Lovely Muco

Lovely Muco
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Muco (front) and Komatsu-san (back)
いとしのムーコ
(Itoshi no Mūko)
Genre
Manga
Written byTakayuki Mizushina [ja]
Published byKodansha
English publisher
ImprintEvening KC
MagazineEvening
Original run12 April 2011 – 23 September 2020
Volumes17
Anime television series
Lovely Movie: Lovely Muuuuuuuco!
Directed byTakenori Mihara
StudioDoga Kobo
Original networkFuji TV
Original run 29 July 2013 – 23 December 2013
Episodes21
Anime television series
Lovely Movie: Lovely Muuuuuuuco! Season 2
Directed byTakenori Mihara
StudioDoga Kobo
Original networkBS Fuji
Original run 27 April 2014 – 5 October 2014
Episodes22
Anime television series
Directed byRomanov Higa
StudioDLE
Original networkTV Tokyo
Original run 3 October 2015 – 26 March 2016
Episodes25
Manga
Daisuki! Itoshi no Muco
Written byTakayuki Mizushina
Published byKodansha
ImprintEvening KC
MagazineComic Days [ja]
Original run10 September 2023 – present
Volumes1
icon Anime and manga portal

Lovely Muco (Japanese: いとしのムーコ, Hepburn: Itoshi no Mūko) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takayuki Mizushina [ja]. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Evening from April 2011 to September 2020, with its chapters collected in 17 tankōbon volumes. It tells the story of Muco, the Shiba Inu of glassblower Komatsu-san.

Plot

Characters

Muco (ムーコ, Mūko)
Voiced by: Hitomi Yoshida
The shiba-inu pet of Komatsu.
Komatsu-san (こまつさん)
Voiced by: Shinichi Tanioka (Lovely Movie) / Satoshi Hino (TV anime)
A glassblower.
Ushikou-san (うしこうさん)
Voiced by: Mizuki Sano (Lovely Movie) / Junji Majima (TV anime)
A bar patron and friend of Komatsu.
Bōda-san (棒田さん)
Voiced by: Taisei Kurata (Lovely Movie) / Keiji Fujiwara (TV anime)
A local barkeep.
Rena-chan (玲奈ちゃん)
Voiced by: Sumire Uesaka
Bouda's daughter.
Shinohara-san (篠原さん)
Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka
Love interest.
Dr. Mutō (Veterinary) (むとう先生（獣医さん）, Mutō-sensei (Jūui-san))
Voiced by: Kazuhiro Watanabe (Lovely Movie) / Hiroki Takahashi (TV anime)
Tamaki-kun (タマキくん)
Voiced by: Yū Kobayashi (TV anime)

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Takayuki Mizushina [ja], Lovely Muco was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Evening from 12 April 2011 to 23 September 2020. Kodansha collected its chapters in 17 tankōbon volumes, released from 23 April 2012 to 23 November 2020.

At Anime Expo 2022, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the series for English publication.

A sequel manga, titled Daisuki! Itoshi no Muco, began serialization on Kodansha's Comic Days [ja] website began serialization on 10 September 2023. The first volume was released on 12 June 2024.

Volumes

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
0123 April 2012978-4-06-352415-42 May 2023978-1-64-729239-3
0221 September 2012978-4-06-352431-44 July 2023978-1-64-729240-9
0322 March 2013978-4-06-352455-07 November 2023978-1-64-729251-5
0420 September 2013978-4-06-352483-320 February 2024978-1-64-729252-2
0520 March 2014978-4-06-354506-7
978-4-06-358702-9 (SE)		——
0621 November 2014978-4-06-354538-8
978-4-06-358749-4 (SE)		——
0723 April 2015978-4-06-354569-2——
0820 November 2015978-4-06-354601-9——
0922 April 2016978-4-06-354618-7
978-4-06-358805-7 (SE)		——
1022 November 2016978-4-06-354642-2
978-4-06-362345-1 (SE)		——
1123 June 2017978-4-06-354673-6
978-4-06-358851-4 (SE)		——
1222 December 2017978-4-06-510577-1
978-4-06-511017-1 (SE)		——
1323 July 2018978-4-06-512076-7
978-4-06-512951-7 (SE)		——
1423 April 2019978-4-06-515222-5
978-4-06-516235-4 (SE)		——
1522 November 2019978-4-06-517658-0
978-4-06-518140-9 (SE)		——
1623 June 2020978-4-06-520005-6
978-4-06-520004-9 (SE)		——
1720 November 2020978-4-06-521582-1
978-4-06-521646-0 (SE)		——

Anime

In 2013 and 2014, a short anime based on the manga by Doga Kobo was used as interstitials on the Fuji TV programme Non-Stop!. A separate anime series started airing on 3 October 2015.

