A Polar Bear in Love
A Polar Bear in Love (Japanese: 恋するシロクマ, Hepburn: Koisuru Shirokuma) is a Japanese shōjo manga series by Koromo. A Polar Bear in Love was first launched in Comico in December 2014 before being serialized in the monthly manga magazine Monthly Comic Gene beginning in June 2015.
A Polar Bear in Love | |
恋するシロクマ (Koisuru Shirokuma) | |
---|---|
Manga | |
Written by | Koromo |
Published by | Kadokawa |
English publisher | Yen Press |
Imprint | Monthly Comic Gene Series |
Magazine | Comico Monthly Comic Gene |
Demographic | Shōjo |
Original run | December 2014 – present |
Volumes | 4 |
Original video animation | |
Directed by | Kazuya Ichikawa |
Written by | Kazuya Ichikawa |
Music by | Scenario Art |
Released | March 4, 2017 |
Runtime | 5 mins. |
Episodes | 10 |
Plot
A lost earless seal finds himself in the company of a polar bear. The polar bear falls in love with the seal, but the fearful seal constantly misinterprets his romantic advances as a strong desire to eat him.
Characters
- Seal (アザラシ君, Azarashi-kun)
- Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae[1]
- Polar Bear (シロクマさん, Shirokuma-san)
- Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara[1]
- Cathy (キャシー, Kyashī)
- Voiced by: Tetsuya Kakihara[2]
- Orca (シャチ, Shachi)
- Voiced by: Ryohei Otani[3]
Media
Manga
A Polar Bear in Love is written and illustrated by Koromo. The manga was first launched on the manga app Comico in December 2014.[4] It was later serialized in the monthly magazine Monthly Comic Gene beginning in June 2015.[4] The chapters were later released in 4 bound volumes by Kadokawa under the Monthly Comic Gene Series imprint.
In 2017, Yen Press licensed the manga for distribution in English.[5]
No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | January 27, 2016 | 978-4-04-067892-4 | November 21, 2017[6] | 978-0-31-644171-1 |
2 | August 27, 2016 | 978-4-04-068528-1 (regular edition) ISBN 978-4-04-068529-8 (limited edition towel bundle) | February 27, 2018[7] | 978-0-31-644173-5 |
3 | March 27, 2017 | 978-4-04-069091-9 (regular edition) ISBN 978-4-04-068914-2 (limited edition drama CD bundle) | July 24, 2018[8] | 978-1-97-532622-7 |
4 | April 27, 2018 | 978-4-04-069830-4 (regular edition) ISBN 978-4-04-069833-5 (limited edition pouch bundle) | December 11, 2018[9] | 978-1-97-532889-4 |
5 | December 27, 2021 | 978-4-04-680956-8 (regular edition) | January 17, 2023[10] | 978-1-97-532889-4 |
Anime
An anime adaptation was announced in December 2016 as a theatrical short.[4] The film was written and directed by Kazuya Ichikawa, with Yō Yamada in charge of sound direction and Scenario Art providing the theme song.[11] The film was screened on March 4, 2017.[11]
Theatrical shorts
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Passing By Each Other" Transcription: "Surechigai" (Japanese: すれ違い) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | March 4, 2017[11] |
2 | "If You Eat Me" Transcription: "Taberu nara" (Japanese: 食べるなら) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | May 13, 2017[12] |
3 | "A Misunderstanding" Transcription: "Gokai" (Japanese: 誤解) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | July 1, 2017 |
4 | "Uneasiness" Transcription: "Fuan" (Japanese: 不安) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | September 4, 2017 |
Web shorts
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
0 | "Encounter" Transcription: "Deai" (Japanese: 出会い) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | March 1, 2017 |
1 | "Ice Wall Slam" Transcription: "Hyōhekidon" (Japanese: 氷壁ドン) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | November 3, 2017[13] |
2 | "The Weight of Love" Transcription: "Ai no Omosa" (Japanese: アイの重さ) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | December 1, 2017[14] |
3 | "This is Correct" Transcription: "Kore ga Seikai" (Japanese: これが正解) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | February 1, 2018 |
4 | "Dear Star" Transcription: "Ohoshi-sama" (Japanese: お星さま) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | January 15, 2018 |
5 | "Food Chain" Transcription: "Shokumotsu Rensa" (Japanese: 食物連鎖) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | March 1, 2018 |
6 | "Matching Outfits" Transcription: "Osoroi" (Japanese: お揃い) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | May 4, 2018 |
7 | "It Hurts (Part 1)" Transcription: "Kurushii (1)" (Japanese: 苦しい(1)) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | July 6, 2018 |
8 | "It Hurts (Part 2)" Transcription: "Kurushii (2)" (Japanese: 苦しい(2)) | Kazuya Ichikawa | Kazuya Ichikawa | September 7, 2018 |
Reception
Reviewers at Anime News Network praised the artwork, but had mixed opinions about the story's more serious moments.[15] The book came under scrutiny when parents in Orange County, California pushed to have the book banned. [16]
References
- Sherman, Jennifer (December 28, 2016). "Koisuru Shirokuma Anime Casts Natsuki Hanae, Yuichiro Umehara". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (March 15, 2019). "A Polar Bear in Love Anime Casts Tetsuya Kakihara as Cathy". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 16, 2018). "A Polar Bear in Love Anime Casts Ryōhei Ōtani as Killer Whale". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 13, 2016). "Koisuru Shirokuma Manga About Polar Bear in Love With Seal Gets Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Ressler, Karen (April 15, 2017). "Yen Press Licenses Saga of Tanya the Evil, Acca 13, One Week Friends, A Polar Bear in Love, More". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- "Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 1". Yen Press. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- "Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 2". Yen Press. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- "Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 3". Yen Press. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- "Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 4". Yen Press. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- "Polar Bear in Love, Vol. 5". Yen Press. Retrieved July 26, 2023.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 15, 2017). "Koisuru Shirokuma 'Petite' Theatrical Anime Debuts in March". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (May 16, 2017). "Koisuru Shirokuma 'Petit' Anime's 2nd Episode Debuts". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 3, 2017). "A Polar Bear in Love Anime Streams Web-Only Short". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- Sherman, Jennifer (December 1, 2017). "A Polar Bear in Love Anime Streams New Short". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
- Price, Austin; McNulty, Amy; Silverman, Rebecca (November 10, 2017). "A Polar Bear in Love - The Fall 2017 Manga Guide". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- "Orange Unified suspends digital library after parents' book complaints". January 31, 2023.
External links
- Official website
- A Polar Bear in Love (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
- A Polar Bear in Love (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia