If you like "Apothecary Diaries", then you might also like this series as it's from the same writer! Himiko lives and works at her family's shrine in an alternate modern world where gods with powers exist! Due to some events, she is transferred to a school of gods even though she has no clue what her power is. It's a shoujo manga, and I do feel the younger vibes in the writing and characters. It doesn't necessarily take anything away, and I do plan to continue this manga!

When I saw that something new was coming out from Natsu Hyuuga, I had to read it immediately. The story is incredibly well-structured. The worldbuilding is brilliant and simply coherent. The protagonists are cool and interesting. The plot from the first volume is so incredibly cool that I absolutely want more volumes. The drawing style is definitely great and pleasing to the eye. I can hardly wait to read more about this world because the story has so much potential to develop. I really like the characters and am excited to learn more about their individual abilities.

I 1,000% LOVED this book.

The characters were so vivid and fully fleshed out. They felt real to me. I LOVED Nagi. Her refusal to give in, despite the odds being so stacked against her, yet her human vulnerableness as she kept bouncing against the negativity from others, judging her without really knowing her. Her little found family by the end of this volume us just too precious and I while I know things will work out, all of me is hoping that it will.

The setting was described well. The teachers WERE present for the school parts, which I appreciated. I'm so tired of school setting where the teachers are nowhere to be found. I get that the student characters need to have the freedom to move through the plot, but it needs to be realistic. This was, at least it was realistic enough for me.

The artwork was pretty, so it served the story instead of booting me out of it.

The mystery is whetting my appetite. I want to know what makes Nagi so special. I also want to see if the VERY barely hinted at connection develops into a romance or not. The reader gets just enough to want to read more, but not so little that it is frustrating. A very delicate balance.

I definitely recommend this one to those who like the high school setting with magic and little to no romance, with a "special" character who isn't OP and who very few realize is "special", including the character herself!

5, I so hope the second volume continues in the same vein as this one, stars!

My thanks to NetGalley and Yen Press for an eARC of this book to read and review.

(Thanks to Yen Press for providing an eARC.)
Having read some of the writer's other story, I was excited to read this new series. The art is lovely and the characters have their distinct personalities. The story provides some background to the world and I'm looking forward to what happens next in the story. I also enjoyed reading the artist discussing how the series started.

This was on the surface, a story that should have been right up my alley. Unfortunately, from the beginning it could not hook me and it came off as incredibly boring. I didn’t hate reading this, but it could not capture my attention at all.

It got slightly better towards the end of the book where it hints at a power within her that’s been purposely bound. However, I think the way this concept has been executed did not work. I did not connect to any of the characters and the story fell flat for me. I don’t recommend this one.

This was a really fun start to a new series. In it we follow Nagi who considers herself pretty normal, while being surrounded by the not so normal. After an incident on her way to school; however, she gets an invitation to God School. For someone who believes she has no special powers or talents this is quite a shock. The first volume explores the key characters at the school that she encounters as they try to figure out just why she is there and what her powers may be. The different personalities clash at times, but it's fun to see how they come together and how Nagi works to fit in and also survive. It will be fun to see where this series goes.

In a world where people born with supernatural abilities are called Himiko, Nagi always dreamed of what it would be like to have any kind of ability. Her grandma had them along with the certification that gave her the title of a god, and her older brother has them, but Nagi? Nope! Everything changes when she stumbles upon a mystery and is issued an acceptance letter to god school. Will Nagi figure out what her ability is and go on to become the future god of her family’s shrine?

I was so excited to read this book that I actually purchased it before I was granted an advanced copy from NetGalley. We follow Nagi as we are slowly introduced to her life and the impact that people born with supernatural or divine powers have on the world. Her younger brother is a Himiko, but he never leaves his room, so that dashed Nagi’s hopes that he’d become a god and take care of their grandmother’s place.

