Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga

by Dav Pilkey, Motojiro (Illustrator)

The #1 global bestselling Captain Underpants series returns! Based on the first sensational chapter book, it's a reimagined adventure perfectly paired with all-new manga artwork. Captain The First Epic Manga is written and adapted by Dav Pilkey, illustrated by manga artist Motojiro, and totally reinvented for a new generation of readers. Tra-la-laaa!Following the story arc of the first original chapter book, Captain The First Epic Manga is reenvisioned as an engaging graphic novel reading in Western style (left to right). With dynamic manga artwork by Japanese artist Motojiro, all-new Flip-O-Ramas, and much more, it will captivate existing fans, capture new readers, and appeal to comics, manga, and anime aficionados alike!Combining humor and action with empowerment and empathy, Captain The First Epic Manga features the amazing adventures of best friends George Beard and Harold Hutchins and their waistband warrior superhero creation, Captain Underpants! He's faster than a speeding waistband, more powerful than boxer shorts, and able to leap tall buildings without getting a wedgie. Night and day, Captain Underpants fights for truth, justice, and all that is pre-shrunk and cottony!The Captain Underpants series, which was launched over 25 years ago, was instrumental in creating the illustrated children's chapter book category that's still popular today.For additional awesome, action-packed, inspiring escapades filled with creativity and imagination, read Dav Pilkey's Dog Man, Cat Kid Comic Club, Super Diaper Baby (now in full color), and Dragon series. And be sure to check out the two critically acclaimed major motion pictures, Dog Man and Captain The First Epic Movie!

Genres: Graphic Novels, Manga, Childrens, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Juvenile

194 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 7, 2026

About the author

David "Dav" Pilkey (b. March 4, 1966), is a popular children's author and artist. Pilkey is best known as the author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants book series. He lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife, Sayuri.

Reviews

[Victor The Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never expected Pilkey’s famous and funny “Captain Underpants” series would ever get a manga adaptation, but the combination is absolutely thrilling.

It basically retells the first book where we’re introduced to our manga-making duo that is George and Harold who love to be serious pranksters. They of course get in trouble with their evil principal Mr. Krupp and thwart him with their mail-order hypno ring, and the zany adventures begin.

This is a fun and hyperactive retelling that really keeps the feels and “toilet” humor of the original books. Motojiro’s illustrations are very colorful and toony, and the flip-o-rama still funny too. “CU” fans young or old will have a blast with this take on the tighty-whitey hero no doubt, while also getting a little insight on the small Japanese symbols found.

An epic manga retelling of potty proportions.

A- (91%/Excellent)

[jennalikebook · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a throwback to my fave books as a weird kiddo lol

[Nate Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great seeing Captain Underpants again after enjoying it so much during my childhood. It was a good read just like before but it felt very gimmicky for the manga side of things. It’s everything you love about Captain Underpants but with a splash of Japanese culture so more money could be made. They mention they didn’t want to confuse westerners for the right to left format not being used, but it felt like an easy out instead of just doing it the way plenty of other manga do. Especially if you’re going to go through all the trouble of making the story a “manga” why not do it traditionally? The art style is beautiful and a big part to why I went with four stars instead of three. I’ll definitely read the sequels for the nostalgia of it all but I hope they lean more into the manga side of things vs a graphic novel in the future.

[C Ham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manga but not right-to-left?

[Vail Chester · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first time reading the original book was back in 1999 or around that time so my memory of it is fuzzy, (not helped by the Dreamworks animated movie which also colors my memory of it) but to my knowledge, it's still a great time with troublemakers hypnotizing their principal into being their own self-made superhero. Of course the big egg-shaped man has no superpowers so it's very Inspector Gadget-esque with the boys doing most of the work while he gets to grandstand & look ridiculous.

The art-style being the biggest change as well makes this a weird bird since a major part of the charm of the original is its simplistic style, as if some grade-schoolers really did have the basics of cartooning down. Altering that to fit some of the more generic manga-aesthetic makes it a little less, but at the same time is a fascinating look into what could've been if this massive franchise started in another country.
If you gave a child a choice between reading either the original or this tho? Let em experience the unbridled weirdness of the original.

