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Happiness, Vol. 1
謎の少女に襲われ、決断を迫られたあの夜──。幸せでも、不幸でもなかった僕のありきたりな日常は、跡形もなく壊れてしまった…。首筋に残った“傷”。何かを求めて、止まない“渇き”。冴えない高校生だった、岡崎を待ち受ける運命とは…!?
192 pages, Paperback
Published September 27, 2016
About the author
Shuzo Oshimi
130 books1,098 followersShuzo Oshimi (押見修造, Oshimi Shūzō) is a Japanese manga creator.
Drawn in a realistic art style, his comics tend to be psychological dramas exploring the difficulties in human relationships and often touching on disturbing situations and perversions.
Oshimi debuted in 2001 with the manga series Avant-Garde Yumeko, appeared in Kodansha's 'Monthly Shōnen Magazine.' Most of his works since then have been published by Kodansha and Futabasha.
Among his first successes the single volume manga Sweet Poolside (2004), later adapted into a live-action film, and the series Drifting Net Café (2008–2011), also adapted for TV.
Oshimi reached international acclaims with The Flowers of Evil (2009–2014) and Inside Mari (2012–2016), both adapted into successful anime. Other notable works are Blood on the Tracks (2017–2023) and Welcome Back, Alice (2020-2023) .
Drawn in a realistic art style, his comics tend to be psychological dramas exploring the difficulties in human relationships and often touching on disturbing situations and perversions.
Oshimi debuted in 2001 with the manga series Avant-Garde Yumeko, appeared in Kodansha's 'Monthly Shōnen Magazine.' Most of his works since then have been published by Kodansha and Futabasha.
Among his first successes the single volume manga Sweet Poolside (2004), later adapted into a live-action film, and the series Drifting Net Café (2008–2011), also adapted for TV.
Oshimi reached international acclaims with The Flowers of Evil (2009–2014) and Inside Mari (2012–2016), both adapted into successful anime. Other notable works are Blood on the Tracks (2017–2023) and Welcome Back, Alice (2020-2023) .
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews
March 13, 2023
2023:
I so enjoy Shuzo Oshimi's other work, Blood on the Tracks. But this and Flowers of Evil aren't for me.
Love his art style and the way he animates faces. But can this boy top thinking about vaginas? And for the love of god, can Oshimi not continue to draw teenage girls in their underwear? Like...am I asking too much here?
2022:
I wanted to enjoy this so bad. But one thing held me back. The fact that the main character only ever salivates for blood when he smells it between a girl's legs. And it's every single girl. Like how is every woman on this earth on their period at the same time? Like, I'm big confused.
I so enjoy Shuzo Oshimi's other work, Blood on the Tracks. But this and Flowers of Evil aren't for me.
Love his art style and the way he animates faces. But can this boy top thinking about vaginas? And for the love of god, can Oshimi not continue to draw teenage girls in their underwear? Like...am I asking too much here?
2022:
I wanted to enjoy this so bad. But one thing held me back. The fact that the main character only ever salivates for blood when he smells it between a girl's legs. And it's every single girl. Like how is every woman on this earth on their period at the same time? Like, I'm big confused.
January 17, 2019
3.75 stars
I saw this cover in Barnes & Noble and immediately grabbed it because, hello, beautiful!
I ended up sitting down to read the first bit of it to see if it would grab my interest, then accidentally read the entire thing.
Overall, I think it was nice! Vampires are always an interesting plot point and I enjoyed watching the main character struggle with his new identity while also confronting his bullies and establishing some growth. Like a lot of reviews are saying, this volume ends pretty suddenly, and it feels like a very introductory book as opposed to a well-rounded storyline, so I think book two is gonna be where a lot more significant action happens.
But I was definitely invested in the plot and the developing friendships that this book establishes!
I saw this cover in Barnes & Noble and immediately grabbed it because, hello, beautiful!
I ended up sitting down to read the first bit of it to see if it would grab my interest, then accidentally read the entire thing.
Overall, I think it was nice! Vampires are always an interesting plot point and I enjoyed watching the main character struggle with his new identity while also confronting his bullies and establishing some growth. Like a lot of reviews are saying, this volume ends pretty suddenly, and it feels like a very introductory book as opposed to a well-rounded storyline, so I think book two is gonna be where a lot more significant action happens.
But I was definitely invested in the plot and the developing friendships that this book establishes!
