The final chapter of Yūya Kurokami and Karuna Kanzaki’s manga series, Yō, Aquarist (What’s Up, Aquarist?), was published on Saturday in the September issue of Kadokawa’s Shōnen Ace magazine. The romantic comedy, which centers on the unexpected journey of a delinquent into the intricate world of fishkeeping, will see its third and final compiled book volume released on August 26.
A Brief Run for the Aquatic Rom-Com
Yō, Aquarist began its serialization in Shōnen Ace in August 2023. Kadokawa had released the second volume of the manga in November 2024. The series quickly drew attention due to the collaboration of Kurokami and Kanzaki, known for their previous work, Armed Girl’s Machiavellism.
Plot of ‘Yō, Aquarist’
The narrative of Yō, Aquarist revolves around Tetsuo, a tough-looking individual with a hidden compassionate side. Following a summer festival, Tetsuo encounters two goldfish discarded in the trash, still in their water-filled plastic bags. Haunted by a past experience of unintentionally causing a goldfish’s death, he attempts to release them into a nearby river.
His attempt is thwarted by a mysterious and beautiful girl named Kanade, who identifies herself as an aquarist. Kanade explains that releasing goldfish into the wild is detrimental to them. She persuades Tetsuo to keep the goldfish, initiating his challenging, yet rewarding, journey into the world of aquarists. The series then delves into Tetsuo learning the nuances of fishkeeping with Kanade’s guidance.
The Creators’ Previous Collaboration: ‘Armed Girl’s Machiavellism’
Yūya Kurokami and Karuna Kanzaki are well-known for their previous successful manga, Armed Girl’s Machiavellism (also known as Busō Shōjo Machiavellism). This action-comedy series ran in Shōnen Ace from March 2014 to June 2022. Kadokawa published all 13 compiled volumes of Armed Girl’s Machiavellism, with the final volume released in August 2022. The popularity of Armed Girl’s Machiavellism led to an anime adaptation that premiered in April 2017. The anime was streamed by Sentai Filmworks on Amazon’s Anime Strike streaming channel, and later became available on Amazon Prime and HIDIVE.
