| Type: | manga |
| Author: | Shohei Manabe |
| Publisher: | Kodansha |
| Demographic: | Seinen |
| Imprint: | Afternoon KC |
| Magazine: | Monthly Afternoon |
| First: | May 2000 |
| Last: | August 2000 |
| Volumes: | 1 |
| Type: | live film |
| Director: | Katsuhito Ishii |
| Licensee: | Funimation |
Smuggler (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shohei Manabe. It was serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon from May 2000 to August 2000 and published in a single volume. A live-action film adaptation was released in October 2011.
Manabe took inspiration from the works of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in the making of the series.[1]
Written and illustrated by Shohei Manabe, the series began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon in May 2000; it completed its serialization in August 2000.[2] Its chapters were collected into a single tankōbon volume, which was released on August 21, 2000.[3] A one-shot prequel was released in August 2011.[4]
In August 2005, Tokyopop announced that they licensed the series for English publication.[5] After Tokyopop ceased publishing the series, it was licensed by One Peace Books in March 2013.[6]
A live-action film adaptation was announced in October 2010.[7] Directed by Katsuhito Ishii and starring Satoshi Tsumabuki, the film was released on October 22, 2011. A spin-off drama for mobile devices was released on October 7, 2011.[8]
In March 2012, Cinema Asia Releasing announced that they licensed the film for international distribution.[9] However, in January 2014 Funimation and Giant Ape Media announced that they licensed the film. They released the film on DVD on April 1, 2014.[10]
Ken Haley from Pop Culture Shock praised the story and characters, though felt the art in the early portion of the series was ugly and amateurish.[11] In , writer Jason Thompson praised the artwork as realistic and the story as "well-written [and] tightly plotted".[12]