Graphix was kind enough to send us a copy of Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms Volume 1 – a manga adaptation of the original anime series. Most importantly, it lived up to the hype just as the anime did.
The first volume, set to release on April 15, 2025, quickly follows the anime that burst onto the scene during the Fall 2024 season, posing as arguably the best original anime of the year.
From starting off as a crowdfunding project to being backed by a major production company in Pony Canyon, creator Sae Okamoto and the rest of the staff a TriF Studio made a statement with their debut anime. Now, we’re getting that same series in manga format.
So how did the first volume live up to what the anime gave us? Well, let’s break it all done in this full review of Volume 1 of the Mecha-Ude manga adaptation with story and artwork done by Yoshino Koyoka.
Initial Reaction
Right away my first reaction was that Koyoka stayed true to the character designs of the anime to a T. Facial reactions and all were amazing right out of the gate.
Also, the translations done for the manga were almost perfectly aligned with the anime’s. None of the conversations lost any meaning or emotion behind them throughout the entire first volume which covered the first two episodes and then the first few minutes of episode three.
Now, how about the details between the manga and anime?
Manga vs. Anime – The Good
The one thing I really appreciate about the manga adaptation of Mecha-Ude in just the first volume alone is that it stayed true to most of the events that took place in the anime. What I mean by this is that important conversations were maintained as were the moments surrounding them.
The anime for Mecha-Ude had wonderful action with even more incredible animation that was shockingly easy to follow. In the manga, action scenes are the same. Nothing seems to be too lost in the artwork and left me wondering what’s happening during a fight.
In the anime, we see the Mecha-Ude transform and have a ton of animation that mixes 2D and 3D very well. But in the manga, that’s just something you’re not going to get. But that’s not anyone’s fault.
Still images can only portray show much – which the manga does a pretty good job of in terms of the designs and the emotions that come along with Alma.
Another thing I loved about the manga adaptation is that it didn’t drift too far off course with the anime and what took place, which sometimes manga adaptations do. It’s not necessarily a one-of-one adaptation of the anime but it still follows pretty damn close to it while having no real drastic impact on the original story.
Manga vs. Anime – The Questionable
While the manga didn’t do anything to change the original story, it did skip a whole lot of material and change some things at the beginning that came during the first episode of the anime.
For starters, the entire beginning of the anime, the first six minutes or so, is nowhere to be found at the start of Volume 1. It’s gone. We don’t see Aki fighting. We don’t see Hikaru on his bike at the edge of the cliff looking at the big beam of light hearing Alma’s voice for the first time—nothing.
It was very rushed in how Hikaru met Alma and is almost the very first thing that happened. In the anime, Hikaru constantly hears Alma from his bedroom, the train, and walking with his friends outside the school. But in the manga, he hears Alma while sitting on the school rooftop and immediately goes to find him.
The scene where Alma and Hikaru meet for the first time was well adapted in the manga and doesn’t miss on any of the comedic moments, However, the anime still extends the scene a little more.
A lot of the characters, including Aki, Oner, and Twos were slightly different in their introductions for the manga adaptation. The way Koyoka introduced them was more so to maintain their secrecy and full face until the right moment.
I can understand doing this for first-time readers who it might shock. But in comparison, the anime introduced Aki, Oner, and Twos in a style that showcased their personalities right away. So it all depends on what kind of writing the readers/viewers like more.
The manga does take out some moments that I didn’t particularly agree with just for scene consistency, especially with Shirayama’s character and how she was “introduced” alongside Aki and Hikaru. But again, these are little differences that cater to what kind of writing someone prefers and nothing drastically takes away from what anime viewers saw. For those reading the manga first, I’d say it was perfectly fine as is.
Overall – A Solid Adaptation
Honestly, if I hadn’t watched the anime and this was the story of how I was introduced to Mecha-Ude, I’d give it a double thumbs up. I think Volume 1 of the Mecha-Ude manga is a great gateway into showcasing how the characters are, how they interact, and what the story is about. The fact it’s all in color makes it that much more spectacular in its own way.
The excitement is still there from all angles. Scholastic did a good job of working with TriF on getting this adapted.
My main love for Volume 1 is the consistent artwork. A lot of times, manga adaptations might get away from the anime or light novel’s art style—that isn’t the case here. Koyoka did a great job overall. I would definitely collect the entire Mecha-Ude manga once it’s all released.
© TriF/ “Mecha-Ude” Production Committee
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