Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Strep throat! Hay fever! Influenza! The world is a dangerous place for a red blood cell just trying to get her deliveries finished. Fortunately, she’s not alone… she’s got a whole human body’s worth of cells ready to help out! The mysterious white blood cell, the buff and brash killer T cell, the nerdy neuron, even the cute little platelets — everyone’s got to come together if they want to keep you healthy!

176 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2015

219 people are currently reading
467 people want to read

About the author

Akane Shimizu

72 books66 followers
SHIMIZU Akane
Name (in native language): 清水茜

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
790 (48%)
4 stars
605 (37%)
3 stars
200 (12%)
2 stars
17 (1%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
Profile Image for Lady Entropy.
1,224 reviews47 followers
April 7, 2017
I don't know what to say. I am in love with this series. It's ridiculous, it's outrageous, it doesn't make much sense but OH MY GOD I couldn't put it down. I laughed. I laughed more. I paced myself not to just outright read the entire thing.

It's crazy. It's absolutely silly, but oh my god I couldn't put it down. I had to have more, and I loved every single insane, ridiculous, unbelievable moment.

I love how it pokes fun at itself and the Japanese habit of anthropomorphising everything, so it goes off and takes body cells and turns them into characters that all fall into the tropes. And it manages to teach me a few things while doing it.

Love it. Love it so much that I need to have more.
Profile Image for haven ⋄ f (hiatus).
803 reviews14 followers
May 3, 2020
It's so good!!

This had such a fun set of stories. After reading later volumes, I can tell stuff that occurred in this volume really impacted the later story.

Characters really developed during this one, or was preparing to change. I really wonder how they're going to be like later...

The art style was so on point. So good. I said this before, but it really is like the art from DeathNote. This one was the goriest one of the ones (1-5) I've read so far.

What a fun educational manga. I need to get a 'Cell' shirt.
Profile Image for Kendra.
614 reviews33 followers
October 23, 2019
Well that was terrifying. And I love how extra all the different white blood cells are.
Profile Image for Stewart Tame.
2,476 reviews120 followers
February 3, 2017
More anthropomorphic cellular fun! Given the vast number of cells in the bloodstream alone, it's highly unlikely that Red and White would keep meeting each other, much less be onsite at injections or abrasions or other major and singular events. But we forgive Shimizu this conceit because this manga is just so darn fun. I'm amazed at how much invention is brought to bear on what is really a simple concept: an explanation of the biology of the human body through the use of manga-style anthropomorphic cells. It certainly hasn't gotten boring yet. You'll find yourself grinning and cheering as germs and viruses are dealt with. And, in this volume, I found myself close to tearing up at a situation that, in real life, would almost certainly have provoked a vastly different reaction. This is one of the most off-the-wall manga I've ever read, and, two volumes in, it continues to delight. Recommended!
Profile Image for Molly™☺.
971 reviews109 followers
January 17, 2022
TRIGGER NOTE: Cancer

75% | B+ | Great

"White blood cells protect other cells, even if it costs them their own lives"

The cells face their biggest threat yet, Cancer, and must band together in order to save the body


A thoroughly enjoyable follow-up to volume one which expands on the world building and character development. This volume is packed with quirky moments that can only be found in manga, ranging from art style choices to ridiculously random yet hilarious moments. I found the childhood flashback to be particularly adorable, despite the fact I'm usually not a fan of they way children are often portrayed in manga. Attempting to make cancer a 'misunderstood villain' of sorts is an odd choice which I personally wouldn't have made, but based on other reviews, it seems to have tugged at some heartstrings. An interesting and fun read which, once again, taught me a lot I didn't know about the human body.
Profile Image for Link.
116 reviews8 followers
November 13, 2022
Good but I enjoy the anime a little more
Profile Image for Jesus Flores.
2,570 reviews66 followers
December 16, 2023
Una forma entretenida de aprender de nuevo sobre distintas celulas del cuerpo, donde nace, y como ayudan a combatir bacterias, parasitos y celulas cancerigenas.

3.5 stars
Profile Image for Heidi_2811 .
156 reviews3 followers
July 19, 2024
Hauska ja opettavainen. Olisi mielenkiintoista tietää että onko tekijä lääketieteen ammattilainen vai muuten kiinnostunut aiheesta ja päätynyt tekemään sarjan.
Toisaalta olisi mielenkiintoista nähdä myös kehon ulkopuolelle, että mitä tapahtuu, esimerkiksi lämpöhalvauksen kohdalla. Toisaalta on jo tarpeeksi draamaa kehon sisälläkin.
Profile Image for Jasmine.
Author 1 book143 followers
March 27, 2018
I loved this, of course, as anyone who has watched me read the series could predict. Flashbacks to childhood in the bone marrow were ABSURDLY CUTE and like, now I have feelings about bone marrow. (This series is witchcraft.)