April 29, 2022
3.5 stars! This was a solid start! It left me wanting just a little bit more in the ending but I’m interested in seeing how vampire folklore is going to take shape in this story. It did keep me on the shelf of seat in some parts of the story but I think this is one that definitely is going to have to build up. I loveddd the artwork which isn’t surprising since I think that Oshimi did such a great job with the art in Blood on the Tracks. I’ll be checking out the next volume from the library.
March 19, 2024
Ive read vol. 1-8 of this vampire manga and overall I recommend it!! It MAJORLY falls off at vol 6-7 because of an unfortunate time jump, but picked back up with vol 8 so I have high hopes for the last two in the series. I’m gonna go through now and rate them and add little notes, but yeah it’s definitely worth the read, esp if you have KU since the first 8 are included. Some crazzzzzzzy sh!t happens and I was on the edge of my seat at times despite the few issues I had
October 24, 2020
Makoto Ozaki is a first-year high schooler dealing with bullies, friends, family, and puberty. Until one night, he is knocked to the ground by a pale, thin girl who offers him a choice. Now, Makoto is uncomfortable in daylight, food tastes gross, and he is consumed by a terrible thirst.
This was good. A solid 3.5-star manga. I honestly flew through it. It's lighter on the text which helps but also, the pacing was great. There were a couple of times I chuckled and a couple of times I felt thrilled. The characters are likable and the artwork is beyond gorgeous. I think this story has a lot of potential and I look forward to reading the next volume.
This was good. A solid 3.5-star manga. I honestly flew through it. It's lighter on the text which helps but also, the pacing was great. There were a couple of times I chuckled and a couple of times I felt thrilled. The characters are likable and the artwork is beyond gorgeous. I think this story has a lot of potential and I look forward to reading the next volume.
December 14, 2019
Bullied high schooler Makoto Okazaki is attacked one night by a woman in rags who bites him on the neck and bounds away as if she is flying. The next day he can feel his body changing as he becomes more sensitive to the smell of blood and less tolerant of his bully. Oddly, this leaves me feeling like a vampire retelling of Spider-Man's origin. Oshimi's ability to shape side characters that are a little off from the expected draws me along past the more predictable bits.
April 16, 2019
I haven't finished this series yet, but I think it's really good in general. The first volume is pretty strong, too. The art is beautiful and creepy, plot is always tense and interesting. Really enjoyable.
May 24, 2018
Okay this was actually great, I ended up reading it so fast and not noticing when I was reaching for volume 2! I'm definitely carrying on with this!
January 17, 2020
This reminded me of the YA paranormal/horror novels I read in in my early teens.
I've been pleased with the items I've gotten from Kodansha Comic recently.
I've been pleased with the items I've gotten from Kodansha Comic recently.
May 2, 2023
Extremely fast paced. It’s literally a knock off vampire version of Tokyo Ghoul so points off for unoriginality. Still going to collect and read them all tho 🤷🏽♀️
July 26, 2017
A solid high school drama about a wimpy boy who becomes a vampire. Nothing very original, but the artwork is nice, and it's pretty well-written.
September 21, 2020
An awesome start to a vampire filled manga series!
October 24, 2020
Overall, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this but I thought this was a really interesting story. I really liked seeing the main character grow a bit more in that he is now standing up for himself against his bullies. And I liked that he didn’t fall into the stereotype where he then mocks or makes fun of his former bully. The only thing I had a problem with is that this book was very much an introduction for the following books and the ending is very abrupt. I just wanted to see more of a transition of him becoming a vampire and him coming to a full realization of his fate.
May 9, 2021
I love Vampires. They are pale, brooding, and like to bite/drink blood. *sigh* They are the total package.
This manga was recommended to me because of my fondness of vampires and that it’s a little different than what we’re used to.
Umm.... this was weird. Like totally weird and different. Not much happened but there was a lot of scenes where the main character breathed heavily. And sorry if this bothers anyone.... since his sense of smell is heightened, he can smell period blood! Wtf!? Like I said, weird.
Happiness was an okay read. Not sure if I would read any more in this series.
This manga was recommended to me because of my fondness of vampires and that it’s a little different than what we’re used to.
Umm.... this was weird. Like totally weird and different. Not much happened but there was a lot of scenes where the main character breathed heavily. And sorry if this bothers anyone.... since his sense of smell is heightened, he can smell period blood! Wtf!? Like I said, weird.
Happiness was an okay read. Not sure if I would read any more in this series.
