What do you think?
Rate this book
Cosmo Familia, Vol. 1
It's a battle against adorable alien invaders in this all-new Magical Girl series by the manga artist of Puella Magi Madoka Magica!
It’s been six years since Amakawa Alice’s family disappeared, and the cute but destructive creatures called Cosmofs invaded her world. Alice has been holding down the fort, fighting wild Cosmofs and protecting the few humans who have survived, in the hopes that her family will someday return. She refuses to give up on them...even when everyone believes her mother, Laika, caused the Cosmof invasion.
It’s been six years since Amakawa Alice’s family disappeared, and the cute but destructive creatures called Cosmofs invaded her world. Alice has been holding down the fort, fighting wild Cosmofs and protecting the few humans who have survived, in the hopes that her family will someday return. She refuses to give up on them...even when everyone believes her mother, Laika, caused the Cosmof invasion.
180 pages, Paperback
Published March 24, 2020
7 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 22, 2021
Review will be for entire series! Read at your own risk!
Read 3/3 volumes
I really like this manga!! It’s weird and strange and since it’s only 3 volumes, the pace is super fast. But it also is really cute and mysterious and I got sucked into it quickly. It definitely has a similar feel to Madoka Magica but in a new way. I’m definitely looking forward to book 3!
Edit: I’ve finished the series! It gets really complicated with timelines and future/past-selves but it was an okay ending! I’m glad it turned out okay.
Read 3/3 volumes
I really like this manga!! It’s weird and strange and since it’s only 3 volumes, the pace is super fast. But it also is really cute and mysterious and I got sucked into it quickly. It definitely has a similar feel to Madoka Magica but in a new way. I’m definitely looking forward to book 3!
Edit: I’ve finished the series! It gets really complicated with timelines and future/past-selves but it was an okay ending! I’m glad it turned out okay.
May 6, 2020
This is an odd little thing, tonally uneven but with decent potential, along with at least two classic children's literature and one fairy tale references that I could see - Alice, obviously, and there's a clear visual link to Little Red Riding Hood, and then for added fun, child Raika brings to mind Clara from Heidi.
I'll give it a second volume, but it does feel a bit too much like a try-hard PMMM follower.
I'll give it a second volume, but it does feel a bit too much like a try-hard PMMM follower.
October 28, 2020
2020 Read #669
There are a lot of good ideas in this manga, but I don’t really think they mesh as well together. The story’s a bit of a mess. The Alice in Wonderland motifs are fun to spot, though.
There are a lot of good ideas in this manga, but I don’t really think they mesh as well together. The story’s a bit of a mess. The Alice in Wonderland motifs are fun to spot, though.
April 3, 2020
I’ll be generous because I liked where this went at the end and the art was pretty spiffy. The first half and change of this story is tonally all over creation - cute aliens have invaded and done damage, Alice’s mom caused it and then left Alice to live alone for six years (that this went unchecked is the hardest thing to swallow in the whole book), stuff happens but makes no sense.
There’s so much left vague here that it’s really hard to fill in the blanks in a way that goes beyond mysterious into obtuse. The Cosmofs, the aforementioned aliens, don’t seem to kill but they end up eating infrastructure? But this is sort of refuted at the end of the book with no actual facts to back it up, so maybe they’re worse than we’re lead to believe? Who knows? Well, somebody should and they should tell us because it might get the reader invested in things!
After the book’s swerve into, basically, a completely different genre, it gets much better. It doesn’t necessarily resolve any of the world building problems to any sort of satisfaction (and what the hell happens at the end!?), but once we focus in on the personal side and get some proper antagonists and a bit of action it gels that much more.
Alice is a good protagonist too, I just wish we knew more of the backstory in a clear way. What are the stakes here? What does “the world” encompass? We’re given a single town and not much beyond it... so did the world end?
Like I said, when it zooms into the story of Alice’s family and we aren’t looking at the macro level this is much better, but that’s after mostly jettisoning the setting and lore from the first part. I’ll try the second volume and see how I feel after that.
There’s so much left vague here that it’s really hard to fill in the blanks in a way that goes beyond mysterious into obtuse. The Cosmofs, the aforementioned aliens, don’t seem to kill but they end up eating infrastructure? But this is sort of refuted at the end of the book with no actual facts to back it up, so maybe they’re worse than we’re lead to believe? Who knows? Well, somebody should and they should tell us because it might get the reader invested in things!
After the book’s swerve into, basically, a completely different genre, it gets much better. It doesn’t necessarily resolve any of the world building problems to any sort of satisfaction (and what the hell happens at the end!?), but once we focus in on the personal side and get some proper antagonists and a bit of action it gels that much more.
