'The Fox & Little Tanuki, Volume One' by Mi Tagawa is a graphic novel about two special animals with great powers.

Senzou, the black fox, abused his powers and got punished for it. 300 years later, he has a chance to redeem himself on one condition, he has to help train tanuki Manpachi. Manpachi is young and inexperienced and makes mistakes. One of those involves a house ghost. Senzou gets frustrated and is punished by a necklace worn around Senzou’s neck.

I like this manga of new friends and supernatural beings. I found it can get a little confusing when the creatures transform, but I guess that’s part of the fun.

The Fox & The Little Tanuki is an entertaining, fast-paced manga that follows a grumpy evil fox spirit named Senzou whose tasked with looking after a tanuki cub, Manpachi. There's many meaningful themes woven throughout the roughly 150-page story which is family, learning from past mistakes, and lots more. But at its core the plot is about two unlikely companions who learn to work together as they solve problems for the gods.

The artwork is filled with lots of nature backdrops and reads like its animated, making it come to life.

Steeped in Japanese mythology this is a wonderful manga worth checking out, its equal parts fun and heartfelt, leaving you wanting to know more about these two that are the literal definition of the grumpy x sunshine pairing!
[Originally read in Jan. 2021]

So I'm reading this, and it's cute and adorable and fluffy like cotton candy, really sweet, y'know? But then there's all these feels going on too, the ones that clutch your heart and make you all teary eyed, so this isn't just a piece of warm fuzzy, it brings the heartache and the happy cry too. And the art is sooooo pretty! The characters are really good, they feel real and complex and not one-dimensional at all. But ahhhhhhh! Cliffhanger!

#TheFoxtheLittleTanukiVol1 #NetGalley

Super adorable! Senzou, a fox spirit who has been locked away for 300 years, is tasked with looking after a magically gifted raccoon cub. I love the Japanese mythology in this manga; I've heard of kitsune like Senzou but didn't realize there are so many different spirit creatures! The drawing style is adorable and I squee-ed practically every page.

This book is rated all ages. Due to the language complexity, I will probably recommend it to middle grade readers and up.

The Fox & the Little Tanuki was so absolutely adorable!!! I love the when grumpy old man character has to take care of a sunshine little kid and ends up becoming fatherly ahhh!!! I want to read the next volume now!! It ended on a cliffhanger and I just wanna know what happens :')

This was such a beautifully illustrated manga. I am not into comics/manga/graphic novels, but my kids enjoy them. This is the perfect “beginner” or “introduction” manga for those who aren’t familiar with the genre. The story is one told in many different ways through Asian cultures and it was neat to see the new spin on it.

This was a cute-ish story but it didn't really interest me enough to want to read more about the characters. The art is really adorable and well done though! I think it might be a story that younger readers enjoy a lot!

I loved this story so much! It was cute as HELL like it's the artwork and relatively simple, but it really warmed my heart. I can see this being geared to more of a middle-grade audience, but as an adult, I found it very entertaining. I liked learning about Japanese beliefs regarding the bakemono and about the different bakemono themselves. I always enjoy some cultural stuff in a book like this, that will help me interpret characters characteristics. The story itself is pretty lighthearted, with some humor and drama mixed in. It seemed to have the whole tough-guy character gets soft for the little one theme, which is common, but so gosh darn cute and heartwarming that I definitely don't mind. I love the relationship between Senzou and Manpatchi already, and I can't wait to see them grow closer together, as well as see each of them develop as characters. I am also interested to see more of the wolves and see if they grow to like Senzou, or decide to hate him forever. This book does end in a cliffhanger though, which is kind of a bummer because I can't wait to see what other adventures everyone gets into! I would be so happy to read more volumes of this and I definitely recommend it for people who need something to warm their soul and make them laugh! <3

ADORABLE!!!! I love everything about this book. The art is sooo cute, and the story is intriguing. It's interesting how it sets up the world of the gods, and the bakemono. I love how the relationship of the Fox and little Tanuki progresses. I would read this to my daughter in a heartbeat, and definitely get the rest when they come out!

This was so cute. The art was very pretty. And the characters were good. I love the baby Tanuki he is the most adorable thing ever. I am very excited to read more volumes. I love found family stories.

Summary:

Long ago, certain animals were granted special powers by the gods. Senzou, a Fox Spirit, is one of those blessed animals. However, he abused his power and didn't use it for good, as intended. This led to the ancient gods imprisoning Senzou and muting his abilities.

After 300 years, he is finally released back into the world. In exchange, Senzou must care for a young tanuki, Manpachi, and help him become a servant of the gods. If Senzou fails, he'll lose his once great powers forever!

But as it turns out, babysitting a mischievous tanuki is no easy task, especially when the gods use magical beads to bind the two animals together. The Fox Spirit has no choice but to set aside his pride and help raise Manpachi.

Pros:

Written and illustrated by Mi Tagawa, The Fox & Little features a largely interesting, cute, and lighthearted story. However, it isn't afraid to explore darker themes like abandonment and loneliness. This well balanced mix keeps things engaging and refreshing throughout the entire volume. The lighter and darker sides of this story blend to create an experience that is endearing, and at times, heartbreaking. It's so sad to see Manpachi suffering from the abandonment of his family. But, the manga pours on enough sweetness that it never feels like too much.

In addition, I appreciate when a seemingly carefree story can delve into more serious, mature issues. It's a risk for sure, but when executed well, it makes for a great mix. Moreover, the story is well-paced, never moving too fast or too slow. It moves at a pace suitable for most readers.

There's a decent amount of humor in this volume, and it's used well. The comedy never becomes too overwhelming, and it fits the story's lighter side very well. Without a dose of humor here and there, the book might become a bit too serious. So, this is also well maintained.

Next is my favorite aspect of The Fox & Little Tanuki. These characters are so endearing and fascinating, I found myself becoming attached right away. Manpachi is just so adorable and sweet. I was constantly fawning over his cute, curious behavior. Additionally, it was a treat to see Manpachi's interactions with Senzou, as the two are complete opposites. Going back to his trait of curiosity, I thought it was wonderful to see Manpachi have such a child-like fascination in everything.

Senzou is another interesting character. I normally don't like his type of character, but there are glimmers of kindness in the way he treats Manpachi, and that was enough for me to like him. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Senzou develops later on, and how his relationship with the tanuki progresses.

I've been a big fan of mythology since I was little, so I enjoyed the fantastical angle of this manga. I also like learning about Japanese mythology, specifically, and this story provides a fascinating take on it. In between each chapter, there was a page showcasing a different Japanese mythological creature. I absolutely loved these sections.

Furthermore, the manga's art is detailed and beautiful. It was a real treat for my eyes, with gorgeous, elegant illustrations. All the character designs were great, but I thought the animal based ones were especially impressive. Overall, the art's aesthetic is light, lovely, and unique.

Cons:

Really, my only complaint over this manga is how the first volume ended. Its conclusion came quite abruptly, leaving me a bit surprised. And I can't help but feel the stopping point was somewhat odd.

Final Thoughts:

Despite that tiny flaw, The Fox & Tanuki is certainly a worthwhile read. It boasts a cute, interesting, and well balanced story, along with a cast of colorful, endearing characters. The mythological parts are fascinating and well-executed, with intermittent descriptions of mythical creatures from actual Japanese legend. Moreover, the art is quite beautiful and contains plenty of detail. In conclusion, The Fox & Little Tanuki is a great manga that most genre fans will love for its many strong points. I'm very excited for the next volume!

Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars

Thanks to NetGalley, Diamond Book Distributors, and Tokyopop for this book.

I totally wasn't sure about this book but it was cute. It's a new take, haven't read many manga like it but I would be interested in reading the next book. I expected a bit more from the story but then it's only volume 1, so of course not a whole lot of character growth is going to happen yet. It would have been nice to get a bit MORE of the character personalities but of than that, a solid start to a manga.
The art was, eh, not a favourite, but it was still pretty and, considering how important the art is in manga, there's no way it could even remotely turn me off it.

This series story is about a fox spirit named Senzou getting sentenced by a goddess to raise a tanuki. He raising him with the purpose of having the tanuki work for the goddess. Senzou is the main character and this is his redemption story. The way he acts feels consistent and well written, and how he starts to change throughout volume one is at a nice pace. The tanuki is a solid character also. He is supposed to be a kid so his naiveness and optimistic outlook fell right for his character. The development of this big brother/little brother relationship is fun to watch happen and gives a Disney feel to the series. The art is well drawn and all the characters look unique. The side characters are enjoyable even though they feel one dimensional. There is one side character that might see some development later on but for now, she is one dimensional. The Fox and the Little Tanuki manages to stay entertaining throughout the entire story and leaves you ready for the next volume with the ending. Overall this series is really enjoyable with a nice cast of characters, well-drawn art, and a well-written story.

The gorgeous front cover initially drew me to this book and can I just say—wow. I love the art. The art is gorgeous and the panels are engaging. The Fox and the Little Tanuki, we follow Senzou, the Fox Spirit who became arrogant and power hungry and then abused his power. To atone for his wrongdoings, Senzou is released from imprisonment many years later with the condition of helping a little tanuki, Manpachi.

I adored the characters—especially Manpachi and Senzou, too. Manpachi is sweet and innocent. I enjoyed the found family-centred plot. The strong familial aspect and cute artwork would be suitable for a younger audience.

