Given (manga)

High schooler Ritsuka Uenoyama is the guitarist for a band composed of himself, bassist Haruki Nakayama, and drummer Akihiko Kaji. He becomes a reluctant guitar teacher to Mafuyu Satō, a shy classmate, after repairing the broken strings on Mafuyu's Gibson ES-330. Ritsuka quickly realizes that Mafuyu is an exceptionally talented singer, and invites him to join the band.

Ritsuka learns that Mafuyu's guitar was previously owned by Yūki Yoshida, Mafuyu's childhood friend and boyfriend who died from suicide. The band begins composing music in advance of a live performance, but Mafuyu is unable to write lyrics for the song. The day of the performance, Mafuyu has a breakthrough and sings a powerful song about his feelings of loss over Yūki. The song prompts Ritsuka and Mafuyu to act on their growing romantic feelings for each other; they kiss backstage, and begin dating. The band names itself "Given", in tribute to the guitar given to Mafuyu by Yūki's mother after his passing.

Given begins to develop a following after posting a video of their live performance online. The band decides to enter into a major amateur music festival, and begin preparing new material. Their efforts are complicated by Haruki's secret romantic feelings for Akihiko, and Akihiko's continued involvement with his ex-boyfriend Ugetsu Murata. Tensions mount until Akihiko is kicked out of the apartment he shares with Ugetsu and later assaults Haruki, though Haruki forces Akihiko to end the encounter before they have sex.

Lacking a place to live, Akihiko moves in with Haruki; their cohabitation grows to become pleasant, but rife with lingering romantic and interpersonal tension. The day of their qualifying concert, Akihiko ends his relationship with Ugetsu. Mafuyu leads the band in performing a new song he has written, but Given is not selected for the festival. Time passes, and Akihiko moves out of Haruki's apartment and commits seriously to music study. He pledges to Haruki that he will be a better man; they confess their love for each other, and begin dating.

Mafuyu Satō (佐藤 真冬, Satō Mafuyu)

Voiced by: Sōma Saitō (audio drama),[2] Shōgo Yano (anime)[3]

A 16-year-old high school student, and the band's lead vocalist and guitarist. Though he lacks experience and professional training, Mafuyu is a naturally gifted musician and singer, and quickly becomes a skilled guitar player, singer, and songwriter. He suppresses his emotions following the suicide of his boyfriend Yūki, resulting in an outwardly shy and aloof personality, but he becomes ferociously expressive when he performs. He owns a nine-month-old Pomeranian named Kedama.

Ritsuka Uenoyama (上ノ山 立夏, Uenoyama Ritsuka)

Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa (audio drama),[2] Yuma Uchida (anime)[3]

A 16-year-old high school student, and the band's lead guitarist. Having played guitar since he was a child, he is highly practiced and talented with the instrument. He has a kind personality, though is somewhat stoic and bullish in his interactions with others, and is inexperienced in matters of love and romance. As the series commences he has lost his enthusiasm for guitar, though his passion for music returns as he grows closer to Mafuyu.

Haruki Nakayama (中山 春樹, Nakayama Haruki)

Voiced by: Yasuaki Takumi (audio drama),[2] Masatomo Nakazawa (anime)[3]

A 22-year-old graduate student, and the band's bassist and bandleader. He has a jovial personality and, as the oldest member of the band, often functions as the group's mediator. He has a longstanding crush on Akihiko.

Akihiko Kaji (梶 秋彦, Kaji Akihiko)

Voiced by: Satoshi Hino (audio drama)[2] Takuya Eguchi (anime)[3]

A 20-year-old college music student, and the band's drummer. He is majoring in violin performance, and is skilled in many other instruments. He has had relationships with women and men and is experienced in matters of love and romance, and frequently offers advice to others on these matters. He lives with his ex-boyfriend Ugetsu, which whom he maintains an on and off relationship.

Yūki Yoshida (吉田 由紀, Yoshida Yūki)

Voiced by: Yoshiki Nakajima (audio drama), Yuuki Shin (anime)

Mafuyu's childhood friend and boyfriend, who died from suicide prior to the events of the series and appears only through flashbacks. Though Yūki's outgoing and impulsive personality was in stark contrast to Mafuyu's shyness, they bonded over their common background as latchkey kids from single-parent homes, and eventually became lovers. A falling out between the two led Yūki to drink heavily and hang himself. Prior to his death, Yūki played guitar in a band with Hiiragi and Yagi.

Ugetsu Murata (村田 雨月, Murata Ugetsu)

Voiced by: Atsushi Tamaru (audio drama), Shintarō Asanuma (anime)[4]

A world-renowned violinist, and Akihiko's roommate and ex-boyfriend.

Yayoi Uenoyama (上ノ山 弥生, Uenoyama Yayoi)

Voiced by: Sayuri Yahagi (audio drama), Yū Shimamura (anime)

Ritsuka's older sister. Has an unrequited crush on Akihiko.