Alice is a good protagonist too, I just wish we knew more of the backstory in a clear way. What are the stakes here? What does “the world” encompass? We’re given a single town and not much beyond it... so did the world end?
Like I said, when it zooms into the story of Alice’s family and we aren’t looking at the macro level this is much better, but that’s after mostly jettisoning the setting and lore from the first part. I’ll try the second volume and see how I feel after that.
April 15, 2020
(1.5/5; DNF)
I couldn't bring myself to get halfway: the story was too all over the place from jump, and even if there's twist in the latter half, I don't think I'll pick this volume up again to see what it is.
And while I definitely appreciate the hard work that's gone into this translation.... Cosmo Familia isn't the story for me. That being said, I definitely hope it gets readers and finds success.
I couldn't bring myself to get halfway: the story was too all over the place from jump, and even if there's twist in the latter half, I don't think I'll pick this volume up again to see what it is.
And while I definitely appreciate the hard work that's gone into this translation.... Cosmo Familia isn't the story for me. That being said, I definitely hope it gets readers and finds success.
May 27, 2020
As a new entry in the magical girl genre, Cosmo Familia uses most of its effort into creating a contrast between "cute" and "serious", however, it fails to develop its other traits along the way.
The story follows Alice, a teenager that is surrounded by 'cute' aliens that have gone out of control since her mother disappeared 6 years ago. Everyone hates and blames her for the violence the Cosmofs cause. After a handful of encounters, she falls into a well that transports her 20 years into the past.
It's difficult to say much about the plot, as it's mostly shrouded in mystery at the current moment. We are yet to understand the progression of the story, and why specific things happen. This can also be applied to the characters themselves. Take Spica for instance - while she has had enough screen time to establish herself as a side character, her actions, reactions, and psychology don't even give us a clue as to what kind of person she is. This is not to say that she's hard to read. She is simply empty. Other members of the cast fall into specific formulas that we've seen a bunch of times before as well. Our main character though, while seemingly basic on the outside, does show hints of psychological depth, especially when it comes to her past. This, however, has not been explored as much yet.
The art is a mixed bag. While there are some original ideas, such as the design of the Cosmofs themselves, everything else is mostly unoriginal. Pair this with the overdone digital art, and the amount of 'polish' that is present actually makes the overall view less eye-catching, and often confusing to look at.
While the future of Cosmo Familia may be promising, besides hinting at interesting future plot points, the first volume does not manage to do anything special for itself. A below-average introduction to a series.
The story follows Alice, a teenager that is surrounded by 'cute' aliens that have gone out of control since her mother disappeared 6 years ago. Everyone hates and blames her for the violence the Cosmofs cause. After a handful of encounters, she falls into a well that transports her 20 years into the past.
It's difficult to say much about the plot, as it's mostly shrouded in mystery at the current moment. We are yet to understand the progression of the story, and why specific things happen. This can also be applied to the characters themselves. Take Spica for instance - while she has had enough screen time to establish herself as a side character, her actions, reactions, and psychology don't even give us a clue as to what kind of person she is. This is not to say that she's hard to read. She is simply empty. Other members of the cast fall into specific formulas that we've seen a bunch of times before as well. Our main character though, while seemingly basic on the outside, does show hints of psychological depth, especially when it comes to her past. This, however, has not been explored as much yet.
The art is a mixed bag. While there are some original ideas, such as the design of the Cosmofs themselves, everything else is mostly unoriginal. Pair this with the overdone digital art, and the amount of 'polish' that is present actually makes the overall view less eye-catching, and often confusing to look at.
While the future of Cosmo Familia may be promising, besides hinting at interesting future plot points, the first volume does not manage to do anything special for itself. A below-average introduction to a series.
December 14, 2023
Was really not into this at first, liked the cutesy apocalpyse aesthic I guess but I felt the story was really cruddy and rushed. However halfway through it really picks up.
The begining is really weak though, everything is too fast and you don't really get an idea of who these characters are and what the big picture is going to be. But over time, Alice actually becomes a fleshed out character and the world opens up more. The story is weird because it's so fast but there's so many questions you have about the world. My biggest gripe is that I really didn't understand the world for most of the volume, it wasn't fleshed out enough. But I can forgive that because once the plot picked up I was pretty interested. I will probably pick up the next volume, since this series is only 3 volumes.
I don't think this is terrible at all, a bit above average is what I'd describe. But there's alot of flaws I mentioned. It looks like the mangaka is a better illustrator than storyteller. Their only other Goodreads credits are Puella Magi Madoka manga adaptations, so I think this is their first original series. Which makes alot of sense. Well you gotta start somewhere, and this is pretty good for a first original series.
