The hit manga series Komi Can't Communicate has been going strong in Japan since May 2016 and is up to 22 volumes as of this writing. 14 volumes have been released in the West, with the charming, slice-of-life story finding countless fans there too.
Komi Can't Communicate, written and illustrated by Tomohito Oda, tells the tale of a quiet but popular high school student named Shoko Komi who has set a goal for herself: to make 100 friends and reinvent her social life. Now is a better time than ever for manga and anime fans to join the Komi Can't Communicate club. Here's how to get started.
The Story & Characters Of Komi Can't Communicate
Komi Can't Communicate is a shonen slice-of-life manga with vague shojo overtones, given the mild but slowly growing chemistry between Shoko Komi and her classmate, Hitohito Tadano. The story isn't a full-blown romance though -- it's more about self-acceptance, making friends, and realizing one's own potential. Still, Komi Can't Communicate has a bit of everything for many manga fans, from wholesome friendships to high school shenanigans to subtle romantic overtones.
Shoko Komi has always been shy and withdrawn, struggling to speak to anyone outside her family. Once in high school, she resolves to make 100 friends, and in the process, discover the people around her while allowing them to discover what she is really like. Komi has a reputation for being a beautiful, aloof ice queen, but that's just everyone misinterpreting her stoic silence. In reality, she eagerly wants to connect to everyone around her, and her quest begins in earnest when her plain but empathetic classmate Hitohito Tadano learns of her goal. He becomes Komi's first friend, and through encouragement and social insights, Hitohito helps Komi make new friends of all sorts, including some of Tadano's own friends. Along the way, Komi starts to wonder if he is more than just her first-ever friend, but she's far too shy to look into it seriously.
Where To Read The Komi Can't Communicate Manga
The ongoing manga is widely available in English, though it has not yet been collected in omnibus volumes or deluxe hardback editions as of this writing. The series has 14 volumes available so far, with Volume 15 slated to release on October 12th, 2021. Interested readers can find these Komi Can't Communicate volumes in Barnes & Noble's online catalog, either in paperback or the Nook edition for fans of digital media. RightStufAnime also has these volumes in its own catalog in print edition, while Amazon.com offers Komi Can't Communicate both in print and with Kindle digital versions via comiXology.
Where To Watch The Komi Can't Communicate Anime
As of this writing, the Komi Can't Communicate anime is right around the corner, and curious fans can check out the Netflix trailer to see what the buzz is all about. The anime is slated to begin streaming on Netflix outside of Japan on October 21. There are not yet any Blu-Ray releases of the Komi anime.