This is a heart-warming read with adorable artwork and I’d recommend this to fans of fantasy manga or those looking for a light-hearted read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this manga in exchange for an honest review.

The Fox and the Little Tanuki bk 1
Mi Tagawa
Manga
Juvenile

Senzou, a black fox born with magic, performed many evil acts and refused to honor the gods and as such was punished for his crimes. After sleeping for many years he is awoken, but his punishment is not over. Now to end his punishment he must take care of a small tanuki who was abandoned by his family when they realized he had magical powers. This unlikely duo goes through many adventures with the Tanuki happily there and Senzou grudgingly doing what he must to insure his freedom.
I really enjoyed this first book in this manga series. I instantly fell in love with both of the main characters. Their personalities are so different, but because of this they counter each other in a way that doesn’t make one or the other overbearing or unlikable. Senzou is so bitter and it has made him a villian, but you still want him to turn his life around and become a good guy. Then there is Manpachi, the little tanuki who is so sweet and even though life hasn’t been very kind to him in his short life he is still so loving and trusting. They are each other's Yin and Yang and I hope they help each other succeed in future stories.
I love the artwork in this manga. Yes it is in black and white, but I still could feel the emotions of the characters through the graphics. Also I loved the detail in the drawings. The drawings just make me want to grab up the characters and proclaim just how cute they all are.
I also enjoyed the guide in the book. For young readers who don’t know much about Japanese culture and their different magical creatures it is very helpful. It explains each of the characters as they pertain to Japanese magical beings and where they rank with the gods.
I look forward to reading more of this series as it progresses. I recommend this series to anyone who enjoys manga young or old. This is especially a must read for those who enjoy animals with magical powers or a story where at least one character gets a chance to redeem themselves.
I received a free ecopy of this manga to review from Netgalley for my honest review.

If you have any interest in Japanese folk tales, in magic and mythological beings, then this is the manga you're looking for. Largely a humorous tale, this book is also fully rooted in a complex mythology of spirits, yokai, and old gods. The fox is a spirit who is being punished for cruelty and self-centered behavior. He's presented as a villain but as in many Japanese stories he's not truly evil. He makes bad choices, may even have evil inclinations, but he remains redeemable. He can learn to consider the welfare of others, even while he continues to cause mischief. There's a lot of humor present, making it a lot of fun to read. And as is typical in manga, the art has a heavily cartoony style with a lot going on with facial expressions.

It was the adorable cover that caught my eye for this manga volume. Having read a few manga stories and books about Japanese mythology, I wasn’t totally lost while reading this. The book is read from front to back but the panels are arranged to read from right to left. There is a sample page at the end of the book (to warn seasoned manga readers) with directions and example panels (for manga newbies) to explain this.

I learned a lot about different beings in Japanese mythology and had fun doing it. The art is cute and, as a note from the publisher stated, a bit more Disney-fied. Manpachi the tanuki is darling enough that I want to pluck him from the pages and spend days cuddling him. Senzou the black fox is a bit more than mere crusty and curmudgeonly with his behavior quickly explaining why the Sun Goddess has to coerce his acceptance of his role in protecting and training Manpachi.

But while the characters and roles are fairly adequately explained, sometimes the action as drawn was hard to follow. The title told me that this wouldn’t be the entire story but I still felt that the action stopped too suddenly even for a cliffhanger. I’m not sure I’m invested in the story enough to buy the second volume but I’d read it from the library. B-

Long ago, the gods granted a few special animals great powers...
That's all I needed to want to read this book, it was so cute and full of adventure, I needed this book so hard and it's brilliant.

The Fox and the Little Tanuki was the first volume of a Japanese series featuring a fox-spirit Senzou who is being punished by having to bring up a little Tanuki, and teach him how to serve the gods. Something that is also lacking in Senzou himself. Together they have all kinds of cute little adventures.

The artwork is very cute, I can not describe it in a different way. It was what first drew me to the book. The story is nice too, but maybe a little bit simplistic at times, probably aimed at a young(er) audience. The one thing I didn’t like was the extreme cliffhanger the book ends on. I always hope that volumes are also able to be read individually, which is difficult in this case.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book is marketed for all ages, but I'm marking it as Middle Grade, because I can see how some of that age group will really enjoy this one. 

There is some violence between animals and threats, but most of the characters are overly adorable (in the best possible way). I adore when we get a gruff angry character stuck with a cheerfully sweet character. This is one of the best depictions of this trope too! 

We get the introduction to the series and see how it will be arcs of how the fox will help the tanuki gain experience with that background something isn't right or might go wrong feeling as well. 

This is looking to be a cute, fun series and I look forward to reading more.