Let's Go Karaoke! Explained

Ja Kanji:カラオケ行こ!
Ja Romaji:Karaoke Iko!
Genre:Comedy
Creator:Yama Wayama
Type:manga
Author:Yama Wayama
Publisher:Enterbrain
Imprint:Beam Comics
Volumes:1
Type:manga
Fami-res Iko
Author:Yama Wayama
Publisher:Enterbrain
Magazine:Comic Beam
Published:November 12, 2020
Type:live film
Director:Nobuhiro Yamashita

is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yama Wayama. The series follows a yakuza lieutenant who seeks instruction in karaoke from the head of a high school choir. It was originally published as a (self-published manga) in 2019 before being published as a book by Kadokawa Future Publishing in 2020. A one-shot (single chapter) sequel, was published in the November 2020 issue of the manga magazine Comic Beam. A live-action film adaptation premiered in Japan in January 2024.

Synopsis

Satomi Oka, the third-year head of a junior high school choir, is in preparations for his final performance before graduating. After seeing him perform, yakuza lieutenant Kyouji Narita asks Satomi to coach him in singing in advance of an annual karaoke competition held by his boss.

Development and release

Series creator Yama Wayama originally approached the manga magazine Morning to write a manga series about the yakuza, though the editors of the magazine declined her pitch. Having previously authored (self-published manga), Wayama elected to instead publish the story in this format. She originally conceived of the story as one where a yakuza becomes a school teacher, but decided to instead make a story about a "bromance" between two characters with a significant age difference, ultimately settlling on the final concept of the story.

The was originally sold at the 129th edition of the convention COMITIA on August 25, 2019.[1] It sold out at the event and was re-released several times via mail order, but nevertheless sold out frequently and became difficult to obtain. Enterbrain acquired the series to publish as a collected edition, which was released on September 12, 2020.[2] The collected edition contains a newly illustrated chapter depicting Kyouji's past, as well as general additions and corrections to the art and dialogue. An English-language translation was published by Yen Press on May 24, 2022.[3]

A one-shot sequel,, was published in the December 2020 issue of Enterbrain's manga magazine Comic Beam on November 12, 2020. The one-shot depicts Satomi as a freshman in college.[4] The bonus chapter from the Enterbrain edition was re-published in the May 2021 issue of Comic Beam, published on April 12, 2021.[5]

Adaptations

A live reading of Let's Go Karaoke! was performed at Tokorozawa Sakura Town in Tokorozawa, Saitama on December 19, 2021. The performance starred Taichi Ichikawa as Satomi, Takuya Eguchi as Kyouji, and Kenta Miyake as Kyouji's boss.[6] A Let's Go Karaoke-themed pop-up cafe was hosted at the EJ Anime Theater in Shinjuku, Tokyo from December 4 to 26, 2021, to promote the live reading.[7]

A live-action film adaptation, directed by Nobuhiro Yamashita and written by, premiered on January 12, 2024.[8] It had been scheduled to be released in 2023, but was delayed.[9] The film stars Jun Saitō as Satomi and Go Ayano as Kyouji.

Reception

By October 2022, Let's Go Karaoke! had over 500,000 copies in circulation.

The series was nominated for the 14th Manga Taishō in 2021, placing third;[10] it was nominated for the 17th edition in 2024.[11] It ranked fourth in the 2021 edition of ;[12] and was also ranked in the women's edition of the 2021 Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, placing fifth.[13]

The live-action film debuted at eighth at the Japanese box office on its opening weekend,[14] and seventh on the following weekend.[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: COMITA 129 . COMITA . June 2, 2022 . Japanese.
  2. Web site: 和山やま「カラオケ行こ!」が単行本に、合唱部の中学生とヤクザが歌のレッスン . Comic Natalie . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . June 8, 2020.
  3. Web site: Mateo . Alex . North American Anime, Manga Releases, May 22–28 . . June 2, 2022 . May 24, 2022.
  4. Web site: 和山やまのシリーズ読切「ファミレス行こ。」がビームで始動、岡聡実の東京ライフ . Comic Natalie . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . November 11, 2020.
  5. Web site: 和山やま「ファミレス行こ。」第1話が登場、「高丘親王航海記」は最終章に . Comic Beam . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . April 12, 2021.
  6. Web site: 和山やま「カラオケ行こ!」が朗読劇に!成田狂児役を江口拓也、岡聡実役は市川太一 . Comic Natalie . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . October 8, 2021.
  7. Web site: 「カラオケ行こ!」のコラボカフェ、レッスン代いちごミルクや紅いあの曲のドリンクなど . Comic Natalie . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . November 19, 2021.
  8. Web site: Let's Go Karaoke! Manga Gets Live-Action Film in 2023. Anime News Network. Pineda. Rafael. June 9, 2022. June 10, 2022.
  9. Web site: Live-Action Let's Go Karaoke! Film's Teaser Announces January 2024 Delay. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. June 5, 2023. Anime News Network. September 12, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230901092235/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2023-06-05/live-action-let-go-karaoke-film-teaser-announces-january-2024-delay/.198846. September 1, 2023. live.
  10. Web site: マンガ大賞2021、大賞は山田鐘人・アベツカサ「葬送のフリーレン」 . Comic Natalie . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . March 16, 2021.
  11. Web site: 「マンガ大賞2024」ノミネート10作品を発表 . Comic Natalie . January 23, 2024 . Japanese . January 23, 2024.
  12. Web site: 「このマンガを読め!」1位は近藤ようこ「高丘親王航海記」、和山やまは2作ランクイン . Comic Natalie . June 2, 2022 . Japanese . December 17, 2020.
  13. Web site: カラオケ行こ! . Mangapedia . Heibonsha, Shogakukan, et al. . June 2, 2022.
  14. Web site: https://eiga.com/news/20240116/6/. ja:「劇場版SPY×FAMILY」が4週連続V! 「ある閉ざされた雪の山荘で」が2位、「アクアマン」が3位【国内映画ランキング】. Eiga.com. January 16, 2024. January 21, 2024. ja.
  15. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2311497/full/. ja:映画ランキング:『ゴールデンカムイ』初登場1位、『SPY×FAMILY』『あの花』『ウィッシュ』が続く. Oricon News. Oricon. January 22, 2024. January 22, 2024. ja.