The Zombie Land Saga Manga — What Exists and What to Expect
Zombie Land Saga premiered in October 2018 as an original anime produced by the animation studio MAPPA, directed by Munehisa Sakai, with scripts by Shigeru Murakoshi and production involvement from Cygames. The anime came first. The manga came after.
Two manga adaptations were created:
| Title | Artist | Volumes | Status | English License |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zombie Land Saga (main series) | Megumu Soramichi | 4 | Completed | None (Japan only) |
| Zombie Land Saga Gaiden: The First Zombie | Kasumi Fukagawa | 3 | Completed — original story not in the anime | None (Japan only) |
(“Volumes” are collected book editions — similar to trade paperbacks — that gather previously published chapters into a single book. “No English license” means no publisher has acquired the rights to release an official English translation.)
That’s everything. No ongoing series, no additional spin-offs in manga form as of mid-2026.
If you came here expecting a long-running manga series to collect — unfortunately, that doesn’t exist. But if you’re a fan of the franchise looking to squeeze every drop of content out of it, there’s still worthwhile material here. Especially that second title.
Complete List of Zombie Land Saga Manga Titles
Zombie Land Saga (Main Series) — 41 Chapters
This is the manga adaptation that starts from the anime’s first season (a “season” in anime is typically a run of 12–13 episodes that tells one arc of the story).
- Artist: Megumu Soramichi
- Serialization: Cycomi (Cygames), from October 2018
- Chapters: 41, collected in 4 volumes (the last arrived in 2021)
- Status: Completed
- Publisher: Cygames (Japan)
(“Serialization” means the manga was published chapter-by-chapter in a magazine before those chapters were collected into volumes — this is standard for how manga is published in Japan.)
The story follows the same beats you know from Season 1 of the anime: Sakura Minamoto wakes up as a zombie, discovers she’s been resurrected along with six other girls from different eras of Japanese history, and gets roped into becoming a zombie idol group called Franchouchou (the name of their fictional idol group) by the eccentric and very loud producer Kotaro Tatsumi — all to save Saga Prefecture through the power of idol performances.
A note for newcomers: in Japanese pop culture, “idols” are trained performers — usually singers and dancers — who perform in managed groups, roughly similar to pop stars or boy/girl bands in the West. The entire premise of Zombie Land Saga is that these resurrected zombie girls become an idol group. It’s played for comedy.
What’s different from the anime? The main manga includes some manga-original comedic scenes that aren’t in the anime. These are mostly additional gag moments and character interactions — fun extras, but not story-altering additions. Think of it as a comedy-focused retelling rather than a frame-by-frame recreation.
It reads fast — the pacing is more condensed than the 12-episode anime season, so some emotional beats hit differently or get trimmed. The musical performances — a huge part of the anime’s appeal — lose their impact on the printed page since you can’t hear the songs.
Zombie Land Saga Gaiden: The First Zombie — 3 Volumes
This is the one that matters most for fans.
- Artist: Kasumi Fukagawa
- Serialization: Ultra Jump (Shueisha), May 2021 to November 2022
- Volumes: 3
- Status: Completed
- Publisher: Shueisha (Japan)
“Gaiden” is a Japanese word meaning “side story” or “tale from the side.” In manga and anime, a gaiden typically tells a story that branches off from the main narrative — often focusing on a supporting character or a different time period.
Gaiden: The First Zombie is a prequel (a story set before the events of the main series) focusing on Tae Yamada, Franchouchou’s mysterious member #0. In the anime, Tae Yamada’s backstory gets the least attention compared to the other girls. This manga fixes that — and then some.
Set in 1989 Saga, the story follows a living, pre-zombie Tae as she leads a small monster-busting crew, the Saga Sagako Busters, against the local curse known as “Sagako.” It’s the life — and the fate — that the anime never explained. It’s drawn by Kasumi Fukagawa — the anime’s own character designer — and serialized in Shueisha’s Ultra Jump, so this isn’t some unrelated side project.
This is the only Zombie Land Saga manga that contains significant original story content not available in the anime. If you’re going to read just one of these manga, this is the one.
The tone is notably different from the main series. While there’s still comedy, Tae Yamada’s mysterious origin story naturally leans into more dramatic territory. It fleshes out one of the franchise’s most mysterious characters in a way the anime simply didn’t have time to do.
Manga vs. Anime — Key Differences
Let’s be clear about what each version of the story offers.
The main manga (41 chapters):
- A comedy-leaning retelling of Season 1 that then runs well past that material
- Adds some comedy scenes not in the anime
- Loses the musical performances, voice acting, and comedic timing that make the anime special
- Not a replacement for watching the anime — more of a companion piece
Gaiden: The First Zombie (3 volumes):
- Original prequel story not covered in the anime
- Focuses entirely on Tae Yamada’s mysterious backstory before she became a zombie
- The most substantial exclusive content in the franchise’s manga output
- Adds genuine depth to a character the anime left underdeveloped
What has no manga adaptation:
- Season 2 (Zombie Land Saga Revenge) — no manga version exists
- The upcoming movie continuation — anime only
The anime remains the primary way to experience Zombie Land Saga. The franchise was built for animation — the comedy timing, the musical numbers, the voice performances — these are things that live in the anime. The manga supplements the experience but doesn’t replace it.
The manga leans slightly harder into comedy gags. The anime balances comedy with surprisingly emotional character arcs and genuine musical performance sequences. If you love the show for its heart, the anime is where that hits hardest. If you love it for the absurd zombie comedy, the manga delivers more of that specific flavor.
Can You Read the Zombie Land Saga Manga in English?
Here’s the frustrating part for English-speaking fans: neither manga has an official English license as of mid-2026.
