First Love Monster Manga Reading Order (All 8 Vols)

First Love Monster Manga Reading Order at a Glance

Here’s the short version: read volumes 1 through 8 in order. That’s it. That’s the reading order.

First Love Monster is a completed manga series — meaning the story is finished and every volume is already published, so you can read straight through without waiting for future releases. The Japanese edition was originally published chapter by chapter in ARIA magazine (a Japanese manga magazine by Kodansha) before being collected into book form. The English edition from Yen Press spans 8 standard-sized volumes that match the Japanese release exactly.

There are no omnibus editions (collected books that bundle multiple volumes into one), no deluxe hardcovers, no special collector’s versions, and no digital-exclusive bonus volumes. The single-volume format is the only way this series has been released in English. That makes your decision tree incredibly simple:

• Step 1: Get Volume 1.
• Step 2: Read through Volume 8.
• Step 3: You’re done.

Available Editions — What You Can Actually Buy

Since there’s only one English edition of this series, let’s quickly cover what your options look like in practice.

Print Singles (Volumes 1–8)

The standard Yen Press single volumes are your print option. All 8 volumes have been released, so you won’t run into any out-of-print gaps or “Volume 5 is mysteriously unavailable” situations that plague some older series. Each volume is a standard manga-sized paperback — slightly smaller and narrower than a typical Western novel, roughly 5 by 7.5 inches.

Because the series is complete and all volumes are out, you can collect the whole thing at once or pick them up gradually.

Digital

All 8 volumes are available digitally through major e-book platforms. If you prefer reading on a tablet or phone, digital is a perfectly good way to experience the series. The content is identical to print. One thing to keep in mind if you’re brand new to manga: manga reads right-to-left, starting from what would be the “back” of a Western book. Digital apps handle this automatically, but it can feel unfamiliar for the first few pages.

What Doesn’t Exist

Just to save you the search:

• No omnibus editions — Yen Press has not collected multiple volumes into a single book
• No deluxe or oversized editions — no hardcovers, no color pages edition
• No box set — you’ll need to buy volumes individually

This is actually a plus in terms of simplicity. You don’t have to agonize over “should I wait for the box set?” or “is the deluxe edition worth the premium?” There’s one version. Buy it, read it, done.

Format	Volumes	Publisher	Status
Print singles	8	Yen Press	All released
Digital	8	Yen Press	All available
Omnibus	—	—	Does not exist
Box set	—	—	Does not exist

Complete Reading Order — Volume by Volume

The entire series is linear. There are no side stories published separately, no prequel chapters hidden in anthologies, and no “read Volume 3.5 between Volumes 3 and 4” nonsense. You read Volume 1, then Volume 2, then Volume 3, and so on.

Here’s a spoiler-free guide to what each section of the story covers, so you have a sense of the pacing and can decide how far to commit.

Volumes 1–3 — Setup and the Central Comedic Premise

The story begins when Kaho Nikaidou, a high school girl, moves into a new high school dormitory. She quickly develops feelings for the landlord’s son, Kanade Takahashi — who seems like the perfect dreamy guy. Then the series drops its defining twist: Kanade is actually a fifth-grader. He just happens to be tall for his age. The entire comedy engine of the manga runs on the gap between Kaho’s romantic feelings and this absurd reality.

These opening volumes establish:

• Kaho’s character and her earnest, slightly naive personality
• The ensemble cast of residents in the dormitory, each with their own quirks
• The series’ comedic tone, which leans heavily into absurdist humor and exaggerated reactions
• The central romantic dynamic and why it’s so uniquely awkward

If you’re going to know whether this manga is for you, you’ll know by the end of Volume 1. The premise is front-loaded, and the comedy either clicks for you or it doesn’t.

Volumes 4–6 — Deepening Relationships and Rival Complications

The middle stretch builds on the comedic foundation by introducing new characters and romantic complications. Rival love interests enter the picture, misunderstandings multiply, and Kaho finds herself navigating increasingly absurd situations. The comedy gets sharper and more confident in these volumes as Hiyoshimaru finds the series’ rhythm.

This is also where the supporting cast really starts to shine. First Love Monster has a surprisingly deep bench of side characters, and the humor broadens as their own romantic tangles intersect with Kaho’s story. If you found Volume 1 promising but wanted more variety in the jokes, these middle volumes deliver that.

