Finished the hilarious Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun anime and now you’re left wanting more? You’re trying to figure out exactly where the story continues in the manga, but you don’t want to miss any jokes or accidentally spoil the plot. It’s a common challenge for fans of this unique series.
The Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun anime adapts content up to approximately Chapter 46 of the manga, including material covered in the specials (OVAs). However, because the anime skips and reorders many chapters from the source material, fans universally recommend starting from Chapter 1 to experience all the omitted jokes and character interactions.
Based on a detailed analysis of both the anime and the source manga, this guide will show you precisely why skipping ahead isn’t the best path. You’ll discover what a 4-koma manga is, see which key moments were left out of the anime, and get a clear roadmap to continue the story correctly.
Key Facts
- Anime Endpoint: The 12-episode anime series and its 6 specials (OVAs) adapt a mix of content that concludes around Chapter 46 of the manga.
- Universal Recommendation: Due to the non-linear adaptation, the fan consensus is to read the manga from Chapter 1 to get the complete story and all the jokes.
- Source Material Format: The manga is a “4-koma,” or four-panel gag comic, which means it’s structured as a series of short jokes rather than a continuous narrative, leading the anime to rearrange content.
- Manga Status: The Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun manga, created by Izumi Tsubaki, is still ongoing as of 2026, with a significant amount of story content available after the anime’s ending.
- Season 2 Status: There has been no official announcement regarding a second season, making the manga the only official way to continue the story.
Where Does the Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun Anime Leave Off in the Manga?
The direct answer is that the anime concludes its adaptation around Chapter 46 of the manga. This includes content from the main 12-episode series and the six subsequent specials, often referred to as OVAs. If you were to pick up the manga at Chapter 47, you would be reading material that is entirely new and was not featured in the animated version.
However, this simple chapter number is misleading. The anime adaptation, handled by the studio Doga Kobo, is not a linear, chapter-by-chapter retelling. To create a cohesive 22-minute episode, the production team selected, rearranged, and sometimes stitched together gags from various chapters. For example, the finale of the anime combines elements from chapters 26, 45, and 46 to create a more climactic feel that isn’t present in the same way in the manga.
Because of these rearranged scenes and entirely skipped chapters, simply jumping to Chapter 47 means you will miss a significant amount of “anime-era” content. You will lack context for certain jokes and character dynamics that were omitted from the show. This is why the community’s advice is overwhelmingly to treat the manga as a fresh experience, even if you’ve seen the anime multiple times.
Why Is Reading the Manga From Chapter 1 the Universal Recommendation?
It is highly recommended to read the Nozaki-kun manga from the beginning for two main reasons: omitted chapters and rearranged content. Unlike a story-driven series where you can often skip to where the anime left off, this gag-focused manga’s structure makes that approach impractical and ultimately less rewarding. The anime is a fantastic highlights reel, but the manga is the complete comedic collection.
Here are the core reasons why starting from Chapter 1 is the best way to continue the story:
- The Nature of 4-Koma Adaptation: The manga is a “4-koma,” a four-panel comic strip. Each chapter is a collection of these short, self-contained gags. The anime had to string these gags together to create episode-length narratives, which required extensive rearrangement and cherry-picking.
- Entirely Skipped Chapters and Jokes: To fit the TV format, dozens of hilarious gags and entire chapters were left on the cutting room floor. These aren’t filler; they include fan-favorite moments and important character interactions that build a richer comedic world.
- Rearranged Storylines: The order of events in the anime does not match the manga. Character introductions and major comedic set-pieces are often moved around. Reading from the start ensures you experience the story in the sequence the author, Izumi Tsubaki, originally intended.
In our experience, readers who jump straight to Chapter 47 often feel a bit lost, as they’ve missed the original build-up of many running jokes. Starting from the beginning provides a much more complete and satisfying experience, revealing a treasure trove of comedy gold you never knew existed.
What Is a 4-Koma Manga and How Did It Affect the Anime?
A 4-koma, or “yonkoma,” is a Japanese manga format where a complete gag is told within four vertical panels. Think of it like a newspaper comic strip. A single chapter of Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun isn’t one long story; it’s a collection of these quick, punchy jokes that focus on character interactions and misunderstandings. This episodic format is perfect for gag-based comedy.
This structure presented a challenge for the anime studio, Doga Kobo. To create a flowing 22-minute episode, they couldn’t just animate one chapter. Instead, they had to act like curators, selecting the best gags from multiple chapters and weaving them together into a thematically related episode. This is why an episode might adapt bits from Chapter 5 and Chapter 7 while completely skipping Chapter 6. This process is the primary reason the anime’s timeline diverges so much from the manga’s.
What Major Manga Chapters or Scenes Were Omitted from the Anime?
The anime completely skipped several fan-favorite manga chapters that contain key comedic moments. While the adaptation did a great job capturing the spirit of the series, seeing the list of what was missed provides the clearest argument for starting your reading journey at Chapter 1. The sheer volume of omitted content is surprising.
Here are just a few examples of notable chapters and gags left out of the anime:
- Chapter 13: A hilarious chapter where the characters try to figure out how to meet up in a modern world without using their cell phones, leading to classic misunderstandings.
- Chapter 21: This chapter delves into Hori and Kashima’s relationship, showcasing more of their unique and comical dynamic that anime-only fans have missed.
