S.A: Special A Manga Volumes — Full 17-Volume Guide

S.A: Special A Manga Volumes — 17 Total, and the Series Is Complete

S.A: Special A (Ｓ・Ａ　スペシャル・エー) is a completed shoujo manga written and illustrated by Maki Minami. It was originally published chapter-by-chapter in Hana to Yume, a major shoujo manga anthology in Japan put out by publisher Hakusensha, and ran for 17 volumes total.

The English edition was published by VIZ Media, one of the largest manga publishers in English-speaking markets, also spanning 17 volumes — so nothing was cut or combined. What Japanese readers got, English readers got too.

The story follows Hikari Hanazono, a fiercely competitive girl who has spent her entire life trying to beat Kei Takishima at, well, everything. They’re both members of Special A (S.A.), an elite class of the top seven students at their prestigious school. The catch? Kei has feelings for Hikari that she’s completely oblivious to, while she’s laser-focused on finally defeating him. It’s a rivalry-turned-romance with tons of comedy, and the dynamic between them is genuinely fun to watch unfold.

If you’re looking for a complete romance manga that you can binge from beginning to end without any loose threads, S.A: Special A is a strong pick. Seventeen volumes is a satisfying length — long enough to develop the characters and their relationship properly, but not so long that it overstays its welcome. Each volume reads in roughly 30 to 45 minutes, so the full series is a manageable commitment you could finish in a week or two of casual reading.

All 17 Volumes at a Glance

Here’s every volume in the series. All 17 are available in English from VIZ Media. I’ve included brief, spoiler-light notes on what each volume focuses on so you can get a sense of the story’s progression. Volumes marked with a ★ are particularly strong entry points or turning points for the romance.

Volume	Focus
Vol. 1 ★	Introduces the S.A. class, Hikari’s one-sided rivalry with Kei, and his unspoken crush on her — sets the tone for the whole series
Vol. 2	The S.A. members’ personalities and friendships take shape through school competitions and comedic challenges
Vol. 3	Side characters like Tadashi and Akira get their own storylines; Hikari and Kei’s bond deepens through school events
Vol. 4	Outside rivals enter the picture and test the S.A. group; Kei’s protectiveness toward Hikari starts showing more openly
Vol. 5	Emotional stakes rise as family backgrounds and personal pressures come into focus for several characters
Vol. 6 ★	A turning point — the rivalry between Hikari and Kei starts shifting into something more complicated, and the series leans harder into romance
Vol. 7 ★	Relationship dynamics change significantly; feelings that were buried under competitive energy come closer to the surface
Vol. 8 ★	Major developments in Hikari and Kei’s relationship — one of the most talked-about volumes among fans
Vol. 9	Fallout from earlier events; the romance enters new territory as both characters reckon with what’s changed between them
Vol. 10	Supporting characters’ romances get attention alongside the main pair, rounding out the cast
Vol. 11	External conflicts threaten to separate the S.A. members; the group’s loyalty is tested
Vol. 12	Emotional confrontations and real growth for Hikari as she starts to understand her own feelings
Vol. 13	The story enters its later section with higher emotional stakes and more serious obstacles
Vol. 14 ★	Obstacles intensify as the series builds toward its conclusion; a volume with some of the biggest emotional payoffs
Vol. 15	Second-to-last stretch — big decisions and emotional turning points for both leads
Vol. 16	The climax approaches; major story threads start resolving
Vol. 17 ★	The finale — everything wraps up, including Hikari and Kei’s romance, with closure for the full cast

One thing worth noting: S.A: Special A is a self-contained story. There are no English-licensed sequel series, no spin-off volumes you need to track down, and no “read this other manga first” prerequisites. Volume 1 through Volume 17 is the complete experience.

Key Volumes Where the Romance Heats Up

One of the best things about S.A: Special A is how the romance builds. It’s what manga readers call a “slow burn” — meaning the romance develops very gradually over many volumes rather than happening all at once. Hikari is so focused on competing with Kei that she doesn’t even register his feelings for a surprisingly long time. That sounds like it could be frustrating, but Minami handles it in a way that’s more comedic than annoying. Hikari isn’t oblivious for the sake of dragging things out; competition is genuinely her worldview, and watching that worldview crack open is part of the fun.

Here’s how the romance progresses across the three main phases of the story — these map directly to the ★ volumes flagged in the table above.

The Early Setup (Volumes 1–5)

The first several volumes are heavy on the rivalry dynamic. Hikari challenges Kei constantly — academically, athletically, in any contest she can find — and loses every single time. Kei, meanwhile, is clearly smitten with her, which the other S.A. members (and the reader) can see plain as day. These volumes establish the comedic rhythm of the series and introduce the full cast. Don’t rush through them thinking “nothing happens” — the groundwork laid here makes the later payoffs land much harder.

