ化！うめざわしゅん「制作さんも声優さんも100%マジです」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. May 22, 2024. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  25. ^ 『このマンガがすごい!2022』1位に『ルックバック』『海が走るエンドロール』 藤本タツキ氏は2年連続. Oricon News (in Japanese). December 7, 2021. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  26. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (January 17, 2022). "15th Manga Taisho Awards Nominate 10 Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  27. ^ マンガ大賞2022発表！大賞はうめざわしゅん「ダーウィン事変」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 28, 2022. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  28. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 28, 2022). "Shun Umezawa's Darwin Jihen Manga Wins 15th Manga Taisho Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  29. ^ 書店員が選んだおすすめコミック2022、第1位は龍幸伸「ダンダダン」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 27, 2022. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  30. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 13, 2022). "Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, Sonny Boy, Oddtaxi, More Win Media Arts Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  31. ^ CREA初のマンガ大賞「夜ふかしマンガ大賞」発表、1位は冬野梅子「まじめな会社員」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 7, 2022. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  32. ^ 第47回講談社漫画賞、最終候補作15作品を発表. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 10, 2023. Archived from the original on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  33. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (April 8, 2024). "48th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards' Nominees Announced". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  34. ^ "Darwin's incident de Shun Umezawa, 17ème Prix Asie de la Critique ACBD". Association des Critiques et des journalistes de Bande Dessinée (in French). July 16, 2023. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  35. ^ Pineda, Rafael (July 17, 2024). "1st American Manga Awards Announces Nominees". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 17, 2024.

Further reading