Lowered rating through for the Cancer arc, which seems to be written sympathetically to cancer cells?? And show cancer defeated by the immune system with no outside help??? In a series that has no issues with showing blood transfusions and recovery from heat stroke with the aids of intravenous fluids, it seems a TRIFLE disingenuous to have cancer defeated without the aid of chemo, even if that would be a bloodbath.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
4,314 reviews69 followers
December 31, 2016
This continues to be a delightful series for sixth-grade-level human biology. The treatment of the cancer cells was surprisingly nuanced in that it essentially referenced the Other in society. Cancer may not have been the best tool for this particular discussion, but it definitely should make younger readers think.
Profile Image for Dyah.
1,110 reviews64 followers
February 18, 2021
Masih membahas cara kerja berbagai macam sel di dalam tubuh manusia, dengan cara yang mengasyikkan!
Di volume 2 ini, dunia (atau tubuh) mengalami food poisoning, heat stroke, dan cancer 😖 ada juga cerita tentang eritroblas (calon eritrosit/sel darah merah) dan myeloid (calon leukosit/ sel darah putih).
.
Tentu saja bagian yang paling jleb adalah tentang cancer. Di sini, sebelum berhasil dikalahkan, sel cancer berkata "kenapa aku dilahirkan? Hanya karena salah duplikasi, aku jadi diburu oleh sel-sel yang harusnya jadi temanku." Dan dia juga bilang "suatu saat aku akan kembali. Hingga saat itu tiba, teruslah hidup tanpa menjaga kesehatan."
.
Bagian tentang eritroblas dan myeloid sangat menggemaskan, karena menceritakan eritrosit dan neurofil waktu kecil. Si eritrosit nih bener-bener deh, dari kecil juga nyasar melulu.
Tapi agak serem juga, karena di sumsum tulang belakang digambarkan kayak pabrik bayi gitu 😅 Bayi-bayi sel dipilih-pilih mana yang bakal jadi sel darah merah, mana yang bakal jadi sel darah putih.
Profile Image for Entre.paginas.y.libros.
259 reviews14 followers
July 23, 2023
Me gustó mucho el segundo tomo, lo disfruté tanto a pesar de no entender al cien por ciento los temas que trata.

Puede resultar un poco complicado entender el trabajo de cada célula, pero una vez que lo vas leyendo recurrentemente, se hace más fácil.

Además, me gustó que nos van introduciendo a nuevas células conforme la situación lo requiera y conocemos un poco más sobre ciertas funciones del cuerpo.

Les recomiendo este manga si les interesa una lectura corta y entretenida, llena de información acerca del cuerpo humano.
Profile Image for Victor The Reader.
1,848 reviews25 followers
August 15, 2025
Cells at Work!, Vol. 2 (My Kindle Review)

In the next volume, we mainly follow our blood white cell hero with the help of other different cells as they all must go up against food poisoning from bad seafood, extreme heat and have a very tense battle with a cancer cell. A- (91%/Excellent)
Profile Image for Elfo-oscuro.
811 reviews36 followers
October 9, 2023
Despues de la grata sorpresa que fue el 1 aqui se repite mucho las definiciones,, se uede decir que todos los recuadros que estan para enseñarte ya los habia visto en el 1, y se centra en celulas cancerosas, pero me pareció que solo rascaba la superficie de lo complejo que es ese tema.
Profile Image for Perla Delgado.
159 reviews9 followers
October 20, 2021
Fue mucho menos emocionante que el tomo anterior (o quizá solo es mi hype el que es menor), pero sigue teniendo capítulos que repetiría sin pedos, nomás por el gusto de leerlos otra vez.
Profile Image for Coco.
5 reviews
January 11, 2022
I liked it because it teaches you about cells
Profile Image for Mik.
705 reviews48 followers
August 22, 2023
El capítulo de la médula ósea :')
Todavía sigo asombrada con que este manga consiguió que me dieran pena las células cancerosas, pero en fin, aguante la célula NK.
Profile Image for Evan Dewangga.
301 reviews37 followers
November 8, 2022
Asyik dan cerdas, cerita episodik yang tiap babnya selalu menyimpan sesuatu yang baru. Mulai bisa menikmati serial ini.
Profile Image for Alicia.
8,495 reviews150 followers
December 16, 2022
I am definitely continuing with this series and I see what the fuss it about. Each story that brings in a disease or issue that attacks the body and how the body acts by anthropomorphizing the cells and parts of the body.

In this one it's fighting back against an allergen and cancer cells. I can't even tell you how much a reader learns about the internal workings of the body. The dialogue between the "characters" and then the descriptive boxes that explain the cells jobs combine with the visuals of what's happening in the body to make it entertaining and educational. There's no better way to promote it than to keep reading it and sharing it!
Profile Image for Amy.
989 reviews44 followers
January 9, 2018
This is really intense. Japanese are really inventive and creative, even personifying cells. Surprisingly, it is refreshing enough and it gets more buzz than ever, which I'm super happy about!!! 4.5 stars!
Profile Image for KathleenB.
956 reviews6 followers
November 19, 2018
Trope-heavy (which is kind of fun) but that really helps with getting all the science terms that get tossed in. Thankfully there are reminders. Although with each chapter as a stand-alone, some little things keep getting repeated like Red’s getting lost.
Profile Image for Andrea.
562 reviews26 followers
May 26, 2023
The second one is good too! Love this series. It's funny and informative. Check this out if you're a fan of the series and want to continue the story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.