While we are introduced to a mystery plot that I think will be an ongoing plot, this first volume is actually a story of family and friendship. I really enjoyed following Nagi, meeting all of the characters, and laughing at the fun humor throughout the story. I’m really excited to see where the story goes as it continues as well as check out the light novels when the English translation drops. If you’re looking for something light and fun with a little bit of mystery and something strange lurking in plain sight, I urge you to pick this up!

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this manga and its fun main character, Nagi. Although she is selected to join a school for Himiko, she isn't an immediate prodigy. She must work twice as hard to catch up with the rest of her classmates. Along the way, she make mistakes and learns from them, proving that she has flaws and is capable of overcoming them. I've been reading a lot of main characters recently who have little to no flaws, so I appreciate a character who puts in effort and shows progression like Nagi.

I wish that the light novel was available in English as well. According to the mangaka, Natsu Hyuuga wrote more plots for characters within the book. Hopefully, the manga's popularity can bring the light novel to more translations!

The Failure at God School, Volume 1, follows our main character, Nagi, who lives in a world where there are some people who have been gifted with powers (and are referred to as himiko (which is comparable to a GOD)), and while saving a child who was on the brink of death, she finds out that she actually has powers… She just doesn’t know what it is. Nagi never expected to have powers. The only himoko that was within her family, her brother (who rejects his gifts and chooses to just rot away in his room) and her late grandmother.

I like the fact that within the story nobody knew what her powers, not even the God’s themselves (even by having her go through a series of tests). Not being able to identify what her gift was definitely kept me guessing on whether or not she was going to be able to make it out of a situation safely. I also love the fact that she has friends and peers that look out for her continuously, but I can definitely tell that within these next upcoming volumes, she’s going to blossom into a stronger character.

I’d like to thank both Modomu Akagawara and Natsy Hyuuga as well as Netgalley and Yen Press for this ARC.

I really enjoyed the concept of this world where people with power become 'gods' and work at shrines for the betterment of their communities. The idea of actually training kids with powers is great and I like the way that our lead clearly has some sort of power, but is helping her friends and community without understanding or controlling her superpower. I really look forward to reading more installments of this series and seeing where it all goes.

My first impression of The Failure at God School was that it was like a crossover between Cardcaptor Sakura and My Hero Academia. Now I am obsessed with CLAMP, so I can find ways to connect any series I encounter to a work by CLAMP. However, the essence of the story and the main character Nagi just scream Sakura to me. This coupled with how witty, charming, and funny the first volume was, locked me in to this story.

You may have heard about The Failure at God School recently, as it was just published by Yen Press. A big draw to the series is that the original story is by Natsu Hyuuga, who also wrote The Apothecary Diaries. The Failure at God School manga is by Modomu Akagawara, with character designs by Seikaisha.

An interesting thing to note is that according to the creator afterward, Modomu Akagawara and Natsu Hyuuga collaborated together on the manga. Akagawara has been involved with plot planning and more. According to Akagawara, the light novel has more that does not make it into the manga, so everyone should read both! (The light novel is not licensed in the United States yet.)

Worry not, this entire review won’t be a comparison to The Apothecary Diaries. However, I will point out a big key difference. The Failure at God School is a shojo, as it’s publishing in Hana to Yume maganize, whereas The Apothecary Diaries manga is a seinen, publishing in Monthly Big Gangan.

The story centers Nagi, the daughter of a family who owns a shine. In this world, there are Gods and also peple who possess divine powers, called himikos. Nagi’s family hasn’t had a God in their shrine for ages, and her older twin brother Takeru, is a recluse who refuses to leave his room. Nagi doesn’t have spiritual powers so she can’t do anything about the situation either.

One day Nagi rescues a young boy who they believe has been to “spirited away” and unbeknowest to her, is discovered by a god named Tsukuyomi. This leads to Kannagara Academy recruiting Nagi. Kannagara Academy is a God school where young himikos receive training. Here Nagi creates a little crew of himikos, varying in powers, and navigates her own “powerlessness.”

