Barakamon (ばらかもん) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Satsuki Yoshino. It was serialized on Square Enix's Gangan Online website from February 2009 to December 2018. The story follows Seishu Handa, a calligrapher who moves to the remote Gotō Islands off the western coast of Kyūshū, and his various interactions with the people of the island. An anime adaptation by Kinema Citrus aired in Japan between July and September 2014. Funimation has licensed the series for streaming and home video release. In February 2014, Yen Press announced they have licensed Barakamon for English release in North America. The manga resumed limited serialization in Monthly Shōnen Gangan from April to September 2023.
Cover of the first manga volume, featuring Seishu Handa (top) and Naru Kotoishi (bottom)
Gangan is a manga imprint owned by Square Enix Holdings. It originated as a manga imprint for Enix before the company re-branded as Square Enix. It publishes manga in several anthologies aimed at different reader demographic groups in the Japanese market. Its anthologies are home to some popular Square Enix manga series which were adapted into anime series, like Fullmetal Alchemist, Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit, Nabari no Ou, Inu x Boku SS, The Case Study of Vanitas and Soul Eater. The comics are later collected in paperback volumes under brand names such as Gangan Comics , Gangan Comics Joker and Young Gangan Comics , which identify the anthology of serialisation. These paperback brand names are formed by omitting any gekkan or shōnen in the magazine name and inserting Comics directly after the word Gangan.
Monthly Shōnen Gangan (08/2021 issue)