Blue Box (manga)

Blue Box (アオのハコ) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kouji Miura. It has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump since April 2021, with its chapters collected in 15 volumes as of June 2024. An anime television series adaptation produced by Telecom Animation Film and TMS Entertainment is set to premiere in October 2024.

Synopsis
The series focuses on Taiki Inomata, a student at Eimei Junior and Senior High who is a member of the boys' badminton team. Every morning, he trains alongside his upperclasswoman and fellow crush Chinatsu Kano, who is on the girls' basketball team. However, Chinatsu moves in with Taiki's family when her parents leave Japan to work abroad. With Chinatsu now living with him, Taiki aims to slowly develop his relationship with her as they both strive to make it to the national championship with their respective teams.

Characters

 * Taiki Inomata (猪股 大喜)
 * The main protagonist. An avid Badminton player who strives to succeed despite setbacks. He greatly admires Chinatsu Kano for her dedication to Basketball and harbors a huge crush on her. While often awkward and emotional his unwavering determination and sincerity slowly earns him respect from others. His goal is to reach the National Championships a dream he shares with Chinatsu in their respective sports.
 * The main protagonist. An avid Badminton player who strives to succeed despite setbacks. He greatly admires Chinatsu Kano for her dedication to Basketball and harbors a huge crush on her. While often awkward and emotional his unwavering determination and sincerity slowly earns him respect from others. His goal is to reach the National Championships a dream he shares with Chinatsu in their respective sports.


 * Chinatsu Kano (鹿野 千夏)
 * The main female protagonist. She is the star player of the girls' basketball team. She is one grade above Taiki and is often the first person at practice. She was once a terrible Basketball player but her dedication has helped grow into a strong player who hopes to make Nationals. She moves in with Taiki's family when her parents leave to work abroad, and her and Taiki slowly become friends supporting each other.
 * The main female protagonist. She is the star player of the girls' basketball team. She is one grade above Taiki and is often the first person at practice. She was once a terrible Basketball player but her dedication has helped grow into a strong player who hopes to make Nationals. She moves in with Taiki's family when her parents leave to work abroad, and her and Taiki slowly become friends supporting each other.


 * Hina Chono (蝶野 雛)
 * Taiki's friend who is on the Rythmic Gymnastics team. She is quite theatrical and loves to tease Taiki. She slowly develops feelings for Taiki despite encouraging him to go after Chinatsu.
 * Taiki's friend who is on the Rythmic Gymnastics team. She is quite theatrical and loves to tease Taiki. She slowly develops feelings for Taiki despite encouraging him to go after Chinatsu.


 * Kyo Kasahara (笠原匡)
 * Taiki's best friend and fellow Badminton player. Quiet and observant he often understands more than anyone else. Though sarcastic (especially with Taiki) he is a genuinely caring and wise person.
 * Taiki's best friend and fellow Badminton player. Quiet and observant he often understands more than anyone else. Though sarcastic (especially with Taiki) he is a genuinely caring and wise person.


 * Kengo Haryū (針生健吾)
 * A skilled Badminton player in Chinatsu's grade who ends up becoming a mentor and rival to Taiki. Though he is often hard on Taiki he slowly grows to admire his tenacity and growing skill.
 * A skilled Badminton player in Chinatsu's grade who ends up becoming a mentor and rival to Taiki. Though he is often hard on Taiki he slowly grows to admire his tenacity and growing skill.

Manga
Written and illustrated by Kouji Miura, Blue Box began its serialization in Shueisha's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump on April 12, 2021. Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual volumes. The first volume was released on August 4, 2021. As of June 4, 2024, 15 volumes have been released.

On August 3, 2020, the one-shot version of Blue Box had been published on Weekly Shōnen Jump.

Blue Box has been licensed for simultaneous publication in North America as it is released in Japan, with its chapters being digitally launched by Viz Media on its Shonen Jump website. Shueisha also simulpublishes the series in English for free on the Manga Plus app and website. In February 2022, Viz Media announced that they had licensed the series in print format; the first volume was released on November 1 of the same year. The manga is also licensed in Indonesia by Elex Media Komputindo.

Chapters not yet in tankōbon format
These chapters have yet to be published in a tankōbon volume.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced in November 2023. It is planned and produced by TMS Entertainment, animated by Telecom Animation Film and directed by Yūichirō Yano, with Yūko Kakihara handling series composition, and Miho Tanino designing the characters. It is scheduled to premiere in October 2024 on TBS and its affiliates. In July 2024, it was announced that Netflix will be simulcasting the series.

Popularity
In August 2021, the first volume of the manga had over 170,000 copies in circulation in less than a week after its release.

In June 2021, Blue Box was nominated for the seventh Next Manga Award in the Best Print Manga category; it placed eighth out of 50 nominees, but won the Global Prize. The series ranked fourth on the Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2022.

Critical response
Anthony Gramuglia of Comic Book Resources (CBR) stated, "Blue Box is a sentimental story about human connection. It's beautifully drawn, at times resembling a manga more than a typical . If Blue Box continues, it will likely become an earnest, sincere entry in Shōnen Jump's romantic catalog". Timothy Donohoo of CBR compared Blue Box to Kenta Shinohara's Witch Watch and Shigure Tokita's Don't Blush, Sekime-san! due to both series having concepts and romantic aspects similar to Blue Box's.