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Futari H Manga Has 27 Million Copies in Print in Japan, 2.5 Million Overseas
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
This year's fifth issue of Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine revealed on Friday that that Aki Katsu's Futari H (Manga Sutra) manga has 27 million copies in print in Japan (including digital sales), and 2.5 million copies in print overseas.
As of December 2016, the series had 26 million copies in print.
Young Animal announced in September that the manga would have "big news" that month — the news was that the manga's 72nd and 73rd volumes would have a limited edition with a full-color illustration book and a "volume 72.5" bonus manga.
Katsu (Psychic Academy, The Vision of Escaflowne) has been drawing Manga Sutra, which describes itself as a "love bible" or a "user's manual" for people in love, in Young Animal and Young Animal Arashi since 1997. The manga inspired two original video anime (OVA) series in 2002 and 2014. Hakusensha published the manga's 72nd and 73rd compiled book volumes last November. Monkey Chop launched a spinoff of the manga focusing on Akira last June.
Tokyopop published Katsu's The Vision of Escaflowne, Psychic Academy, and Manga Sutra in North America before closing its doors in 2011. Media Blasters licensed and released the 2002 OVAs on DVD in North America under the title Step Up Love Story.
A third live-action film based on Manga Sutra shipped on home video in Japan in 2012.