Shōgo Itaya (板谷 翔吾, Itaya Shōgo)

Voiced by: Junya Enoki (audio drama), Kengo Takanashi (anime)

Ritsuka's friend and classmate. A soccer striker who is regarded as a rising athlete in the Kanto region. He has excellent motor skills and is skilled at other ball games, including basketball.

Ryū Ueki (植木 涼, Ueki Ryū)

Voiced by: Taku Yashiro (audio drama), Hiroto Amano (anime)

Ritsuka's friend and classmate. Plays center for the school's basketball team.

Hiiragi Kashima (鹿島 柊, Kashima Hiiragi)

Voiced by: Toshiki Masuda (audio drama), Fumiyo Imai (anime)[4]

Mafuyu's former classmate and childhood friend. Formerly played bass in a band with Yuuki and Yagi. He cares deeply for Mafuyu, having been aware of his relationship with Yūki.

Yagi Shizusumi (八木 玄純, Shizusumi Yagi)

Voiced by: Daiki Hamano (audio drama), Taito Ban (anime)

Mafuyu's former classmate and childhood friend. Formerly played drums in a band with Yuuki and Hiiragi.

Kōji Yatake (矢岳 光司, Yatake Kōji)

Voiced by: Daiki Hamano (audio drama), Ryota Takeuchi (anime)

Haruki's college classmate. A bassist and vocalist, he also a video editor who helps promote bands.

Tsubaki (つばき)

Voiced by: Mitsuhiro Nakae (anime)

A staff member at the music venue where Mafuyu works. Appears only in the anime adaptation.

Given has been serialized in the bimonthly magazine Cheri+ since April 2013.[5] In Japan, the series has been collected into five bound volumes published by Shinshokan.[6] An English-language translation is published by the Viz Media-Animate joint publishing initiative SuBLime, with the first volume released in February 2020.[7][8]

Given is the first multi-volume work produced by manga artist Natsuki Kizu, following her two previous single-volume series Yukimura-sensei to Kei-kun (Yukimura and Kei, 2013)[9] and Links (2014).[10]

An audio drama CD adapting scenes from the first volume of Given was included with the February 2016 issue of Cheri+.[2] That same month, Crown Works began to release a series of audiobook drama CDs that adapt each volume of the manga.[17]

An anime television series adaptation produced by Lerche was announced during a Fuji TV press conference on March 14, 2019.[3] The series aired from July 11 to September 19, 2019 on Noitamina, the network's late-night anime programming block, making Given the first boys' love series to air on Noitamina.[3][25] The series is syndicated by Crunchyroll, which simulcast the series worldwide outside of Asia.[26]

The series' primary production staff includes Hikaru Yamaguchi as director, Yuniko Ayana as scriptwriter, Mina Osawa as character designer, and Michiru as score composer.[3][27] The series' four original songs — opening theme "Kizuato", closing theme "Marutsuke", and original songs "Session" and "Fuyu no hanashi" (lit. "A Winter Story") — are composed and performed by Centimillimental, with additional vocals from Mafuyu voice actor Shōgo Yano on "Marutsuke" and "Fuyu no hanashi".[4][28] The anime features a new voice cast, re-casting the roles from the Crown Works audio drama.[3]

The majority of the episode titles in Given are references to British alternative rock songs, Ritsuka's favorite genre of music; episode nine is titled after the original song performed in the episode.[29]

Aniplex released Given across four volumes, in DVD and Blu-ray media formats.

A Given original film was announced on September 19, 2019. It was originally scheduled for release on May 16, 2020.[42][43] Development of the film was transferred from Noitamina to Blue Lynx, Fuji TV's yaoi anime label launched in 2019.[44] The production staff and voice cast of the anime adaptation will return for the film, including Hikaru Yamaguchi as director and Yuniko Ayana as screenwriter. The film will be a direct continuation of the anime series and will adapt the second arc of the manga, which focuses on the relationship between Haruki and Akihiko.[45] On April 13, 2020, it was announced that the film has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[46]

A stage play adaptation of Given was announced on April 3, 2020, to be staged at theaters in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka from August 15 to September 6. The play will be directed by Fumiya Matsuzaki, with Given anime screenplay writer Yuniko Ayana returning as scriptwriter.[47]

The second volume of Given reached #39 on Oricon, selling 17,484 copies in its second week for a total of 30,308 copies as of February 2016.[48] The third volume reached #37 on Oricon, and sold 24,345 copies in its first week.[49] The series ranked #7 in the boys' love category on the digital book service BookLive! in the first half of 2019.[50]

The anime adaptation of Given was positively received by critics. In a review of episodes one and two for Anime News Network, Steve Jones called the series "one of the season's most emotionally resonant offerings," praising its soundtrack and Yamaguchi's direction.[51] The series' writing, which Jones noted was "undercooked, but not egregiously so" in his initial review, was noted by Jones as improving in subsequent episodes.[52][53] Specific praise was given to the relationship between Mafuyu and Ritsuka, with Jones calling it "one of the most compelling anime romances of the year."[54]

In a review for Crunchyroll, Adam Wescott called Given "the best show you aren't watching right now," giving specific praise to its sound and lighting design.[55]