Polar Bear Café: Collector's Edition, Vol. 1

Polar Bear Café #1

by Aloha Higa

Read the inspiration for the beloved slice-of-life anime featuring the denizens of a café run by a polar bear.

Polar Bear is a walking, talking, pun-loving bear who runs a serene cafe. The regulars include a lovestruck zookeeper with a crush on the cafe's waitress, and a panda who stops by after a hard day of being a panda at the zoo. Join the cafe's colorful clientele through the seasons in this comforting and pawfully funny manga about daily specials, romantic complications, and working the (coffee) grind.

Genres: Manga, Graphic Novels, Humor, Slice Of Life, Comics, Animals, Young Adult

210 pages, Paperback

Published January 24, 2023

About the author

２月10日生まれ。京都府出身。水瓶座、血液型はＡ。「月刊flowers」2006年４月号にてデビュー（第22回コミックオーディション銀の花賞受賞）。現在「月刊flowers」で活躍中。飄々としたなごみ系キャラの動物たちを描き人気急上昇中。

http://flowers.shogakukan.co.jp/artis...

Reviews

[Christian Schultheiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polar bears have always been my inner spirit animal, ever since I was little I’ve been enamored with bears ice skating with coca colas, or more importantly anything even remotely related to the worlds “coolest” and biggest predators and one that on every form of media has stolen my hearts. A few years ago I was blessed with accidentally coming across Higa’s anime adaptation and the mixture of its light hearted antics, its sheer values in doing the right thing and friendship, and just some honestly sad type joke humor that the more you watch or read the more it’ll work its way under your skin for a good giggle, so naturally after finishing the series several times over I had to dive into the physical media side of the series as well. If you have a chance just hear me out and give yourself the time to step into this charming polar bears cafe, sit on a stool between good friends penguin and panda and I’d be shocked if you didn’t end up a bit happier with a slightly more lifted spirit than you did before.

[AltLovesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the anime that was inspired by this manga, but when I saw this hanging out on my bookstore's shelf, I hesitated. After all, I've seen all the anime episodes, how much different could the manga be? I fully expected the same gags from the show to be represented in the pages, but actually was pleasantly surprised.

The premise is the same -- Polar Bear owns a cafe frequented by animals of all sizes, shapes, and species. There's a few regulars (Panda, Penguin), a part-time waitress, and Polar Bear's old friend Grizzly who round out the regular cast. We get little vignettes into their day spent at the cafe, or doing their own thing at the zoo, at the beach, or just at home.

The manga, being short form and not full-length stories, tells different stories than what's shown in the anime. There's enough recognizable beats to say "hey I remember that", but some of them play out differently than expected, and others aren't in the anime at all. The manga even keeps the language puns Polar Bear is so fond of.

If you're a fan of the anime, if you're a fan of animal manga, if you're a fan of funny gag-based vignettes, give this a try.

[kristyn ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

panda is just as dramatic as me

[Dan P · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not every manga should be translated into English. I get why they went for this one. It's got cute animals and it's neatly episodic. But it's also chock-full of Japanese-language puns that can only be partially translated and then have to be explained on the page, basically ruining the joke. I'm not exaggerating when I say it happens every few pages. All I could think of while reading this was the poor translator and editor stuck with the dismal, thankless work of bringing this mess to life

[RJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh, I can see why this took so long to get translated into English, but I'm glad it finally did! An automatic five-star from me, as the anime is in my heart for life.

The manga has the same conundrum as the anime: what audience is this actually for? It seems so kid-friendly, but characters drink, curse, and have dating problems. Not a complaint at all - and in fact, part of the charm for me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so bizarre but the art and concept is so cute

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so cute!!

[Ryry (SCHOOLLLL) · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Kaity K · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5, this was so cute!!!! I struggled getting through it just because of the randomness, but it was still enjoyable. And the art style made me happy lol. I love these little critters and at some point in my life I will probably read the next volume <33

[Alfit0 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al principio y en algunas partes es medio difícil de leer, después cuando caes en los running gags que tiene cada personaje se van haciendo cada vez mas adorables

[Aleksei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally some good fucking literature

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polar bear-kun and a penguin that got his license. Yea they got me this is so silly goofy. I will be tuning into the anime once I finish all volumes.

[Natalie S · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the story and the differences in the characters. I enjoyed the art, the puns and the tidbits of educational info.
"Sit down" ... "I am sitting" XD

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but filled with so many puns that it got a bit old. I like the concept of a polar bear running a cafe but just in one volume it felt repetitive rather than a light slice of life.

[Moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute! Makes me want to rewatch the series, which is one of my favorite animes ever.

[Ande · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I fell over because your puns were so terrible."

3.50 / 5.00 stars

Polar Bear Café is a cute and fun slice-of-life manga centering around Polar Bear-kun, the proud owner of a café, and his cast of animal (and some human!) friends and customers. Polar Bear-kun is not a native Japanese speaker and often gets confused – a hilarity of misunderstanding inevitably ensues. This is the first volume in the 4 volume collector's edition.

This manga always holds a special place in my heart. When I was learning Japanese, my teacher suggested the Japanese language version as a way to practice reading and understanding. I got frustrated having to look up so much vocabulary and quit after the first chapter, but always wanted to go back and finish it.