Reception

Lovely Muco ranked sixth on the "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2013" poll by Honya Club online bookstore.

References

  1. ↑ Lovely Muco!. Kodansha USA. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  2. ↑ Alverson, Brigid (6 July 2022). "Kodansha Announces New Manga Licenses at Anime Expo". ICv2. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  3. ↑ ラブリームービー いとしのムーコ シーズン2 (in Japanese). Fuji Television On Demand. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  4. ↑ テレビ東京・あにてれ いとしのムーコ (in Japanese). TV Tokyo. Archived from the original on 3 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  5. ↑ 秋田・ガラス作家の愛犬モデルの漫画「いとしのムーコ」、コミック誌に連載へ [Dog model of Akita-glass artist cartoon "beloved of Muko", to serialized in comic magazine] (in Japanese). Akita Keizai Shimbun. 7 April 2011. Archived from the original on 1 November 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
  6. ↑ みずしな孝之が愛らしい犬描く「いとしのムーコ」連載開始. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). 12 April 2011. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  7. ↑ 謎のスーパー野球女子描く新連載がイブニングで、「いとしのムーコ」10年の連載に幕. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). 23 September 2020. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
  8. 1 2 【4月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 23 April 2012. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  9. 1 2 【11月20日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  10. ↑ Pineda, Rafael (1 July 2022). "EXCLUSIVE: Kodansha USA Licenses The Yakuza's Bias, Lovely Muco!, Iruma-kun, More Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  11. ↑ みんな大好きムーコが帰ってきた！「いとしのムーコ」の新作がコミックDAYSで開始. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 10 September 2023. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  12. ↑ 愛犬ムーコが帰ってきた、新たな仲間が加わった「いとしのムーコ」新シリーズ1巻. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 12 June 2024. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  13. ↑ "Lovely Muco! 1". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  14. ↑ 【9月21日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 21 September 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Lovely Muco! 2". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  16. ↑ 【3月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 22 March 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "Lovely Muco! 3". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  18. ↑ 【9月20日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Lovely Muco! 4". Penguin Random House. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  20. ↑ 【3月20日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 20 March 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  21. ↑ DVDと缶バッジ付きですよ!! いとしのムーコ（5）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  22. ↑ 【11月21日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 21 November 2014. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  23. ↑ いとしのムーコ（6）限定版 もっちりストラップ&ぷっくりシール&缶バッジのムーコBOX (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  24. ↑ 【4月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 23 April 2015. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  25. ↑ 【11月20日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 20 November 2015. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  26. ↑ 【4月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 22 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  27. ↑ DVD付き いとしのムーコ（9）限定版 おはなつやつやステッカー入り! (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  28. ↑ 【11月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 22 November 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  29. ↑ 卓上カレンダー付き いとしのムーコ（10）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  30. ↑ 【6月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  31. ↑ ハンドタオル付き いとしのムーコ（11）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  32. ↑ 【12月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 22 December 2017. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  33. ↑ ムーコかたぬきカレンダー付き いとしのムーコ（12）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  34. ↑ 【7月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 23 July 2018. Archived from the original on 19 January 2025. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  35. ↑ ムーコのでっかいメモホルダー付き いとしのムーコ（13）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  36. ↑ 【4月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 23 April 2019. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  37. ↑ ムーコのおくすり手帳&カバー付き いとしのムーコ（14）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  38. ↑ 【11月22日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 22 November 2019. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  39. ↑ ワイドなムーコカレンダー付き いとしのムーコ（15）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  40. ↑ 【6月23日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 23 June 2020. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
  41. ↑ ふせんブック付き いとしのムーコ（16）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  42. ↑ 毎日いっしょなムーコ日めくりカレンダー付き いとしのムーコ（17）限定版 (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  43. ↑ "Lovely Muco! Manga by Kemono to Chat's Mizushina Gets New TV Anime". Anime News Network. 21 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  44. ↑ Komatsu, Mikikazu (23 April 2015). ""Lovely Muco!" Manga Gets TV Anime Adaptation This Fall". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on 29 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  45. ↑ Loveridge, Lynzee (4 February 2013). "Japanese Bookstores Recommend 15 Top Manga of 2013". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2020.