June 23, 2021
I loved this when I read it a few years ago and cant wait to reread the few volumes I own again sometime later this year.
January 12, 2020
Three and a half. I'm reviewing just this volume.
After reading this author's "Inside Mary" and particularly his "The Flowers of Evil" (click on each for my reviews), I'm on the usual crusade to read anything else of substance by this author. This manga is the first I got my greasy hands on.
I'm kind of surprised that it is a straight out vampire story, something on the same vein as the book/movie "Let the Right One In". It starts way too similar, actually. The protagonist is your typical introverted, weak, bespectacled manga kid, but in this case not that much of a loner as I expected from the author's previous two works. He's getting bullied by a rather generic bully without a cause. One night that the protagonist goes out to return some videotapes, a female vampire bites him and turns him into one. That's part of the concept, so not much of a spoiler there. He spends the rest of the volume growing into this particular lifelong disease. Although in this story the protagonist does turn into a vampire, the inevitable relationship between his persona and the predatory female vampire is very reminiscent of "Let the Right One In". Yes, I'm comparing something that I just imagine is going to happen to a complete story in the same ballpark. Or maybe I just have that story as the go to frame of reference because I don't read nor watch vampire stories in general. Whatever.
Some if not most of the following story beats reminded me of the fantastic anime "Parasyte", which follows the same general concept of "there's a subgroup of people with a particular condition that are killing people, and the protagonist becomes someone with a foot in both worlds". Some mild spoilers: .
Your story can remind people of worse things than "Parasyte" and "Let the Right One In". I'm enjoying it so far, but I can tell it's not going to be poignant nor go into disturbing psychological depths as the author's other works I've read, which are the kinds of stories I go for. But I must say that I would have never expected that the protagonist's first taste of being a vampire was jonesin' for some period blood.
After reading this author's "Inside Mary" and particularly his "The Flowers of Evil" (click on each for my reviews), I'm on the usual crusade to read anything else of substance by this author. This manga is the first I got my greasy hands on.
I'm kind of surprised that it is a straight out vampire story, something on the same vein as the book/movie "Let the Right One In". It starts way too similar, actually. The protagonist is your typical introverted, weak, bespectacled manga kid, but in this case not that much of a loner as I expected from the author's previous two works. He's getting bullied by a rather generic bully without a cause. One night that the protagonist goes out to return some videotapes, a female vampire bites him and turns him into one. That's part of the concept, so not much of a spoiler there. He spends the rest of the volume growing into this particular lifelong disease. Although in this story the protagonist does turn into a vampire, the inevitable relationship between his persona and the predatory female vampire is very reminiscent of "Let the Right One In". Yes, I'm comparing something that I just imagine is going to happen to a complete story in the same ballpark. Or maybe I just have that story as the go to frame of reference because I don't read nor watch vampire stories in general. Whatever.
Some if not most of the following story beats reminded me of the fantastic anime "Parasyte", which follows the same general concept of "there's a subgroup of people with a particular condition that are killing people, and the protagonist becomes someone with a foot in both worlds". Some mild spoilers: .
Your story can remind people of worse things than "Parasyte" and "Let the Right One In". I'm enjoying it so far, but I can tell it's not going to be poignant nor go into disturbing psychological depths as the author's other works I've read, which are the kinds of stories I go for. But I must say that I would have never expected that the protagonist's first taste of being a vampire was jonesin' for some period blood.
May 18, 2020
Man, this was going to be a 5 star, but then a section really drags it down for me. Still, we got something pretty damn good here.
I've read a lot of Oshimi now, some really good "Flower of Evil" and "Blood on the Tracks" are both great reads. Where's the oldest stuff he's written, Internet Cafe, is pretty bad. But this? This is pretty damn good start.
We have our main character, Makoto Ozaki, as he's basically unsure what to really do with his life as a middle schooler. He's bullied and treated like shit by all his classmates except one, and he seems kind of bored with life. Then one night he's attacked by a vampire and she offers to let him live or kill him, and he doesn't want to die. So now HE'S the vampire.
This has been done many times before. However, this time the ascent into being a vampire is pretty bad. Hates sunlight, makes him weak, blood drives him mad, and he can barely control his urges. He soon learns walking around crowded classrooms in his school that a lot of girls his age have their periods and this makes him sick. Usually I'd say most of Shuzo Oshimi work involves some type of sexual moments but this felt more like a actual interest plot. I also enjoyed Ozaki as a character, which he is a coward at times, and brave at others. The artwork is top notch too and it's a really easy fast read.
