Moriking

Moriking (Japanese: 森林王者モリキング, Hepburn: Shinrin Ōja Morikingu, "King of the Forest Moriking") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tomohiro Hasegawa. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from April 2020 to January 2021.

Moriking
Cover of the first tankōbon volume, featuring Moriking.
森林王者モリキング
(Shinrin Ōja Morikingu)
Genre
Manga
Written byTomohiro Hasegawa
Published byShueisha
English publisher
ImprintJump Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Jump
DemographicShōnen
Original runApril 13, 2020 – January 18, 2021
Volumes4

Plot

Third-year elementary school student Shota Aikawa's pet Japanese rhinoceros beetle, named Moriking, finally metamorphoses into an adult, but for some strange reason he looks like a male human. Aside from the horn on his head and wings on his back, he looks perfectly human but maintains his beetle traits, like walking on walls and flying. As an Insect King, which are said to be born once every one hundred million years, Moriking announces that he is destined to be King of the Forest (森林王) and rule over all insects. To prove their worth would-be kings must leave their homes and survive in the world beyond, this is how Moriking came into Shota's possession and becomes a member of the Aikawa family. However, he is but one of five insects competing to become King of the Forest.

Publication

Moriking is written and illustrated by Tomohiro Hasegawa. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from April 13, 2020 to January 18, 2021.[2][lower-alpha 1][3] Shueisha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on August 4, 2020.[4] As of October 2, 2020, two volumes have been released.[4]

In North America, the series is digitally published in English by Viz Media and by Shueisha on their Manga Plus website and application.[5] Viz Media also started publishing the volumes digitally on May 25, 2021.[6]

Volume list
No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 August 4, 2020[4]978-4-08-882379-9May 25, 2021 (digital)[6]978-1-9747-2048-4
2 October 2, 2020[7]978-4-08-882426-0August 24, 2021 (digital)[8]978-1-9747-2940-1
3 January 4, 2021[9]978-4-08-882528-1November 23, 2021 (digital)[10]978-1-9747-3072-8
4 April 2, 2021[11]978-4-08-882592-2February 22, 2022 (digital)[12]978-1-9747-3154-1

Reception

Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post stated that Moriking is accessible enough for general readers and "just weird enough to skew in a fun direction."[13] He praised Hasegawa's designs, flow and direction, and backgrounds.[13][14] Beveridge said that despite having many of the familiar 1980s manga trappings, Moriking uses them in a different way.[14] He wrote that while the series is not high-art, it is a fun title that is easy to pickup and keep up with because of its quirkiness.[15] Beveridge felt that Hasegawa was able to end the series on his own terms. He reflected that the manga unfolded in a way that reminded him of Rumiko Takahashi's early works, and despite turning into a tournament series, was still spaced out in a way that kept the character material fun. He ended by calling Moriking "a fun and enjoyable romp with good artwork, [some] nice twists and details to it, and enjoyable humor."[16]

Notes
  1. Natalie incorrectly states that the series' debut issue was released on April 11, 2020.

References
  1. "The Official Website for Moriking". Viz Media. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  2. Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 6, 2020). "3 New Manga Launch in Shonen Jump This Spring". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 13, 2020.

    「青春兵器ナンバーワン」の長谷川智広、ジャンプ新連載は昆虫ギャグ. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. April 13, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.

  3. Hazra, Adriana (January 17, 2021). "Tomohiro Hasegawa's Moriking Manga Ends". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 17, 2021.

    藍本松「怪物事変」出張版がジャンプに、2月には新刊＆短編集が同時発売. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 18, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.

  4. 森林王者モリキング 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  5. Mateo, Alex (April 8, 2020). "Viz, Manga Plus Publish Moriking Manga in English Digitally (Updated)". Anime News Network. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  6. "Moriking, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  7. 森林王者モリキング 2 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  8. "Moriking, Vol. 2". Viz Media. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  9. 森林王者モリキング 3 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  10. "Moriking, Vol. 3". Viz Media. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  11. 森林王者モリキング 4 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  12. "Moriking, Vol. 4". Viz Media. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  13. Beveridge, Chris (April 12, 2020). "Moriking #1 Review". The Fandom Post. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  14. Beveridge, Chris (May 27, 2020). "Moriking #5 Review". The Fandom Post. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  15. Beveridge, Chris (May 20, 2020). "Moriking #4 Review". The Fandom Post. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  16. Beveridge, Chris (January 21, 2021). "Moriking #35 Review (Series Finale)". The Fandom Post. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
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