The romantic comedy manga series, ‘Shut Up, Takamori!’ (Japanese title: Takamori-kun o Damarasetai!!), is set to conclude on May 22, 2025. The announcement came from the May issue of Square Enix’s Gangan Joker magazine, where the manga has been serialized. Fans have been following the story of Minamikawa and Takamori since its debut as a one-shot in June 2023, followed by its full serialization later that year.
A Telepathic Rom-Com
‘Shut Up, Takamori!’ centers around Minamikawa, a high school girl who possesses the ability to read minds. Her classmate, Takamori, is usually quiet and expressionless, but his inner thoughts are anything but silent. Minamikawa is constantly bombarded with Takamori’s internal monologue, which primarily consists of his infatuation and love for her.
The series explores the comedic and often embarrassing situations that arise from Minamikawa’s telepathic ability and Takamori’s loud, love-struck thoughts. The central conflict revolves around Minamikawa’s attempts to “shut up” Takamori’s inner voice, or at least find a way to cope with the constant stream of his affections.
Manga UP! Global, which publishes the manga in English, describes the premise as: “Minamikawa knows the secret of the boy who sits next to her in class, Takamori. That’s because she can hear people’s thoughts, and Takamori’s thoughts are full of how he’s madly in love with her! Can she somehow silence Takamori’s ever-persistent inner voice, or will she die of embarrassment first?! The story of this telepath’s high school romantic comedy begins!”
Series Overview
- Title: Shut Up, Takamori! (Takamori-kun o Damarasetai!!)
- Author: Kamiharu Haruno
- Genre: Romantic Comedy, School Life, Slice of Life, Supernatural
- Demographic: Shonen
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Serialization: Gangan Joker
- English Publisher: Manga UP! Global
- Debut: June 2023 (one-shot), later serialized
- Number of Volumes: 4 (as of January 21, 2025)
- Final Chapter: May 22, 2025
The Creator: Kamiharu Haruno
‘Shut Up, Takamori!’ is the work of author and artist Kamiharu Haruno. Haruno first released ‘Shut Up, Takamori!’ as a one-shot story in Gangan Joker in June 2023, before turning it into a serialized manga.
Reception
‘Shut Up, Takamori!’ has garnered a fanbase that enjoys its lighthearted and humorous take on the rom-com genre. The manga’s premise, while not entirely unique, offers an entertaining exploration of telepathy and high school romance. Some reviews highlight the predictable nature of the plot but acknowledge its overall enjoyment due to the silly characters and comedic situations.
One reviewer on MyAnimeList.net noted: “The story isn’t particularly unique; it follows a familiar high school love story trope with funny and silly characters. Despite its predictability, I still enjoyed it because I’m a fan of this genre and enjoy lighthearted, humorous tales.”
Another reviewer commented on the characters: “The plot and characters are all negligible — they don’t have close to as much depth as you’d want in a story, and there’s tons of cliches and stereotypes from a typical “cute manga,” but it’s still surprisingly enjoyable.”
Where to Read
For those interested in reading ‘Shut Up, Takamori!’, the series is available in English on Manga UP! Global.
Final Thoughts
As ‘Shut Up, Takamori!’ approaches its conclusion, fans are eager to see how Minamikawa and Takamori’s relationship will develop and whether Minamikawa will ever find a way to truly “shut up” Takamori’s thoughts. The final chapter promises to deliver a satisfying resolution to this telepathic romantic comedy.
