The Cells at Work! universe is set to bid farewell to one of its medical-themed spinoffs. Cells at Work! Medicine, a manga focusing on the inner workings of pharmaceuticals within the human body, is scheduled to conclude in the July issue of Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine, which will be released on May 26, 2025.
A Look Inside Cells at Work! Medicine
Cells at Work! Medicine (Hataraku Saibō Okusuri) explores the fascinating world of how medicines function inside the body. Written by Koma Warita and illustrated by Ryō Kuji, the manga launched in May 2023, simultaneously with another spinoff, Cells at Work! Cat. Both spinoffs were created with cooperation from Shimizu Production.
Other Cells at Work! Spinoffs
The Cells at Work! franchise has spawned numerous spinoffs, each offering a unique perspective on the cellular world:
Cells at Work! Code Black: Written by Shigemitsu Harada and illustrated by Issei Hatsuyoshiya, this series portrays a body in distress due to unhealthy habits. It ended in January 2021 and received an anime adaptation.
Cells at Work! Lady: This spinoff, penned by Akari Otokawa and Shigemitsu Harada, focused on the female physiology, covering topics like menstruation and pregnancy. It concluded in September 2022.
Cells at Work! Illegal: Kae Hashimoto’s Cells at Work! Illegal explored the cells within a body subjected to substance abuse and violence. It ran until July 2023.
Cells at Work! Muscle: Yū Maeda’s Cells at Work! Muscle, which centered on the muscles of the human body, ended its serialization on February 20, 2025. The fifth and final volume is slated for release in May.
Cells at Work! Cat: Written by Choco Aozora and illustrated by Meku Kaire, this series explores the inner workings of a cat’s body. It started in May 2023.
Cells at Work! Bacteria!: One of the many spin-offs that expands upon the original series.
Cells at Work!: Neo Bacteria!: Another spin-off focusing on the bacterial inhabitants of the body.
Cells at Work! White Brigade: This series focuses on white blood cells and their functions. It was serialized from October 2020 to July 2022.
Cells at Work! Baby: This series follows cells inside a baby’s body. It was serialized from October 2019 to October 2021.
Cells NOT at Work!: A humorous take on the franchise.
Cells at Work! Platelets!: Focusing on the adorable platelet characters. It was serialized from May 2019 to April 2021.
The Original Cells at Work!
Akane Shimizu launched the original Cells at Work! manga in March 2015 in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine, bringing the adventures to a close in January 2021. Kodansha USA Publishing releases the manga in English. The series gained immense popularity, leading to two anime seasons, the first of which premiered in July 2018, and the second in January 2021.
