Sakamichi no Apollon
Edit
What would you like to edit?
 

Sakamichi no Apollon

Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Sakamichi no Aporon, Kids on the Slope
Japanese: 坂道のアポロン


Information

Type: Manga
Volumes: 9
Chapters: 45
Status: Finished
Published: Sep 28, 2007 to Jan 28, 2012
Genres: Award Winning Award Winning, Drama Drama, Romance Romance
Themes: Love Polygon Love Polygon, Music Music, School School
Demographic: Josei Josei
Serialization: Flowers (Monthly)
Authors: Kodama, Yuki (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.501 (scored by 1131611,316 users)
1 indicates a weighted score.
Ranked: #1482
2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #591
Members: 30,972
Favorites: 953

Resources

8.50
Ranked #148Popularity #591Members 30,972
Add to My List
Volumes: /9
Chapters: /45

Synopsis

Constantly transferring schools since childhood, Kaoru Nishimi has always been seen as a social outcast when he transfers due to his intellectual nature and wealthy background. But after moving to Kyushu for his first year of high school, things begin to change when Kaoru befriends the class president Ritsuko Mukae and, unexpectedly, the notorious school delinquent Sentarou Kawabuchi. While Kaoru is an honors student, Sentarou is constantly getting into fights and skipping class. However, these two opposites find a common ground in one thing—music.

One day, Kaoru is invited by Ritsuko to visit her family's record store, where he finds Sentarou in the basement showcasing his skill in jazz drumming. Kaoru, being a classical pianist, knows nothing about jazz. But inspired by the performance, he begins to open his mind to the genre alongside Sentarou. The duo begin to practice in after-school jazz sessions in the record store's basement. As he spends more time improving his skills in jazz, Kaoru finds a person whom he can truly call his friend, and comes to learn the joys of playing music. Sakamichi no Apollon follows their story of friendship and love brought together by jazz.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Background

Sakamichi no Apollon won the 57th Shogakukan Manga Award in the General category in 2011.

The series was published in Polish by J.P. Fantastica from July 2, 2015, to April 20, 2017; and in Spanish by Milky Way Ediciones from September 29, 2015, to June 28, 2016.

Characters


Reviews

Apr 30, 2012
While I write this review, the intro of Moanin' by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers is playing inside my head. Not just that, for two weeks, all I could hear was pure and awesome jazz songs. Of course it's Sakamichi no Apollon's fault.

Music. Do you know how powerful can it be? C'mon, I bet music changed your life or your day, at least once. Now, jazz songs. Jazz is contagious, you hear it and starts tapping your fingers, moving your shoulders or doing weird footsteps under the table. It's magical! In the end, you're smiling and you don't even know how that ...
Dec 8, 2012
Sakamichi No Apollon (also known as Kids On The Slope) is a josei manga which can get some catchy jazz song in your head, and manage to keep it there all day. At first, you'd catch yourself tapping your fingers or toes to some melody, and after some time, you just can't stop. The musical style of jazz is off-beat, nonrhythmic, and often improvises the melodies. It's very different, but often in a good way.

That definition also best describes Sakamichi No Apollon.

As the winner of the 57th Shogakukan Manga Award for General Manga, I don't think you could really expect anything sub-par. Kaoru, a stotic, ...
Sep 9, 2021
Mixed Feelings
Original review in french below

What about Kids on the Slope? This manga follows three high school students in late 1960s Japan and revolves around jazz. I wrote "gravity", because if this noble musical genre cements the relations between our three young whippersnappers - namely: a binoclard letting go of the classical piano for improvised freedom, a young American-Japanese half-breed stuffing his drums and the charming damsel in the middle - it still seems to me that the real heart of the matter is more the feelings than the music.

Where a Blue Giant, released more recently, frankly insisted on musical discipline, music theory and the history ...

Interest Stacks

22 Entries · 3 Restacks
34 Entries · 61 Restacks
20 Entries · 11 Restacks

Recommendations


Recent News

'Sakamichi no Apollon' Gets Live-Action Film for 2018

'Sakamichi no Apollon' Gets Live-Action Film for 2018

The cover of Shogakukan's Flowers June issue (pictured) has announced that Yuki Kodama's Sakamichi no Apollon will receive a theatrical live-action adaptat...read more

Watanabe Shinichiro Directs Sakamichi no Apollon

Watanabe Shinichiro Directs Sakamichi no Apollon

According to the official website, the production staff of Sakamichi no Apollon was announced. Watanabe Shinichiro and Kanno Yoko will work together for the first ti...read more


Recent Forum Discussion

Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 45 Discussion
Dodecahedron-O24 - Jun 12, 2012
46 repliesby Rhae »»
May 18, 12:14 PM
Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 5 Discussion
Dodecahedron-O24 - Apr 22, 2012
5 repliesby BookBirdie »»
May 9, 4:34 AM
Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 23 Discussion
Dr_Funkadelic - May 12, 2012
3 repliesby aru4l »»
Feb 22, 10:33 AM
Poll: Sakamichi no Apollon Chapter 1 Discussion
stickymochi - Dec 30, 2011
6 repliesby Cherrysky »»
May 2, 2023 9:52 AM
Sakamichi no Apollon - Official Fan Book not on mal
Sukhmonchan - Nov 5, 2021
0 repliesby Sukhmonchan »»
Nov 5, 2021 10:33 AM

Recent Featured Articles

10 Coming-of-Age Anime That Will Warm Your Shriveled Black Heart

10 Coming-of-Age Anime That Will Warm Your Shriveled Black Heart

Growing up is often rife with events that end up shaping who you become. Sure, most people's formative years aren't as exciting as how they're portrayed in these Coming-of-Age anime, but check these ones out and you might (momentarily) forget about how much you missed out on! Hooray for anime!
Top 20 Best Anime of 2012

Top 20 Best Anime of 2012

Take a trip back in time and see a list of the top 20 anime from 2012, based on the MAL database!