Manga UP! Global has added Satsuki Yoshino's Handa-kun manga to its English-language offerings. The series, licensed by Yen Press for both digital and print release, is a prequel to Yoshino's popular Barakamon.
The story centers on Sei Handa, a gifted young calligrapher who, due to his own insecurities and negative perceptions, believes his classmates despise him. This misunderstanding fuels a comedy of errors and melancholy.
Handa-kun originally ran in Monthly Shonen Gangan from October 2013 to September 2016, with Square Enix publishing the seven compiled volumes. The manga also inspired a television anime adaptation in 2016, which was streamed by Funimation with English subtitles and later received an English broadcast dub.
Source: Email correspondence