[Ed O · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is literally a cash grab. IT’S NOT EVEN A MANGA, IT’S A GRAPHIC NOVEL! It should be advertised as a graphic novel! In the original books comics were the main characters thing but in this it’s manga, you can tell that these kids have never seen a manga in their lifetime because they’re not even writing it the right way, manga is (in simple terms) flipped, AND THEY HAVE ARROWS SHOWING YOU LEFT TO RIGHT!
ALSO THIS BOOK DOES THE SAME! IT’S NOT FLIPPED! I can’t sand that they keep on saying manga WHEN ITS NOT! It wasn’t written in Japan! They’re trying to appeal to an audience of kids but aren’t even doing it right! If your kid wants to read manga they should read real manga! Yes, manga for kids exist! Look it up!
I would bet a good chunk of money that it wasn’t the author who said “I’m gonna make it into a manga!” It was more than likely that it was scholastic saying “how can we make a bunch of money?” Do better scholastic, do better.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold and George meet one of the most known Japanese Manga creators and create magic. The books read left to right, despite the manga label. The flip-o-rama that is famous from the original Pilkey series is back and so much better with the Japanese written sound effects. (I actually cannot wait to have my Japanese students help me read this book, so I can hear those sound effects correctly!) The story is fairly true to the original book, but the additions for the manga style are epic (as Pilkey would say himself). In color and with exaggerated art that enhances the original characters in a wonderfully silly way.

I expect Scholastic to sell out of these in every bookfair they run and likely online, as well.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a manga, but not a manga. Manga-style, but still reads from left to right. The illustration style is beautiful and the dialogue is in English while the SFX were in Japanese. Loved this choice to make it immersive.

Did I want it to be exactly like the original graphic novels or to be totally different? A part of me wanted both, and it delivered. The plot is generally the same with some of the narration and dialogue being verbatim, but then it takes a little bit of a turn with some changes to Dr. Diaper etc. Thankfully, there are still Flip-O-Rama action scenes!

There is also a sneak peek at the second installment and there are some deliberate changes to this as well.

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

It was fun seeing Captain Underpants in full comic form. The original was already pretty graphic and Pilkey had lots of practice with DogMan in making stories in panel form. This does have some Japanese inspired flare (hence the Manga). I also thought the note in the back about why the book was not flipped as traditional manga is was interesting because I had wondered why they made that choice.

[Kara (Books.and.salt) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My eight year old absolutely loves everything Dav Pilkey does, and he snatched this one up as soon as it came in the mail. He was very excited to write his "first real review" and even paid attention to his punctuation! Here are Odin's thoughts:

This is a really good book. laughs at every page. Please continue the series. this is my new favorite book. I am not kidding. I love this book soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much. If you make a second book. I will be so happy.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manga?

No.

Cash grab?

Yes.

Here's the thing, though. Pilkey may have written Capt. Underpants, but Dog Man has given him extensive experience as a sequential storyteller. In applying those skills to his earlier work, he shows his mastery of the medium that is the juvenile graphic novel.

For better or worse - but NOT for manga - Pilkey's adaptation of his own work is a success.

[Makenzie Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book!! Also, the captain underpants series is the reason why I draw and write my own stories thanks to George Beard and Harold Hutchins, I honestly could've not followed my dream without them if I didn't read the Captain underpants series. So thank you for helping me find my creativity to where it is today!! KEEP BEING AWSOME!!!

[Con · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing it’s follows the original story but has a Japanese twist. The story itself is very Japan coded. Also shout out for the people wanting a manga fit but the artist wanted to maintain it as a graphic novel for Americans to not struggle

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think it could get any better, but this reminded me of why I loved the original Captain Underpants stories growing up. So fun! So silly! So... exciting?! I felt like a kid again. TRA-LA-LAAAA~

[Zach O · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 ⭐️

[The Loco Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters and the story. The illustrations were very dramatic and over the top and I liked the style! It really brought the character's to life and gave them personality.

[Catelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with my son and we had lots of laughs like always

[Justin Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect kids book. Super fun and really grateful to Graphix Books and Storygram for introducing me to Captain Underpants! Tra la laaaa

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven’t read this series since my son was young. It holds up. Dav Pilkey is the best.

[awesomeperson69 · Rating 4 out of 5]

God this was so good

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already reread this first volume a lot of times because the art, panels, expressions, artwork, and art style are super hilarious and the story is fun.

[Pumpkin Spice Retrograde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not really sure why they made this. It was fun to see them in a different artstyle. This series is nostalgic to me.

[Sammy]

I picked this book up because of the nostalgia. I read all of the series when I was growing up. I felt this one was just as good with the same feel just in a different format

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute, very quick read. Had me laughing the whole way through.

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I haven’t read a Captain Underpants novel in a long, long time. But when they announced a manga remake, I had to read it. I forgot about how silly the shenanigans of George and Harold are and the flip-o-ramas. I loved the manga art work. Awe. Nostalgia.

[Markus Seaberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The same silly, gross-out humor, but with more manga goodness.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic origin story reenvisioned with dynamic artwork by Motojiro reading Western style. Fresh, anime-inspired energy with all-new Flip-O-Ramas!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty fun manga version of the original--my 8yo loved it.

[Sawyer Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing🤩

[Arman Waggoner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. It's a retelling w/ a Japanese Spin. I'm surprisingly excited to see more of this.