Manga Depicts Realities of High School Life with Landmarks of Osaka Pref., Focuses on Students in Music Club

By Toshiya Joman / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

10:59 JST, April 17, 2026

OSAKA — Tanikyu, Nagai Park, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and more Osaka Prefecture landmarks are depicted in the manga “Futsu no Keionbu” (“Girl Meets Rock!”). Set in a high school music club in Osaka, the manga realistically portrays the development and struggles of students, and the work is currently popular.

Published by Shueisha Inc., the manga won first place in the online manga category at the Next Manga Awards in 2024. Volume 10 was released in comic book form on March 4.

The writer of its story, Kuwahali, who lives in Osaka Prefecture, said: “I depict the lives of ordinary high school students in Osaka. I really hope many people read it.”

The story follows high school girl Chihiro Hatono, who lacks confident in her singing voice. She joins the music club at Tanikyu High School and throws herself into band activities, honing her music skills with unique classmates.

Illustrated by Tetsuo Ideuchi, its serialization began in 2024 on the online manga platform “Shonen Jump Plus.” Following its success at the Next Manga Awards, it ranked second in the publication “Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2025” (This manga is amazing! 2025), in the category of manga works published in boys’ and men’s magazines.

The comical story incorporates the everyday lives, connections, romances and future career worries unique to high schoolers, resonating deeply with readers of the same age.

Another distinctive feature is its extensive use of music by real-life singers and bands.

The music list includes songs such as Mr.Children’s “Na mo Naki Uta” (Nameless poem) and Vaundy’s “Kaiju no Hanauta” (Monster’s flower song). In addition, the protagonist is depicted as “having a refined taste in Japanese rock,” which results in the inclusion of music by, for example, Ging Nang Boyz, Andymori and Zazen Boys as the story progresses. This has drawn the attention of their fans.

Kuwahali was raised in Shiga Prefecture, and after graduating from university, worked as a high school teacher in Osaka for more than 10 years. Having been in bands while a student, Kuwahali became an instructor for a high school music club.

“I saw some students who were bad at first but got better. I was also moved by live performances by students at school festivals. These experiences as a teacher have helped me create this work,” Kuwahali said.

Nagai Park, where the protagonist secretly practices singing to her own guitar accompaniment away from her classmates, is modeled after the real-life Nagai Park in Osaka’s Higashi-sumiyoshi Ward, although the manga uses different kanji characters for “Nagai.”

Around the time these chapters were written, Kuwahali would take walks along a route that included the park.

“It’s the perfect spot,” Kuwahali said. “It’s not very far away from ‘Tanikyu’ [High School], so she could easily come, but her classmates wouldn’t see her practice.”

Many other tourist spots and well-known scenery in Osaka Prefecture are featured in the work, including Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and the Dotonbori entertainment district.

“I plan to continue featuring scenery in Osaka in the future,” Kuwahali said. “I hope readers look forward to seeing them.”

Ex-teacher Kuwahali stresses the importance of passion

The Yomiuri Shimbun asked story writer Kuwahali about their thoughts behind the manga “Futsu no Keionbu” (“Girl Meets Rock!”).

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The Yomiuri Shimbun: Why did you choose Osaka as the setting?

Kuwahali: I thought it would be easier for me to visualize places that I know. I also thought it would be more enjoyable for the readers. The Osakan trait of speaking candidly might also influence the characters.

Yomiuri: The realistic portrayal of high schoolers in the manga is popular. The characters think such things, “I want to be the headliner at a school festival concert” and “I wish to be as good as elder members of the club.”

Kuwahali: The students I taught as a schoolteacher worked hard to win the top prize at the school festival. In this manga, I want to depict the beauty of being passionate about something. Nowadays, I feel the spotlight tends to be on big goals such as “becoming the best in Japan” or “making a fortune.” I think this manga might counter that trend.

Yomiuri: Many real-life songs appear in the work.

Kuwahali: They all are what I like. Some people say to me, “You like refined, but less-known music,” but I don’t think that way at all. I rather worry I might be criticized by Japanese rock fans because I’ve always selected major hits. Whenever I select music for a character in the story, I think about their personality and choose a song that they would sing.

Yomiuri: The milestone 10th volume has been released.

Kuwahali: I had thought that if the manga’s serialization was discontinued, I’d go back to teaching. I’m truly happy so many people read it. The story still has a long way to go. I hope you’ll continue to enjoy it.