No announcements have been made by any of the major English-language manga publishers. Companies like Yen Press, Kodansha USA, Seven Seas, and Viz Media are the main publishers that license Japanese manga for English release — and none of them have picked up either Zombie Land Saga title. Given that both manga are completed and relatively short, and the anime has a solid English-speaking fanbase, it’s a bit surprising. But that’s where things stand.
Your options:
- Fan translations exist online — these are unofficial translations made by volunteer fans who translate the Japanese text into English without authorization from the publisher. Searching for the manga title along with “fan translation” or “English” in a search engine will surface community options, though quality and completeness vary. These occupy a legal gray area, which is why we don’t link directly to them.
- Japanese import volumes are available through retailers like Amazon Japan and CDJapan (a Japanese online shop that ships internationally). Expect to pay roughly ¥600–800 per volume plus international shipping. These are in Japanese only — useful for collectors, but you’ll need Japanese reading ability or a fan translation alongside them.
- No legal digital English option exists on platforms like BookWalker (a manga-focused digital storefront), Kindle, or ComiXology.
For English-speaking fans who want to experience the franchise right now, the anime is your best starting point. Both seasons are available on Crunchyroll (a streaming service specializing in anime) with English subtitles.
Reading Order and Where the Manga Fits in the Franchise
If you want to experience everything Zombie Land Saga has to offer, here’s a recommended order:
1. Watch Anime Season 1 (12 episodes)
This is where it all starts. The anime is the original version of the story, and it’s the best way to meet the characters and fall in love with the absurd premise. Available on Crunchyroll.
2. Optionally read the main manga (41 chapters)
If you want more comedy scenes and a slightly different take on Season 1, the manga is a fun supplement. It’s not required — you won’t miss anything critical. But if you’re hungry for more Franchouchou content, it scratches that itch.
3. Watch Anime Season 2: Revenge (12 episodes)
Continues the story. No manga adaptation exists for this season, so the anime is your only option here. Also on Crunchyroll.
4. Read Gaiden: The First Zombie (3 volumes)
This is the prequel about Tae Yamada. You could read this at any point after Season 1 — it’s set in 1989 and is self-contained enough to work on its own. But watching both anime seasons first gives you the fullest appreciation of Tae Yamada as a character and why her backstory matters. Placing it here in the order is a recommendation, not a requirement.
5. Movie (TBA)
A Zombie Land Saga movie has been announced. This will continue the anime timeline.
The key takeaway: the main manga is supplementary, not essential. The Gaiden prequel is the only manga that genuinely adds new story material worth seeking out. For staying up to date on franchise news — including any future English license announcements — the official Zombie Land Saga social media accounts and fan communities like the franchise’s subreddit are the best places to watch.
Is the Zombie Land Saga Manga Worth Reading?
This depends entirely on how big a fan you are.
If you’re a dedicated Zombie Land Saga fan:
Read Gaiden: The First Zombie. Tae Yamada is the franchise’s most enigmatic character, and this prequel gives her the spotlight she deserves. It’s an official franchise story with real original content, so it feels like a legitimate part of the canon rather than something made purely to capitalize on the franchise’s popularity. The main manga is also worth a look for the extra comedy scenes, though it won’t blow your mind if you’ve already watched Season 1.
If you’re a casual fan who enjoyed the anime:
The anime is sufficient. The main manga doesn’t add enough unique content to justify the effort of importing Japanese volumes or hunting down fan translations. Your time is better spent checking out the movie when it releases.
If you’re here looking for horror manga:
Fair warning — despite the zombie premise, Zombie Land Saga is a comedy-idol series, not horror. The “zombie” element is played almost entirely for laughs. The girls are undead, sure, but the series is about idol performances, friendship, regional pride, and absurd comedy. Nobody is getting eaten. The scariest thing in the franchise is Kotaro’s morning wake-up routine.
If you came here looking for actual zombie horror manga, you’ll want to look at titles that take the undead seriously rather than putting them in idol costumes. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks takes the survival-guide concept and turns it into a graphic novel (a long-form comic published as a single book rather than serialized) depicting zombie outbreaks throughout human history. It’s Western-produced rather than Japanese manga, but if you want zombie horror in comic form, it’s a solid pick. For manga with genuine supernatural horror and dark comedy layered together, Dorohedoro by Q Hayashida is an incredible series set in a grimy, violent world — the complete collection covers all 23 volumes. And for pure, unsettling horror from one of the genre’s greatest creators, Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition) by Junji Ito — a story about a town consumed by an obsession with spirals — is one of the best horror manga ever made.
The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
Dorohedoro Complete Manga Collection Vol. 1-23 Bundle Set
Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
Quick Franchise Summary
| Entry | Format | Content | English Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zombie Land Saga Season 1 | Anime (12 eps) | Main story | Crunchyroll |
| Zombie Land Saga (manga) | Manga (4 vols) | Season 1 retelling + bonus comedy | Japan only |
| Zombie Land Saga Revenge (Season 2) | Anime (12 eps) | Story continuation | Crunchyroll |
| Gaiden: The First Zombie | Manga (3 vols) | Tae Yamada prequel (original story) | Japan only |
| Movie | Anime film (TBA) | Story continuation | TBA |
The franchise is compact and approachable. Two anime seasons, two short manga series, and a movie on the way. For most English-speaking fans, the two anime seasons on Crunchyroll are where the magic is. If you can access the Gaiden manga, it’s the one piece of extra content genuinely worth your time.
Zombie Land Saga may not be a horror manga, but it’s a wildly fun franchise that does something nobody expected with the zombie genre. And sometimes the best thing a zombie can do is sing.