City (manga)

Did You Know?

• The anime adaptation was Kyoto Animation's first non-sequel anime since the arson attack in 2019.
• The story follows the Mont Blanc Trio navigating life in a city called City.

Characters

Midori Nagumo is a 20-year-old university sophomore at Mont Blanc University who works as a waitress at the Makabe's Western Bistro and lives at Mokumesei Manor. Though often the story's main trickster, she is a gifted athlete and generally kind. Ayumu Niikura, an 18-year-old freshman at the same university, dreams of becoming a photographer and also resides at Mokumesei Manor; she has been friends with Nagumo since school days, inspired by her to take up photography and keeps a photo of Nagumo in a locket. Wako Izumi, another university sophomore at Mont Blanc University and a Mokumesei Manor resident, has a spontaneous personality and often lands in strange situations due to her unusual behavior. Tsurubishi Makabe owns and heads the family Western-style restaurant; he is married to an archaeologist and father to Tatewaku and Matsuri, and though a responsible caregiver, he has a quirky side. Tatewaku Makabe is a second-year high school student and substitute soccer player with a crush on Riko. Matsuri Makabe, a middle school student, spends free time with her best friend Ecchan. Obaba, Tsurubishi's mother-in-law, owns Mokumesei Manor. Professor Makabe, Tsurubishi's wife, is an archaeological professor at Mont Blanc University who travels the world and sends artifacts home. Dr. Adatara is a retired scientist and patriarch. Mr. Adatara runs a liquor store and with his wife has five children: Tatsuta, the eldest son and former soccer player; Kamome, the eldest daughter who managed Shia Azumaya; Ryōta, a classmate of Tatewaku and Riko called the "modern-day William Tell"; and twins Umi and Sora. Riko Izumi is also listed.

Media

Keiichi Arawi created and illustrated the manga City, which first appeared in Kodansha's Morning magazine on September 29, 2016, and ended its initial run on February 4, 2021, spanning 13 collected volumes. To mark the final volume's release, an online autograph contest was held. The series made a comeback in Morning on December 12, 2024, three years after finishing, and wrapped up again on October 16, 2025, with its second run collected in two more volumes. At Anime Expo 2017, Vertical announced they had licensed the manga for English publication. An anime adaptation titled City the Animation was revealed on September 21, 2024. Kyoto Animation produced it as their first non-sequel project since the 2019 arson attack, with Taichi Ishidate directing, Tamami Tokuyama handling character designs and chief animation direction, and music by the Piranhans. The series aired on Tokyo MX from July 7 to September 29, 2025, totaling 13 episodes made up of 80 short segments. Riho Furui performed the opening theme "Hello," and Tomoo performed the ending theme "Lucky." ABC Animation holds global rights, with Amazon Prime Video streaming worldwide outside Japan.

Reception

The manga "City" was named the best ongoing series for adults by Rob McMonigal at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con. Most reviewers liked it: Sean Gaffney found it smile-inducing, Ian Wolf recommended it to fans of Arawi's Nichijou, and Ross Locksley gave it a seven out of ten, calling it a nine for Nichijou fans but a five for others. Critic Katherine Dacey disagreed, describing the humor as tired slapstick and the characters as strenuously unpleasant.