- Chapters 32-35: This block of chapters contains a variety of gags focusing on different character pairings, including more antics from Mikoshiba and fun developments with Wakamatsu and Seo.
- Various Short Gags: Beyond full chapters, countless individual 4-koma strips were cut for time. These small interactions add significant depth and humor to the characters’ personalities.
What Is the Unofficial Episode-to-Chapter Guide for the Anime?
For those who want to see the evidence for themselves, a detailed breakdown reveals just how non-linear the anime adaptation is. This episode-to-chapter guide, compiled from fan consensus and verified information, illustrates which manga chapters were used for each episode. Notice how many chapters are skipped or adapted out of their original order. This table makes it clear why starting from Chapter 47 would leave you with an incomplete picture of the story.
| Anime Episode/Special | Corresponding Manga Chapters Adapted | Key Notes & Omissions |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 | Chapters 1, 2 | Faithful introduction to Sakura and Nozaki. |
| Episode 2 | Chapters 3, 4 | Introduction of Mikoshiba. |
| Episode 3 | Chapters 5, 7 | Introduction of Seo. Skips Chapter 6. |
| Episode 4 | Chapters 8, 9, 10 | Introduction of Kashima and Hori. |
| Episode 5 | Chapters 11, 12, 14 | Skips Chapter 13. |
| Episode 6 | Chapters 15, 16, 17 | Focus on Wakamatsu and Seo (“Lorelei”). |
| Episode 7 | Chapters 18, 19, 20 | Focus on Nozaki’s manga editing process. |
| Episode 8 | Chapters 22, 23 | Skips Chapter 21. Focus on Kashima’s “prince” role. |
| Episode 9 | Chapters 25, 30 | Focus on Sakura’s feelings and misunderstandings. |
| Episode 10 | Chapters 28, 31, 36 | Combination of various character-focused gags. |
| Episode 11 | Chapters 38, 40 | Focus on the cultural festival and school life. |
| Episode 12 | Chapters 26, 45, 46 | Rearranged chapters for a climactic (but anime-original feeling) ending. |
| Specials (OVAs) 1-6 | Chapters 6, 24, 29, 39, etc. | Adapts various short, skipped gags from across the early volumes. |
FAQs About where does the monthly girls nozaki kun anime leave off in the manga
Is the Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun manga still ongoing?
Yes, as of February 2026, the Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun manga is still ongoing. The series is written and illustrated by Izumi Tsubaki and has been serialized in Square Enix’s Gangan Online magazine since 2011. With over 15 volumes released in Japan, there is a significant amount of story content available that takes place after the anime’s conclusion.
Will there be a Season 2 of Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun?
There has been no official announcement for a Season 2 of Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. While the manga has more than enough content for several more seasons, the first season aired in 2014. A long gap between seasons is not uncommon in anime, but at this time, the only way to continue the story is by reading the manga.
Is it okay to just skip to Chapter 47 of the manga?
You can, but it is not recommended as you will miss a significant amount of content. The anime did not adapt the manga chronologically and skipped many chapters entirely. While Chapter 47 is roughly where you would begin to see completely new material, you would be missing out on numerous jokes, character introductions, and subplots from the first 46 chapters.
What genre is Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun?
The series is primarily a 4-koma romantic comedy that also serves as a parody of the shoujo manga genre. While it features romantic subplots, its main focus is on gag-based comedy, character interactions, and the hilarious misunderstandings that occur as Nozaki uses his friends as inspiration for his manga.
Does the romance between Sakura and Nozaki progress in the manga?
Yes, the relationships between the characters, including Sakura and Nozaki, do develop, but the progress is very slow. The manga remains a comedy first and foremost, so while there are moments of romantic development, they are often part of a larger joke. The story continues to focus on the humor derived from their dense and quirky personalities.
Key Takeaways: Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun Anime to Manga Guide
Here are the most important points to remember as you transition from the anime to the manga:
- Anime Endpoint: The anime adaptation concludes around Chapter 46 of the manga, but this is not a clean cutoff point.
- Start From Chapter 1: The universal and strongest recommendation is to start reading the manga from Chapter 1 to enjoy all the content.
- Non-Linear Adaptation: The anime skipped and rearranged numerous chapters due to the manga’s 4-koma (four-panel) gag format, meaning the viewing and reading timelines do not match.
- Omitted Content is Key: You will miss dozens of hilarious gags, character moments, and even entire subplots if you skip ahead to Chapter 47.
- Manga is Ongoing: The manga is still in publication as of 2026, offering a huge amount of story content that continues long after the anime’s finale.
- No Season 2 News: There has been no official news regarding a second season, making the manga the only way to continue the story.
Final Thoughts on where does the monthly girls nozaki kun anime leave off in the manga
While it’s tempting to find a simple chapter number and jump right into new content, the true joy of Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun lies in its clever, character-driven comedy. The anime provided a wonderful taste of that world, but the manga offers the complete feast. By rearranging content and skipping entire chapters, the anime adaptation, while excellent, is fundamentally an abridged version.
Think of it this way: you wouldn’t start a book on page 100 just because you saw a movie trailer that covered the first 99 pages. To get the full context, enjoy all the foreshadowing, and appreciate every punchline, you have to start from the beginning. For the complete, unfiltered, and even funnier Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun experience, starting the manga from Chapter 1 is the definitive and most rewarding path forward. Happy reading
Last update on 2026-02-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