My negative comes with another character who is introduced to help Ozaki. And while she's okay it's her introduction and the next 30-40 pages that just feel kind of dull and cliche. I didn't like this part of the book much.
But, this is a interesting start. enough to make me order volume 2 and 3. Hoping it continues to get even better. A 3.5-4 out of 5.
I've read a lot of Oshimi now, some really good "Flower of Evil" and "Blood on the Tracks" are both great reads. Where's the oldest stuff he's written, Internet Cafe, is pretty bad. But this? This is pretty damn good start.
We have our main character, Makoto Ozaki, as he's basically unsure what to really do with his life as a middle schooler. He's bullied and treated like shit by all his classmates except one, and he seems kind of bored with life. Then one night he's attacked by a vampire and she offers to let him live or kill him, and he doesn't want to die. So now HE'S the vampire.
This has been done many times before. However, this time the ascent into being a vampire is pretty bad. Hates sunlight, makes him weak, blood drives him mad, and he can barely control his urges. He soon learns walking around crowded classrooms in his school that a lot of girls his age have their periods and this makes him sick. Usually I'd say most of Shuzo Oshimi work involves some type of sexual moments but this felt more like a actual interest plot. I also enjoyed Ozaki as a character, which he is a coward at times, and brave at others. The artwork is top notch too and it's a really easy fast read.
My negative comes with another character who is introduced to help Ozaki. And while she's okay it's her introduction and the next 30-40 pages that just feel kind of dull and cliche. I didn't like this part of the book much.
But, this is a interesting start. enough to make me order volume 2 and 3. Hoping it continues to get even better. A 3.5-4 out of 5.
December 24, 2017
Vampire manga..... Just started to get really interesting and then it ended. Will have to get part 2!
Read
March 31, 2023I got my digital copy of this volume from the recent Kodansha Comics giveaway. (Thanks, Kodansha!) 😁
The color of the cover is catchy. (Purple!) So I picked it up.
It reminded me of Tokyo Ghoul in some ways. In the middle of the night, a normal boy meets a mysterious girl, and his life is forever changed. He quickly grew in strength and developed a terrifying thirst. 🙅
The art style is clean and precise. However, some of the main character's actions are unseemly. Also, be aware that it contains trigger warnings.
The color of the cover is catchy. (Purple!) So I picked it up.
It reminded me of Tokyo Ghoul in some ways. In the middle of the night, a normal boy meets a mysterious girl, and his life is forever changed. He quickly grew in strength and developed a terrifying thirst. 🙅
The art style is clean and precise. However, some of the main character's actions are unseemly. Also, be aware that it contains trigger warnings.
June 28, 2021
This review will be for the whole series; read at your own risk.
Read 1 volume
Even though I’d say this has a slow start, it’s gripping enough to make you zoom through this first volume. ‘Happiness’ follows Makoto Okazaki, a high school kid who’s being bullied and has no real friends. He’s attacked by a girl who basically turns him into a vampire.
I’m interested to see how he deals with his thirst and if he’s going to actually drink from someone. I also want to see our mystery girl come back! What’s her deal?
Read 1 volume
Even though I’d say this has a slow start, it’s gripping enough to make you zoom through this first volume. ‘Happiness’ follows Makoto Okazaki, a high school kid who’s being bullied and has no real friends. He’s attacked by a girl who basically turns him into a vampire.
I’m interested to see how he deals with his thirst and if he’s going to actually drink from someone. I also want to see our mystery girl come back! What’s her deal?
October 2, 2020
I didnt expect to like this as much as I did. I do love Shuzo Oshimi and his books, flower of evil and inside mari. But I never picked this up because i dont like vampires that much. But i loved this and i need to buy the rest of the series.
October 14, 2023
More like 3.5 stars. I really liked it and I'm excited to see where the story will go!
February 4, 2023
WHY DOES HE KEEP SMELLING GIRLS' PERIOD BLOOD NAAHHHELDP
March 16, 2025
CW: blood, violence, bullying, sexual content, medical content
I mean this in the most positive way possible - Shuzo Oshimi is an absolute FREAK and I'm kind of obsessed.
I mean this in the most positive way possible - Shuzo Oshimi is an absolute FREAK and I'm kind of obsessed.