The Shift (Volumes 6–9)

This is where S.A: Special A goes from “fun school comedy with romantic undertones” to “oh, this is a romance.” Without spoiling specifics, the dynamic between Hikari and Kei changes in meaningful ways during this stretch. Feelings that were buried under competitive energy start surfacing, and Hikari has to confront the possibility that what she feels for Kei might not be rivalry at all. These are the volumes where most readers get genuinely hooked on the romance.

The Final Stretch (Volumes 10–17)

The later volumes bring in external conflicts — family expectations, potential separations, and decisions about the future — that raise the emotional stakes considerably. The romance doesn’t just coast on “will they or won’t they” energy; it evolves. By the time you reach the final volumes, the story delivers a satisfying resolution for Hikari and Kei, along with closure for the supporting cast. Volume 17 wraps everything up without feeling rushed or leaving loose ends.

If you’re the type of reader who wants to know “when does the romance actually start,” the honest answer is that it’s threaded through the entire series, but volumes 6 through 9 are where it shifts from hints and unspoken feelings to open, undeniable romance. And from there, it only builds.

Is S.A: Special A Finished?

Yes — completely finished. The manga is done in both Japan (17 volumes) and English (17 volumes from VIZ Media). There are no ongoing chapters, no English-licensed sequel or spin-off series, and no continuation to wait for. When you buy all 17 volumes, you’re getting the entire story.

Maki Minami has written other manga since S.A: Special A, but none of them are connected to this series. S.A. is its own complete thing.

There is also a 24-episode TV anime adaptation of S.A: Special A for anyone who wants to experience the story in animated form. The anime aired in 2008 and covers a portion of the manga’s story. It’s a nice way to sample the characters and comedy before committing to the full manga, though as with most anime adaptations of manga, the source material covers more ground and goes further into the story. If you enjoy the anime, the manga is where you’ll get the full picture — and vice versa.

For readers who specifically want finished series (no waiting months between releases, no uncertainty about cancellation), S.A: Special A checks every box. You can start Volume 1 tonight and read straight through to Volume 17 whenever you’re ready.

Where to Buy S.A: Special A in English

All 17 volumes of S.A: Special A were published in English by VIZ Media as standard individual volumes. As of now, there’s no confirmed omnibus (multiple volumes collected into one larger book), 2-in-1, or special edition for this series — the single-volume format is what’s available.

New Copies

You can find S.A: Special A volumes at major retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and manga specialty shops like Crunchyroll’s online store. Availability can vary by volume — some may be in stock and ready to ship, while others might take a little longer depending on how recently they were reprinted.

Because S.A: Special A is a completed older series, certain volumes can occasionally go out of stock. If you want to make sure you can get the whole set, it’s worth checking whether the later volumes (especially Volume 17, the finale) are available before you start collecting. That way you won’t end up with most of the series but unable to finish it.

Used and Out-of-Print Volumes

Since S.A: Special A is a completed series that’s been out for a while, some individual volumes may be harder to find as new copies. Here are some approaches that can help:

• Check used bookstores and online resellers — platforms that sell secondhand manga often have older VIZ titles in good condition
• Local library systems — many libraries carry VIZ shoujo titles, and if your branch doesn’t have every volume, you can often request books from other branches in the system (sometimes called interlibrary loan)
• Manga-trading communities — online forums, Reddit communities like r/mangaswap, and social media groups where readers sell or trade completed sets can be a good resource
• Be patient with restocks — VIZ does reprint popular titles periodically, so a volume that’s unavailable today may come back in stock later

When shopping for used copies, check the condition descriptions carefully. Look out for heavy yellowing of pages or damage along the book’s spine (the narrow edge you see when the book is on a shelf), as these can affect the reading experience.

A Note on Pricing

The list price for individual VIZ Media volumes varies, but S.A: Special A volumes are standard shoujo manga size and pricing. Since there’s no box set or collected edition to reduce the per-volume cost, collecting all 17 volumes is a gradual investment. Building the set over time — picking up a few volumes each month — is a perfectly reasonable approach, and it’s how many manga readers collect completed series.

If you spot a complete 17-volume set for sale used, that can be a cost-effective way to get the whole series at once. Just double-check that all volumes are included and in acceptable condition before buying.

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S.A: Special A is one of those shoujo romance manga that does exactly what it sets out to do: give you a fun rivalry, a satisfying slow-burn romance, and a complete story with a real ending. Seventeen volumes, start to finish, no loose ends. If that sounds like your kind of read, grab Volume 1 and find out why Hikari and Kei’s rivalry is one of shoujo manga’s most charming love stories.