I Have a Crush at Work Manga Reading Order (2026)
I Have a Crush at Work Manga Reading Order at a Glance
This is a single, linear series. There are no side stories, companion manga, or alternate versions to track. If you’ve read other manga series that require you to jump between different titles or read things out of sequence, that’s not a concern here. You read Volume 1, then Volume 2, then Volume 3 — all the way through to Volume 15. That’s it.
Here’s the full reading order:
| Order | Volume | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volume 1 | Start here |
| 2 | Volume 2 | — |
| 3 | Volume 3 | — |
| 4 | Volume 4 | — |
| 5 | Volume 5 | — |
| 6 | Volume 6 | — |
| 7 | Volume 7 | — |
| 8 | Volume 8 | — |
| 9 | Volume 9 | — |
| 10 | Volume 10 | — |
| 11 | Volume 11 | — |
| 12 | Volume 12 | — |
| 13 | Volume 13 | Latest available in English |
| 14 | Volume 14 | Not yet released in English |
| 15 | Volume 15 | Not yet released in English (final volume) |
One important thing to know: the English edition currently has 13 of the 15 volumes available. The series is fully complete in Japanese, but English readers can’t yet read the final two volumes. More on that in the buying section below.
The bottom line: start at Volume 1 and read straight through to the latest available volume. There is genuinely no other order to consider.
What Each Part of the Story Covers
Even though the reading order is simple, it helps to know what you’re getting into at each stage. This series has a clear structure that builds on itself from beginning to end, and understanding the general shape of the story can help set your expectations — especially if you’re coming from romance manga where couples don’t get together until the final chapter.
Early Volumes (Volumes 1–3): Getting Started
The opening volumes introduce you to two coworkers who have feelings for each other. So far, that sounds like every office romance manga ever written. But here’s what makes this series stand out: the uncertainty over whether the couple will get together doesn’t drag on for dozens of chapters. The relationship starts moving forward faster than you’d expect, and the manga is upfront about the fact that the moment they declare their feelings isn’t the climax — it’s closer to the starting line.
A quick note on that: in many romance manga, the point where a character openly tells the other person how they feel is treated as the big finale. This series treats it as the beginning, which changes the entire dynamic of the story.
These early volumes establish the office setting, the supporting cast, and the tone of the series. There’s a warmth and groundedness here that sets it apart from more exaggerated romantic comedies. The humor comes from recognizable workplace situations and the awkwardness of navigating a crush in a work environment.
Middle Stretch (Volumes 4–9): The Heart of the Series
This is where the manga really finds its groove. With the romantic question of “will they get together” already answered, the story shifts to something that manga rarely explores in depth: what happens after? How do two people balance a genuine relationship with their jobs, their coworkers, their own insecurities, and the thousand small frictions of daily life?
The middle volumes are the core of the series. You get storylines about coworker dynamics, about the way work stress bleeds into personal life, about the small misunderstandings that feel enormous when you’re in them. The supporting cast gets more developed here too — the people surrounding the main couple aren’t just background decorations. They have their own dynamics and relationships that weave through the story in satisfying ways.
These volumes reward sequential reading. Running jokes, references to earlier moments, and character development all build on what came before, so skipping ahead would mean missing the foundation that makes the payoffs land.
Final Stretch (Volumes 10–15): Where It All Leads
The final volumes raise the stakes in a way that feels organic rather than forced. The questions get bigger: long-term commitment, career decisions, what the future looks like for two people who started as office crushes and grew into something more serious.
Without spoiling anything, the series reaches a definitive and satisfying conclusion. This isn’t a manga that got cancelled or rushed to an ending — it told the story it wanted to tell across 147 chapters and then wrapped up with intention. That completeness is one of the best things about recommending this series. You’re not signing up for an unfinished saga or a cliffhanger ending.
Every volume in this series builds directly on the last. There’s no stretch where the characters go to the beach for three volumes and nothing happens. Sequential reading isn’t just recommended — it’s the only way the story works.
Where to Buy Each Volume in English
The English edition of I Have a Crush at Work is published by Kodansha and currently has 13 volumes available. The series is complete in Japan at 15 volumes, but the final two volumes covering the story’s conclusion have not yet been released in English as of this writing. To check for updates on the remaining volumes, Kodansha’s English catalog page is the most reliable source — you can also watch for announcements on their social media channels.