Speaking of art. I didn't like the art at first, it felt too cramped and the action was sloppy. But when the characters were just standing around talking, no fighting I could appreciate the art more. It's very pretty and I love the character designs. The last fight at the end looks pretty good also.
Idk if this is spoilers but one of the antagonists got dressed up to fight Alice and I think that's funny as shit.
The begining is really weak though, everything is too fast and you don't really get an idea of who these characters are and what the big picture is going to be. But over time, Alice actually becomes a fleshed out character and the world opens up more. The story is weird because it's so fast but there's so many questions you have about the world. My biggest gripe is that I really didn't understand the world for most of the volume, it wasn't fleshed out enough. But I can forgive that because once the plot picked up I was pretty interested. I will probably pick up the next volume, since this series is only 3 volumes.
I don't think this is terrible at all, a bit above average is what I'd describe. But there's alot of flaws I mentioned. It looks like the mangaka is a better illustrator than storyteller. Their only other Goodreads credits are Puella Magi Madoka manga adaptations, so I think this is their first original series. Which makes alot of sense. Well you gotta start somewhere, and this is pretty good for a first original series.
Speaking of art. I didn't like the art at first, it felt too cramped and the action was sloppy. But when the characters were just standing around talking, no fighting I could appreciate the art more. It's very pretty and I love the character designs. The last fight at the end looks pretty good also.
Idk if this is spoilers but one of the antagonists got dressed up to fight Alice and I think that's funny as shit.
April 13, 2024
Cosmo Familia is the cutest sci-fi mystery manga I've ever read. I love the artwork style, the intriguing plot, and wonder so much about the connection between the Cosmofs and the Amakawa family. I'd love to have a friend like Papii, but I'd probably refer to her as Alexa, since Papii reminds me of a cuter version of the real thing that exists right now. I wonder why Raika and Imori don't "remember" Alice from the future when they're reunited in the past, but I have a theory. Maybe Raika dies, and since she and Imori thinks of Alice as Raika's doppelganger, Alice goes onto becoming her own mother to rewrite the future, since Raika was never truly Raika in the future.Does that make sense? This is all a wild theory I want to read more of and figure out! Thank you, author Hanokage, for such an interesting, cute story!
June 14, 2020
Cosmo Familia is trying to do a whole lot at once, and the result can feel a little disorganized and rushed so far. But its ideas are interesting and its heroine is compelling and sympathetic. It's also nice to see something in the "darker" magical girl subgenre that isn't just going "Hey, remember Madoka? This is like that but not!" I'm in, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes from here.
July 3, 2023
The story elements have potential, but the plot drags a little bit. For a manga with only three volumes, the story can’t really afford to be slow.
I enjoyed the art. The story was mediocre- neither bad nor good.
I don’t plan on reading the other two volumes based on this one. It was cute, but didn’t have much substance.
I enjoyed the art. The story was mediocre- neither bad nor good.
I don’t plan on reading the other two volumes based on this one. It was cute, but didn’t have much substance.
December 1, 2021
It was a bit of a mess. There were some interesting concepts but nothing was really done with them and the book as a whole felt really shallow and boring. The characters weren't very interesting and moments that were supposed to be tense were just boring :T
October 21, 2024
I don't really understand the very low ratings, unless this series really falls apart in its next two volumes.
For volume 1: I found it was pretty alright! It got me intrigued and interested in its story and characters. The art is also very cute.
For volume 1: I found it was pretty alright! It got me intrigued and interested in its story and characters. The art is also very cute.
July 15, 2020
It's ok sadly. The story feels kinda all over the place it makes it hard to read at times however the artwork is adorable though! Sadly I'm not gonna continue the story though. I do hope the artist makes another story that has a stronger storyline and doesn't feel all over the place.
October 11, 2022
Beautiful!
January 16, 2023
tbh it’s kinda just mid nothing rlly new or innovative but not bad
November 13, 2023
It’s cute. I think it’s trying to be more serious than it comes off. But it’s still enjoyable to read and the art is great
October 29, 2024
plot moves lightning fast with no development or even sense
DNF @ 40%
DNF @ 40%
December 31, 2024
I really enjoyed this so far and I look forward to reading the next two books in the series!
July 12, 2025
AUGH this was so good
its basically Alice in Wonderland meets a magical girl story meets cosmic (cosmof?) horror and its so good
its basically Alice in Wonderland meets a magical girl story meets cosmic (cosmof?) horror and its so good
December 13, 2025
Pretty cool series
love the characters
cute, funny, unexpected events
looking forward to reading the next one in the series
love the characters
cute, funny, unexpected events
looking forward to reading the next one in the series
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews