The Climber, Vol. 1

孤高の人 [Kokō no Hito] #1-2

by Shin'ichi Sakamoto (Illustrator), Yoshio Nabeta, Jirō Nitta (draft_writer)

Genres: Manga, Sports, Comics, Japanese Literature, Adventure

448 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2025

About the author

Sakamoto Shin'ichi (坂本眞一) is a Japanese mangaka.
He is mostly famous for his series Innocent and Innocent Rouge.
He is currently working on #DRCL midnight children based on the classic by Bram Stoker.

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mersi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! The amount of detail and vocabulary for climbing in this manga is amazing! I am LITERALLY on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one.

[Beau Manglass · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I am reviewing a digital ARC I received via Edelweiss.

Mountaineering/rock climbing is one of those weird niche interests I love to read about for some reason, despite having no interest in doing it seriously myself. I was really excited to discover this series, but I found it a little disappointing overall. I feel like of all the sports, climbing does not fit well with the common sports manga dynamic of "barely trained but passionate amateur amazes more experienced participants with their unique approach/abilities." The seinen vibe is also like, up to max, which I wouldn't necessarily mind, but it's just hard to suspend disbelief when these ripped, 30-year-old looking high school special boys are making it look like they've been climbing for 20 years. Also, this is not a comment just about this series, but what is it with the management of Japenese high schools? I feel like there are so many series where the admin just always has these wild reactions to student issues that make no sense. I am sure this is exaggerated a little becuase many of these series are aimed at teens, but still!

I have heard others say that the series does venture away from the "sports anime" feel a little as it goes on, and considering it is partially based in real Japanese climber Buntaro Kato I am curious about what the later volumes become, but I don't think this is the right series for me.

Anyway, this just makes me want to keep reading Summit of the Gods, the other mountaineering/rock climbing manga series that I started a while ago, and that reads as more realistic than this.

[Zardoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sports Manga about climbing. The premise hooked me right from the start. Nabeta, does a good job of slowing introducing the reader to the basics of the sport by putting us in the shoes of our loner protagonist.
There are the typical tropes of Japanese Manga. The initial setting is a high school after all. Our protagonist has a super talent that he only discovers after being bullied by his classmates. Dared to climb up to the roof he quickly becomes obsessed with the challenge and sets his sights on higher summits.
The plot is a bit of a slow burn, but does start to progress near the end the volume. Unfortunately, There is little character development. Hopefully, The second volume will fix that.

[The Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buntaro Mori is the new, quiet, loner, transfer student. And on his first day, he catches the eye of the girls and Miyamoto, the one guy who decided in less than a minute that he had beef with him. One dare later and Mori catches the mountain climber bug, but with the added adrenaline of trying to climb solo without a rope. And Miyamoto decides that this guy is his #1 rival, in climbing and in love.

But Mori has a dark secret in his past. And it's why he wants to be alone.

Whenever I think sports anime, mountain climbing isn't a sport that comes to mind. But now I'm very curious to learn about something new. And the art style is so pretty.

This omnibus contains volumes 1-2.
This series has 17 volumes.

[Sarah AK · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was eager to read this based on what I'd read online about its art and mountain scenes, but this first book is 95% high school meathead climber bro nonsense. The art is occasionally impressive, but the plot is so over the top and ridiculous. Absurd teen sports drama is definitely not my style. Mountains, however, are my style. I've been climbing them for 20 years (though I prefer the kind you mostly only need your feet for) and this book just makes me want to read Summit of the Gods instead (which I've wanted to for years, but I can't get my hands on as easily... maybe it's time to finally put in some ILL requests for them). Anyway, I'll give the next book a go, but it better deliver more mountains and less silly meathead drama or I'm out.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not the target demographic for this manga... I love Sakamoto's art, from #DRCL and Innocence specifically, but The Climber is not those two stories by a long shot.

The art is pretty cool, there are some extreme images of muscles straining and biceps bulging. The people are distorted and overly muscular.

If you are a fan of macho sports manga, then you'll like this. In the back was a section on actual rock climbers which was interesting.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best manga I've read lately. The story follows Buntaro Mori, who scales the school without a rope on his first day at a new school. As the story unfolds, a teacher at the school tries to get Mori into sport climbing while Mori himself dreams of climbing a nearby mountain. I really like how it plays with the ideas of being a lone wolf (and free soloing) vs. having a pack (climbing with a partner or group).

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kokou no Hito (The Climber) "It's so strange, even though my arms and legs are all beat up and I can't move my body well, I feel like I could climb anywhere. I don't want to stop, I want to keep climbing like this forever. Endlessly higher, endlessly farther."

a story about a man who loves to climb. It's moving, and it feels real. but what I loved about the Climber is that it basically says passions are great but being so single-minded is lonely, depressing, and dangerous. A beautiful read

[Kal Hamm · Rating 5 out of 5]

before I start. The art is amazing as always! Shin'ichi Sakamoto is my favorite manga artist and I can't wait to see art of the mountains and other landscape and how he interpret the human psyche moving forward.

How it ended I just want more. our protagonist was starting to open up before shit hit the fan and it was what he was used to. him taking action at the end to still fulfill his new love, no obsession. of climbing is a good ending of a huge volume like this.

[blueygurl2016 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic, exciting manga! I loved the characters and I loved the fast paced plot. I felt sorry for Mori and understood why he wanted to be alone. I’m glad he became friends with Miyamoto and Yumi though. Gotta love it when your closest friend at the end of the story starts out being the most obnoxious character who hates you lol.

[Andrew Wenzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like the story was our pretty average sports manga story. The art had some great looking backgrounds. Some character art had some over exaggerated features, long next, people looking a way they shouldn’t. I can’t say I really enjoy any of the characters. I’ll keep reading since the author changes during the next book.

[Luke Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heard about this manga last year and that they were bringing out an English version so i refrained from reading translations online.

It lived up to the hype and the wait. The art for this manga is so beautiful and it is so true to climbing. Can’t wait for the next volume to release

[Varun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edgy, dramatic, and teenage. Each of those taken separately, I would stay away from but I somehow find myself wanting to dive deeper into this manga that encompasses all of them.

Super fun and sporty, even occasionally having true reflections of climbing.

[Bryan Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever been so angsty that you just started climbing shit?

Why is this whole school so obsessed with climbing? Go to class.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flippin epic. I used to climb everything when I was young too so I can feel these guys. I like the explanations about climbing, the lingo, and at the end actual interviews of climbers.

[Calvin Gustafson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8⭐️ a fun introduction to the characters, and super cool to see a sports manga about something I love. The art is incredible

[Linn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Alex Fyffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Cameron Bialecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Art is definitely the highlight of this manga. Story was good and has a lot of potential for later volumes. I really enjoyed the themes and how they are presented throughout.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story goes hard and just does not let up till the end. I can't wait to see volume 2!

[Al Capwned · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's the second sports manga I read and I have to admit that this one also can make you interested in a sport about which you didn't really cared at all.

[deathny · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Sam Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cool climbing story. Really intrigued to see where this goes. Justice for Miyamoto.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

really liked it. lives up to the hype

[Mahdiye HajiHosseini · Rating 4 out of 5]

جاولب.
داستانش به اندازه کافی کنجکاوم میکنه، شخصیت اصلی زیباست و ورزش به نسبت جدیدی هم هست برام.

[milan · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful drawings

(Original SG Rating: 3.5)

[LyBaLeRy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m connect with nature already and this manga change me everythings!

[leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

miyamoto miyamoto miyamoto Miyamoto MIYAMOTO miya FUCKING moto. finished this a month ago, still can't get it out of my mind whatsoever send help