English editions are available digitally, which is the most reliable way to access the series. Physical availability can vary depending on the retailer and your location, so digital is often the path of least resistance if you want to start reading today.
If you’re not sure whether this series is for you, grabbing Volume 1 digitally is a low-commitment way to test it out. Each volume takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes to read, so you’ll know fairly quickly whether the art style and workplace romance tone click for you. The first volume does a good job of establishing what the series is — if you like that opening, you’ll like the rest.
I Have a Crush at Work
One practical note: since the English release is still catching up to the Japanese edition, you may want to pace yourself rather than burning through all 13 available volumes in a weekend. That said, this series is very easy to binge — at roughly 30 to 45 minutes per volume, you could finish all 13 in about 7 to 10 hours of reading.
Common Mistakes New Readers Make
A few things trip up first-time readers of this series. None of them are dealbreakers, but knowing about them upfront can save you some confusion or misplaced expectations.
Assuming the English Edition Is Complete
This is the biggest one. The series is finished — 15 volumes, 147 chapters, concluded in March 2023. But the English release currently sits at 13 volumes. That means if you read straight through all available English volumes, you will not reach the ending. You’ll be close, but not there.
This isn’t a reason to avoid the series. The vast majority of the story is available in English, and those final volumes will very likely be released. But it’s worth knowing going in so you’re not surprised when you reach Volume 13 and realize there’s more story that you can’t access yet. Again, Kodansha’s English catalog is the place to watch for release date announcements on the remaining volumes.
Expecting a Long, Drawn-Out Romantic Buildup
If you’re coming from romance manga where the characters finally get together in the last chapter (or never get together at all), this series will surprise you. The couple gets together relatively early. The manga isn’t about whether they’ll end up together — it’s about what a relationship actually looks like day to day, especially when you work at the same company.
This is a feature, not a bug. But if you go in expecting 15 volumes of longing glances and near-misses, you might feel disoriented when the story moves past that phase quickly. Once you adjust to what the series is actually doing, the relationship-focused storytelling becomes the main draw.
Skipping Early Volumes Because the Premise Seems Simple
“Two office workers have a crush on each other” doesn’t sound like the most complex premise in the world. And honestly, the first few chapters are deliberately low-key. But the character dynamics, running jokes, and relationship details that get established in those early volumes pay off throughout the entire series.
Readers who skip ahead because they’ve “gotten the gist” from summaries or online discussions end up missing the groundwork that makes later developments meaningful. The cumulative effect of reading this series from the beginning is a big part of what makes it work. The pacing in these early volumes is deliberate and purposeful — what feels simple at first is laying foundations that the rest of the series builds on.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many volumes does I Have a Crush at Work have?
The complete series is 15 volumes in Japanese, spanning 147 chapters. The English edition currently has 13 volumes available, with the final 2 not yet released in English.
Is the manga finished?
Yes. The series is fully complete. It ran in Kodansha’s Morning magazine from July 2019 to March 2023 and concluded at 15 volumes. This is a finished story with a proper ending — no cancellation, no indefinite hiatus.
Are there any spin-offs I need to read?
No. There are no confirmed spin-offs, side stories, or companion manga. I Have a Crush at Work is a single, self-contained series. Your reading order is Volume 1 through Volume 15, and nothing else.
Is there an anime adaptation? Should I watch or read first?
An anime adaptation has been produced for this series. Regardless of whether you choose to watch the anime or read the manga first, the reading order for the manga itself is unaffected — it’s still just Volume 1 through Volume 15 in sequence. The two formats tell the same core story, so pick whichever format appeals to you more, or enjoy both.
Can I read this series digitally?
Yes. The English volumes are available digitally through major e-book retailers, which is often the easiest way to access the full run of available volumes. Digital is also a great way to sample Volume 1 before committing to the whole series.
What kind of content should I expect?
The series ran in Morning, a Kodansha magazine aimed at adult readers. The content is a mature workplace romance — not in the sense of graphic or explicit material, but in the sense that its themes (adult relationships, work-life balance, long-term commitment) are written for an older audience rather than teens. The series is generally mild — you won’t encounter strong violence or explicit scenes. It’s a grounded, realistic romance focused on the everyday details of a relationship between two working adults.
How long does it take to read the whole series?
Each volume takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes to read, so the 13 currently available English volumes add up to about 7 to 10 hours of total reading time. Most readers can finish the available volumes over a long weekend. The pacing keeps you turning pages, and the chapter endings consistently make you want to start the next one.