April 20, 2020
What happens when you mix high school melodrama with vampires? You get a super predictable, yet immensely fun story with great art.
So far, this is literally Flowers of Evil but replace Nakamura and moral corruption with vampires and corporal corruption. I mean that as a compliment as I adore Flowers of Evil, but your mileage may vary.
Super quick read as is usual with Oshimi. His storytelling style is very decompressed. He's not afraid to let the moment breathe by spending several pages on a single action. Some may dislike that as it may come across as fluff, but I'm a huge fan of the technique. The art is amazing as expected, ranging from fairly simple panels to heavily stylized spreads. I know some will dislike the sketchy style, but that is what initially drew me towards Oshimi.
Onto volume 2. I can already tell I'm gonna fly through this series.
So far, this is literally Flowers of Evil but replace Nakamura and moral corruption with vampires and corporal corruption. I mean that as a compliment as I adore Flowers of Evil, but your mileage may vary.
Super quick read as is usual with Oshimi. His storytelling style is very decompressed. He's not afraid to let the moment breathe by spending several pages on a single action. Some may dislike that as it may come across as fluff, but I'm a huge fan of the technique. The art is amazing as expected, ranging from fairly simple panels to heavily stylized spreads. I know some will dislike the sketchy style, but that is what initially drew me towards Oshimi.
Onto volume 2. I can already tell I'm gonna fly through this series.
October 3, 2020
FIRST BOOK READ FOR MY SPOOKY VAMPIRE OCTOBER READING MONTH YAYAYAYAY. Read this in one sitting because it is so short. The premise is that this boy gets bit by a vampire and has to make a choice. He ends up grappling with temptation and how that bite is effecting his daily life.
What I liked about this manga is that (well it’s my first one so I don’t have anything to compare it to) it was intriguing, there were spooky vibes, and VAMPIRES. The art was really neat, and at the end there are little explanations to some Japanese culture that helped me understand the store a bit better.
What I did not like was the over-sexualization of the girls. I get that this is a common theme in a lot of manga and anime. But don’t agree with it. However, I don’t think this will stop me from continuing this series or reading other manga.
What I liked about this manga is that (well it’s my first one so I don’t have anything to compare it to) it was intriguing, there were spooky vibes, and VAMPIRES. The art was really neat, and at the end there are little explanations to some Japanese culture that helped me understand the store a bit better.
What I did not like was the over-sexualization of the girls. I get that this is a common theme in a lot of manga and anime. But don’t agree with it. However, I don’t think this will stop me from continuing this series or reading other manga.
February 20, 2021
Like no other mangaka I know, Oshimi knows how to put you inside of his characters, inside their state of mind, making you feel what they feel and experience what they go through. And by doing this he transforms a total cliche, a high school vampire drama, into something really exciting and fresh. His art flows ever so effortlessly, it's a lot more like automatic writing than drawing. A proper straight line is a rarity, Oshimi's lines boil, pulse, bend and distort. You've got to appreciate how he draws the smells and tastes and Makoto's hunger and fear and increased sensitivity to light. This is perfect visual storytelling.
Looks like this is going to be a great gothic emo trip and I'm really excited where this is going.
Looks like this is going to be a great gothic emo trip and I'm really excited where this is going.
September 19, 2020
5/5 stars for the art though, cause this was absolutely gorgeous
But plot wise, it was a pretty common vampirish high school story and not a lot of exciting things happened. Didn't capture my inerest enough to leave me wanting more. Maybe if it included more agonizing events, or ended with a cliffhanger... The art, though, I repeat, was truly, really beautiful!
But plot wise, it was a pretty common vampirish high school story and not a lot of exciting things happened. Didn't capture my inerest enough to leave me wanting more. Maybe if it included more agonizing events, or ended with a cliffhanger... The art, though, I repeat, was truly, really beautiful!
September 2, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ I might I need to read the next one in this series to know if I like it or if it was just alright. The artstyle is of course good, but not my favorite. I wanted more of the style on the cover, and I didn’t really get the same vibe as that(?). But it could be a cool story, and I think I need to read the next one before I make up my mind about this one.
August 4, 2021
Vaya pasada???? De verdad, Oshimi es que nunca decepciona. La fluidez con la que avanzan las viñetas me parece hipnótica y la idea de ***la sangre*** y de ***dónde viene*** simplemente, gracias por ser un asqueroso MUÁ😘
Displaying 1 - 30 of 281 reviews