Underneath all the comedy, there are genuine moments of Kaho reflecting on what she actually wants and why — which gives the later payoff something to land on.

Volumes 7–8 — Resolution and Finale

The final two volumes bring the story threads together and push toward a conclusion. Without giving away specifics, the romance reaches its resolution, and the series wraps up in a way that feels complete.

At only 8 volumes total, First Love Monster doesn’t overstay its welcome. The pacing in these final volumes is tighter, with less room for detours and more focus on delivering a satisfying ending. For readers who’ve been invested in Kaho’s journey, Volume 8 provides the closure the story needs.

This is one of the genuine advantages of shorter completed series — you get a beginning, middle, and end without the bloat that can creep into longer-running manga.

Anime Adaptation — Where It Fits in Your Reading

First Love Monster did receive a television anime adaptation. If you’re wondering whether to watch first or read first, here’s what you need to know.

The anime covers the early portion of the manga’s story. It doesn’t adapt the entire series — the manga extends well beyond where the anime ends. This is common with manga-to-anime adaptations; the anime may have been produced while the manga was still running, or the production simply didn’t cover all the source material. So if you watch the anime and want to know how the story concludes, you’ll need to read the manga regardless.

Starting with Volume 1 of the manga is the strongest approach, even if you’ve seen the anime. Here’s why:

• The manga is the complete version of the story from start to finish
• At only 8 volumes, it’s not a huge time commitment to read from the beginning
• You’ll catch details and character moments that the anime may have condensed or skipped
• The comedic timing in manga form hits differently than in animation — Hiyoshimaru’s visual layouts and character expressions on the page are part of the joke

If you’ve already watched the anime and absolutely don’t want to re-read the early material, you could try picking up from a later volume — but honestly, with a series this short, starting from the beginning is the way to go. You’ll be through the anime-covered material quickly, and then everything after that will be brand new to you.

Don’t skip volumes. The anime doesn’t cover enough of the series for you to jump in mid-story, and the later volumes assume you’ve been following character dynamics that build gradually across the whole run.

What to Know Before You Start

A few things worth knowing before you dive in:

This is absurdist romantic comedy first, romance second. If you’re expecting a straightforward, heartfelt love story, recalibrate your expectations. First Love Monster is a comedy manga that uses its romantic premise as a launchpad for increasingly ridiculous situations. The romance is real, but it’s wrapped in layers of exaggerated humor.

The premise will be a dealbreaker for some readers, and that’s fine. As mentioned above, the central joke revolves around a high school girl having romantic feelings for an elementary school boy. The manga treats this as pure absurdist comedy — it’s never framed realistically, and the humor comes from how ridiculous the situation is. But the premise is inherently uncomfortable for some readers, and there’s no shame in deciding it’s not for you. If you’re unsure, Volume 1 lays everything out clearly enough that you’ll know where you stand before committing further.

It’s a quick read. Eight volumes is a very manageable commitment. You could comfortably read the entire series in a weekend if you’re motivated. For readers who are hesitant about starting long-running manga, First Love Monster is a great “try it and finish it” series.

The ensemble cast is a highlight. Even if the main premise doesn’t fully grab you at first, the supporting characters bring a lot of energy and comedy to the series. Give it through at least Volume 2 before deciding it’s not for you — the cast broadens quickly and the jokes diversify.

It’s categorized as shoujo, but it’s not typical for the category. In manga publishing, “shoujo” refers to series marketed toward young women — think romance-forward stories with an emphasis on emotional relationships. First Love Monster fits that audience bracket, but its comedic approach is much more offbeat than the category’s mainstream. If you’re someone who enjoys absurdist comedy regardless of the target demographic label, this might surprise you.

The Best Way to Start First Love Monster Today

Here’s your action plan:

Pick up Volume 1 from Yen Press — in print or digital, whichever you prefer — and start reading. If the comedy lands for you in the first few chapters, you’re in for a fun ride through all 8 volumes. If it doesn’t click, you’ll know early and you’re only one volume in.

Volume 8 wraps up the series, so you can grab it to complete your collection and reach the story’s conclusion.

There’s genuinely nothing complicated about collecting or reading this series. One author (Akira Hiyoshimaru), one publisher (Yen Press), one edition, eight volumes, and a complete story from beginning to end. Grab Volume 1, read to Volume 8, and you’ve experienced the whole thing exactly as intended.

Happy reading!