Right off the bat, I love Nagi. While she is seemingly powerless, this is not a detterent to her. She will use whatever she can to help someone or overcome a situation. She’s thrown into this new world at God school, she makes the best out of the situation. She is failing all the tests meant to showcase her divine powers, but she’s trying hard anyway. Her charm, spirit, and attitude reminded of Sakura. Plus, her brother pocessing a plushie to talk to her? Instant Kuro vibes.

The school setting and comraderie with the classmates gives it that My Hero Academia feel, which I really enjoy. I’ve always loved the idea of speciliazed schools and it’s just a great way to put together people that otherwise may not have grouped up. Nagi is around an interesting group of students, who are funny and all charming in their own ways. My favorite so far is Monaka.

There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the series, the overall plot, and the handsome God on the cover, Tsukuyomi. We learn that Tsukuyomi is 18 years old and a graduate of the academy. He seems isolated which may play a role in the story later on. There’s not much on him yet but we know there is more to come.

Aside from the Cardcaptor Sakura and My Hero Academia reminders, this story has Lisa written all over it! I am a SUCKER for anything dealing with Japanese mythology! I am so excited to play in this universe and see where the God elements take us here.

This was such a cute story! An interesting premise and likeable characters, with a pleasing art style. Keeps you wanting to read more!

Thank you so much for letting me read this manga. I have wanted to read this manga for a really long time. And it didn't disappoint. It was so much fun to read.

Took me a while to finish this one. I was really into it at the beginning of the story then about 100 pages in it started to fall flat for me. It did pick up again right at the end enough that I plan to read more of this manga just to see what happens. I thought the art work was great but some of the characters I just couldn’t connect with.

This story pulled me in right away with its vivid art style and clever worldbuilding. I loved the concept of Gods as everyday figures living among people, earning their status rather than being born into it. Nagi’s sudden leap into a mysterious school for future deities felt fresh and intriguing, especially as she navigates her new role with no clear understanding of her own powers. The friendships she builds are charming, and each character brings their own emotional weight to the story. It moves at a great pace, balancing humor, heart, and magic without ever feeling too heavy. I expected more romance, but was pleasantly surprised by how it stayed focused on growth and connection instead. A delightfully original read that I’d happily recommend to anyone looking for something a little different.

What a cute little story!!!

I really would read on more in this series.

Could also see it be animated!

Thank you to Kodansha Comics for the e-arc!
I enjoyed this manga! It felt fun and fresh compared to other manga i’ve read. I liked that the “gods” aren’t just born that way, they have to earn it by doing well in classes and meeting certain qualifications. I really liked the fmc, she was kind and lovable with enough grit to persevere. There were a few typos throughout my copy, but they were minor and I could understand what was meant to be said. I can’t wait to see where this story goes! Rating: 4 🌟

This was interesting enough that I will check out the next, and the art style is 😻 but so far it’s not going to be the most memorable. I like Nagi our FMC and hope to see her grow in the series but I need something to stand out in the next vol. for me to want to carry on with the series.

3.5✨


The art is beautiful, the story is easy to understand, and it's very funny. I thought it was too romance-focused (I don't know why, haha), but it isn't. Maybe later, but not for now, and that's fine.
The thing about the school and all the students with some kind of power is really cool.
I think I might have an idea of ​​what Nagi's power is... and I already want to read more of the story because it's interesting, and the ending with Nagi and Tsukuyomi meeting was also interesting, haha.


Thanks YenPress for the arc

Omg! I did it! I manifested the e-arc from Yen Press! Thanks so much! 😊I knew those intention candles would work lol Tobthose looking for a successor to Apothecary Diaries this isn’t it. Male lead is largely absent from the first volume and shares little to no interaction with our heroine (failure?),Nagi. However, knowing the authors less than positive feelings on Jinshi this isn’t surprising. Failure at God School is its own thing and stands on its own legs. With time and more volumes these quirky characters will endear themselves to readers. The end notes were filled with the standard manga translation notes but, the history of the evolution of Shinto religion was a stand out. It was very informative and a treat for this folklore fan to read.