Sakamichi no Apollon (2025)

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Sakamichi no Aporon, Kids on the Slope

Japanese: 坂道のアポロン

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 9

Chapters: 45

Status: Finished

Published: Sep 28, 2007 to Jan 28, 2012

Genres: Award Winning, Drama, Romance

Themes: Love Polygon, Music, School

Demographic: Josei

Serialization: Flowers (Monthly)

Authors: Kodama, Yuki (Story & Art)


Statistics

Score: 8.501 (scored by 11,322 users)

1 indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #1472

2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #592

Members: 31,047

Favorites: 957


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Sakamichi no Apollon

8.50

Ranked #147Popularity #592Members 31,047

MangaFlowers (Monthly)Kodama, Yuki (Story & Art)

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Volumes: /9

Chapters: /45

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Synopsis

Constantly transferring schools since childhood, Kaoru Nishimi has always been seen as a social outcast when he transfers due to his intellectual nature and wealthy background. But after moving to Kyushu for his first year of high school, things begin to change when Kaoru befriends the class president Ritsuko Mukae and, unexpectedly, the notorious school delinquent Sentarou Kawabuchi. While Kaoru is an honors student, Sentarou is constantly getting into fights and skipping class. However, these two opposites find a common ground in one thing—music.

One day, Kaoru is invited by Ritsuko to visit her family's record store, where he finds Sentarou in the basement showcasing his skill in jazz drumming. Kaoru, being a classical pianist, knows nothing about jazz. But inspired by the performance, he begins to open his mind to the genre alongside Sentarou. The duo begin to practice in after-school jazz sessions in the record store's basement. As he spends more time improving his skills in jazz, Kaoru finds a person whom he can truly call his friend, and comes to learn the joys of playing music. Sakamichi no Apollon follows their story of friendship and love brought together by jazz.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Sakamichi no Apollon won the 57th Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category in 2011.

The series was published in Polish by J.P. Fantastica from July 2, 2015, to April 20, 2017; and in Spanish by Milky Way Ediciones from September 29, 2015, to June 28, 2016.

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Adaptation (TV)

Sakamichi no Apollon

Side Story:
  • Sakamichi no Apollon: Bonus Track (Manga)

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More characters

Characters

Kawabuchi, Sentarou

Main

Nishimi, Kaoru

Main

Mukae, Ritsuko

Main

Katsuragi, Junichi

Supporting

Fukahori, Yurika

Supporting

Mukae, Tsutomu

Supporting

Matsuoka, Seiji

Supporting

Kaoru's Aunt

Supporting

Nishimi, Father

Supporting

Maruo, Shigetora

Supporting


Reviews

Write review

10 Recommended

1 Mixed Feelings

0 Not Recommended

All reviews (11)

Apr 30, 2012

loey

Recommended

While I write this review, the intro of Moanin' by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers is playing inside my head. Not just that, for two weeks, all I could hear was pure and awesome jazz songs. Of course it's Sakamichi no Apollon's fault.

Music. Do you know how powerful can it be? C'mon, I bet music changed your life or your day, at least once. Now, jazz songs. Jazz is contagious, you hear it and starts tapping your fingers, moving your shoulders or doing weird footsteps under the table. It's magical! In the end, you're smiling and you don't even know how that ...

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Dec 8, 2012

tlne

Recommended

Sakamichi No Apollon (also known as Kids On The Slope) is a josei manga which can get some catchy jazz song in your head, and manage to keep it there all day. At first, you'd catch yourself tapping your fingers or toes to some melody, and after some time, you just can't stop. The musical style of jazz is off-beat, nonrhythmic, and often improvises the melodies. It's very different, but often in a good way.

That definition also best describes Sakamichi No Apollon.

As the winner of the 57th Shogakukan Manga Award for General Manga, I don't think you could really expect anything sub-par. Kaoru, a stotic, ...

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Sep 9, 2021

drazorback

Mixed Feelings

Original review in french below

What about Kids on the Slope? This manga follows three high school students in late 1960s Japan and revolves around jazz. I wrote "gravity", because if this noble musical genre cements the relations between our three young whippersnappers - namely: a binoclard letting go of the classical piano for improvised freedom, a young American-Japanese half-breed stuffing his drums and the charming damsel in the middle - it still seems to me that the real heart of the matter is more the feelings than the music.

Where a Blue Giant, released more recently, frankly insisted on musical discipline, music theory and the history ...

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More news

Recent News

'Sakamichi no Apollon' Gets Live-Action Film for 2018

The cover of Shogakukan's Flowers June issue (pictured) has announced that Yuki Kodama's Sakamichi no Apollon will receive a theatrical live-action adaptat...read more

Apr 28, 2017 2:16 PM by Sakana-san | Discuss (19 comments)

Watanabe Shinichiro Directs Sakamichi no Apollon

According to the official website, the production staff of Sakamichi no Apollon was announced. Watanabe Shinichiro and Kanno Yoko will work together for the first ti...read more

Jan 26, 2012 4:39 PM by dtshyk | Discuss (83 comments)


More discussions

Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 45 Discussion
Dodecahedron-O24 - Jun 12, 2012
46 repliesby Rhae »»
May 18, 12:14 PM
Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 5 Discussion
Dodecahedron-O24 - Apr 22, 2012
5 repliesby BookBirdie »»
May 9, 4:34 AM
Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 23 Discussion
Dr_Funkadelic - May 12, 2012
3 repliesby aru4l »»
Feb 22, 10:33 AM
Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 1 Discussion
stickymochi - Dec 30, 2011
6 repliesby Cherrysky »»
May 2, 2023 9:52 AM
Sakamichi no Apollon - Official Fan Book not on mal
Sukhmonchan - Nov 5, 2021
0 repliesby Sukhmonchan »»
Nov 5, 2021 10:33 AM

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