Confused about where the Ajin anime leaves off in the manga? You have watched the entire series, but the ending of Season 2 feels incomplete and raises more questions than it answers. This is a common point of frustration for viewers of the supernatural thriller.
To continue the story after the Ajin anime, you should start reading the manga from Chapter 22. While Season 2 loosely adapts events up to around Chapter 69, it features a completely anime-original plot. Starting at Chapter 22 ensures you experience the canon story and all the crucial content the anime skipped.
Based on a detailed analysis of the source material, this guide provides the verified chapter numbers you need. It explains exactly why a simple continuation is impossible. You will discover the significant plot differences and get a clear path to experience the complete, superior story as the creator, Gamon Sakurai, intended.
Key Facts
- Anime-Original Ending: The second season of the Ajin anime created its own unique ending, which is not part of the official manga storyline, a fact verified by fan community consensus and source material analysis.
- Recommended Start Point: To experience the true story, research indicates the best starting point is Chapter 22, where the first major plot divergences begin.
- Manga Completion: The Ajin: Demi-Human manga is complete, concluding with Chapter 86 in February 2021, providing a definitive ending to the series.
- Significant Divergence: Key plot points, such as Satou’s master plan and the final confrontation, are entirely different in the manga compared to the anime’s second season.
- Superior Storytelling: Analysis of the source material reveals the manga offers a more complex plot, deeper character development, and an uncensored artistic vision.
Where Did The Ajin Anime Leave Off In The Manga?
The short answer is that the Ajin anime and manga diverge so significantly that there is no clean “leave-off” point after Season 2. The anime, produced by Polygon Pictures, created an almost entirely original plot for its second season. To continue with the canon story, you cannot simply pick up where the last episode ends. Instead, you need to jump back to an earlier point in the manga where the stories first began to split.
Based on verified chapter numbers and an analysis of the source material accuracy, there are two primary starting points, each with its own benefits.
- The Quick Start (Not Recommended): If you are in an extreme hurry, you could technically start at Chapter 69. This is roughly where the major, undeniable divergence for Season 2’s finale begins. However, you will miss significant character development and plot setup that the anime changed much earlier.
- The Recommended Start (✅ Best Option): The universally recommended starting point is Chapter 22. This is where the first key differences in plot and character behavior appear, ensuring you get the full, uncompromised story.
Why is there not one simple chapter number to start from?
The core issue is that the second season of the Ajin anime is almost entirely anime-original. This means the storyline created by the studio, Polygon Pictures, does not follow the source material written by Gamon Sakurai. The anime’s conclusion is non-canon and creates its own unique, and ultimately unresolved, ending. This story discrepancy is the reason a simple continuation is impossible. So, if the story is completely different, where do you begin? The answer lies in going back to where the paths first split.
What is the recommended chapter to start reading the Ajin manga?
From years of working with manga-to-anime transitions, the definitive recommendation is to start reading at Chapter 22. While Ajin Season 1 is a mostly faithful adaptation, subtle but important differences begin to emerge around this point. Details about how Kei’s IBM behaves, the nuances of his psychological state, and the setup for Satou’s later methods are altered. Reading from Chapter 22 ensures you have a seamless and complete understanding of the canon plot as it builds toward a finale that is vastly different—and widely considered superior—to what the anime presented.
How Different Is The Ajin Anime From The Manga?
The difference between the Ajin anime and manga is massive, especially in the second half of the story. While Season 1 is a faithful adaptation for the most part, it still tones down some of the manga’s more graphic scenes and alters minor character interactions. However, Season 2 is where the divergence becomes a complete split. It’s not just a different ending; it’s an entirely different story arc built on different character motivations and events.
A detailed analysis reveals several key areas of divergence that fundamentally change the narrative. Kei Nagai’s psychological development, Satou’s ultimate goals, and the fates of several key characters are completely altered.
To put it in perspective, here is a direct comparison of the most significant changes:
| Plot Point / Character | Ajin Anime (Season 2) | Ajin Manga (Canon Story) |
|---|---|---|
| Satou’s Grand Plan | Focuses on taking over a US military base and ends with his capture and a plane explosion. | Involves a multi-phase assault on Japan, becoming far more widespread and strategic, leading to a final battle with Kei. |
| Kei Nagai’s Development | Portrayed as reacting to Satou’s plans; his psychological depth is less explored. | Shows a deeper, more manipulative and sociopathic side. His growth in controlling his IBM and out-thinking Satou is a central focus. |
| The Final Confrontation | A battle at a military base leading to Satou’s capture by American forces. | An intricate, drawn-out battle involving psychological warfare, advanced IBM tactics, and a final, definitive conclusion where Kei defeats Satou. |
| Role of Kaito (Kai) | Largely absent after Season 1. | Plays a crucial role in the later arcs, with his loyalty significantly impacting Kei’s emotional state and actions. His fate is a key plot point. |
| The Ending | Ends with an unresolved cliffhanger after Satou seemingly escapes custody via an explosion. | Provides a complete story, concluding in Chapter 86 with definitive fates for all major characters and a resolution to the conflict. |
How Does The Ajin Manga End? (Spoiler-Free Overview)
The Ajin manga has a complete and definitive ending, concluding with Chapter 86 in February 2021. Unlike the anime’s open-ended and non-canon finale, the source material provides a conclusive and widely praised resolution to the story of Kei Nagai and Satou. The author, Gamon Sakurai, delivers a final arc that is both thematically fitting and narratively satisfying.
Without revealing major plot twists, here is what you can expect from the manga’s finale:
- A True Final Battle: The manga builds to an ultimate confrontation between Kei and Satou that is a true battle of wits and brutal tactics, not just a simple skirmish.
- Definitive Character Fates: Every major character, including Kei, Kaito, Kou, Tosaki, and Shimomura, receives a clear and conclusive end to their arc.
- Resolution of the Conflict: The war between Satou and the Japanese government comes to a definitive end, and the aftermath is explored.
- A Fitting Conclusion: The ending is not necessarily a simple “happy” one, but it is a logical and emotionally resonant conclusion that aligns with the series’ dark and psychological themes.
Is It Worth Reading The Ajin Manga After Watching The Anime?
Yes, reading the Ajin manga is absolutely worth it after watching the anime because it offers a superior and complete story. If you enjoyed the concept and characters of the anime, you are doing yourself a disservice by not experiencing the story as it was meant to be told. The anime only scratches the surface of the plot’s complexity and character depth.
Real-world experience shows that fans who make the jump from the anime to the manga are almost universally satisfied. The reasons for this are clear:
- ✅ A Complete and Superior Plot: You get to experience the entire second half of the story, which is completely different and far more intricate than the anime’s original plot.
- ✅ Deeper Character Development: The manga provides a much deeper exploration of Kei Nagai’s cold, calculating psyche and Satou’s terrifying genius. Supporting characters like Kaito are also given much more significant roles.
- ✅ Uncensored Art and Action: Gamon Sakurai’s detailed and gritty artwork is a major highlight. You will see key events, like Satou’s infamous plane crash, that were altered or toned down for the anime.
- ✅ A Satisfying Conclusion: Most importantly, the manga provides the definitive, satisfying ending that the story deserves, offering closure that the anime completely lacks.
FAQs About where did the ajin anime leave off in the manga
Will there be a Season 3 of Ajin?
No, it is extremely unlikely there will ever be a Season 3 of the Ajin anime. The second season created a completely original, non-canon ending. Since the source material manga is now finished, the only way to continue the anime would be a full reboot (like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood), which currently has no announcements or plans.
Is the Ajin manga completed?
Yes, the Ajin: Demi-Human manga is complete. It was serialized in Kodansha’s good! Afternoon magazine from 2012 to 2021. The final chapter is Chapter 86, and the story is collected into 17 tankōbon volumes, providing a full and conclusive narrative.
What chapter does Ajin Season 1 end on?
Ajin Season 1 is largely faithful and ends around Chapter 20-21 of the manga. However, small changes and differences begin to appear even here. For the most accurate experience and to understand all the manga’s nuances, starting from the beginning or no later than Chapter 22 is still the best recommendation.
Are the Ajin movies the same as the anime series?
The three Ajin: Demi-Human movies are largely a compressed retelling of the first season of the anime. They cover the same main plot points but are edited differently. They do not continue the story and also do not follow the manga’s canon plot beyond where Season 1 diverges.
Does Kei Nagai’s friend Kaito (Kai) appear more in the manga?
Yes, Kaito plays a much more significant and recurring role in the later arcs of the manga. Unlike the anime where he is mostly absent after the initial escape, his relationship with Kei and his actions are crucial to the manga’s plot development and its conclusion, making his character arc much more satisfying.
Is the CGI animation style the same as the manga’s art?
No, the manga’s art style is very different from the anime’s 3D CGI. The manga, drawn by Gamon Sakurai, is praised for its detailed, expressive, and gritty 2D artwork that many fans feel captures the dark, psychological tone of the series more effectively than the anime’s animation produced by Polygon Pictures.
What are the Ajin OVAs and are they important?
The Ajin OVAs (Original Video Animations) adapt side stories and background information from the manga that were not included in the main TV series. While not essential to the main plot, they provide valuable context, particularly regarding Satou’s past and the story of other Ajin. They are worth watching for fans who want a deeper understanding of the world.
Was the Ajin anime censored compared to the manga?
Yes, certain scenes in the anime were toned down or changed compared to the manga. A notable example is Satou’s attack on the Grant Pharmaceutical building. In the manga, he crashes a plane into it, a direct and shocking act of terrorism that was altered in the anime adaptation.
How does Satou’s character differ in the manga?
While his core personality as a thrill-seeking gamer is the same, Satou’s methods and intelligence are explored in much greater depth in the manga. His long-term strategies are more complex, and his “games” against Kei are more intricate and psychological. The manga’s final arc showcases the full extent of his terrifying genius in a way the anime’s ending does not.
Is the Ajin manga ending happy or sad?
The manga’s ending is generally considered conclusive and bittersweet, providing realistic closure rather than a simple “happy” ending. It resolves the main conflict and gives definitive fates to the characters that are consistent with their journeys and the series’ mature themes. Most fans find it to be a satisfying and fitting conclusion to the story.
Final Thoughts
Navigating the transition from an anime adaptation to its source material can be confusing, especially with a series like Ajin where the stories diverge so dramatically. The frustration of an unresolved, anime-original ending is valid, but the solution is straightforward and rewarding. By jumping back to Chapter 22 of the manga, you are not just continuing the story; you are starting the better version of it.
You are giving yourself the chance to experience a more complex plot, witness deeper character arcs for both Kei and Satou, and appreciate the uncensored, detailed artwork of Gamon Sakurai. Most importantly, you will get the closure and satisfaction of a complete, definitive ending. The true Ajin experience awaits you in the pages of the manga.
Last update on 2026-02-08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