There's nothing earth-shattering about the story, and the artwork is very simple, but it's an easy cozy read to take your mind off the troubles of your day. The word puns are fun to read, but get old eventually. Even still, I enjoy reading about this big fuzzy polar bear trying to make his way in a delicious cafe.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cozy cafe read to their mind off more serious topics or give your brain a break.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of adventures about a Polar Bear who runs a cafe, and his most faithful customer, Panda, who works part-time at the zoo and thinks everyone should love bamboo dishes. Emperor Penguin is frequently there too, and is usually the only left to keep the comic going when Polar Bear and Panda get going with puns.

Reading this made me realize that translating puns is extremely hard. The first couple little vignettes that included them left me going 'What is going on?' I then realized there was a reason the transliterated Japanese is included under each phrase when they get into these, so you can see how the words are similar in the original language. It still is missing a little in translation, but thankfully as you get deeper into the volume, the puns come less frequently and there are other humorous little interactions. It was smile-inducing humor though, not laugh out loud. Like Panda being proud of working hard at the zoo (he sleeps 99% of his shift). Still, if you are looking for a lighthearted, fluffy manga read, pick this up.

Notes on content: 4 minor swears that I remember. No sexual content. No violence.

[Sol · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art is really nice in this. But I think the only sad thing about this manga is that it doesn't translate well whatsoever-- that's not the manga's fault, but unfortunately it has to be factored into my review of the experience. :( This probably is a lot more snicker-inducing in the original Japanese, but in English, it just doesn't flow at all.
The manga improves for an English reader when it moves away from language puns and towards more episodic, situational shenanigans. So I did enjoy the latter half a bit more than the first half! But even then, the plot and characters are about as flimsy as a piece of paper.

For something similar to this but better, I would recommend "I Am a Cat Barista". Similar premise, but a little more earnest and emotional rather than punny and silly. This one just didn't hit for me. Too bad, because the full color illustrations were nice, and I thought Higa-sensei displayed amazing prowess in drawing animals in different poses!

[sara kate :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5)

as far as i can say, this book was a lot more different than what i was expecting. it was a quick and short read, as it is a manga, but it didn't have any lasting impact on me that other mangas have had. i felt that some of the dialogue was overly-repetitive, especially with all of the language puns. the plot also tended to take major leaps and develop into random places where the "plot" wasn't even heading just for everything to end up under-developed. a lot of the plot was also centered around how the panda bear deemed himself "so super fat" and that he was "unwilling of being loved" because he's "so fat" and i really didn't understand why that was needed. but, this manga was light-hearted and had interesting characters, however i don't think i will continue to the next volume.

[J.D. Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wacky, somewhat surrealist manga is like a cross between Nichijou, Vol. 1 for its antics and humor, and Garlic and the Vampire: A Graphic Novel for requiring a suspension of disbelief as we see anthropomorphic creatures alongside their natural counterparts.

Which is to say, this is weird, but hits right if it's your cup of tea.

I enjoyed the puns. Reading other reviews, I understand that there is an anime adaptation, but I'm happy to read the puns at my own pace. They are clever.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's pretty rare that I dislike reading a manga...but this one really wasn't for me. The artwork was cute but I could not get into the characters at all. It's broken down into little vignettes and reminded me of Way of the Househusband and Komi Can't Communicate in that sense...but the humor in those really works for me and in Polar Bear Cafe it just...doesn't. And because I wasn't enjoying the puns...they got tiresome really fast. I got the next two volumes from thr library but I think I'm going to pass on reading them. I might read a couple of episodes on volume 2 just to see if it gets better because I know it can sometimes take a couple volumes for me to get into a manga series...but I really didn't like this first one so i don't know...

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Polar Bear runs a cafe. His Panda friend - who works PT as an actual panda at the zoo - and penguin friend visit often. This is a slice of life where these friends like to share puns in their chat. Super cute, cozy and silly. I'd pick up more volumes from the library for sure. I guess this has been adapted into an anime that I am trying to figure out how to watch.

I would put this under Teen more than Middle Grade IMHO. Although we have adorable animals running a cafe and this is low stakes, there are puns and language that I am not sure if all middle graders would grasp. Teens and adults, yes.

Library Serendipity

[McKenzie Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle

2.5 stars

A cute manga with plenty of puns in both Japanese and English. Fun slice-of-life adventures featuring Polar Bear, Panda, and all their friends.

I have not watched the anime of this, but honestly if you have some non-traditional entity running a café, there's a good chance I'm going to want to read it.

Cute art style. I liked the realistic character designs meshed with more human elements and behaviors.

Includes a few recipes and paper crafts, which were fun additions.

A fun, simple read with adorable art.

[Krissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half was a bit difficult to enjoy--it was heavily reliant on Japanese puns and the stories were so short that there wasn't much more than the joke--no characterizations, no story, not even much atmosphere. The second half improved dramatically though--slightly longer stories, super sweet moments with and between the characters, more time with side characters, and so much more of the sweet, lovely, friendly vibes that I was hoping for.

The art, of course, is stunning. The panels are really well-designed, the translations are super clear and tidy, and the whole package is excellent. I'll definitely be picking up future volumes when I want something easy and sweet.

[Kelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Polar Bear runs a cozy little cafe!

His regular customers include a lovestruck zookeeper, a Panda Bear who stops by after his shift at the zoo, and so many more human and animal patrons alike!

Polar Bear keeps the customers going with his wide array of cafe treats and an endless supply of advice and pawsome puns!

This is such a sweet, wholesome slice-of-life series!

For readers who enjoy short vignettes and low-stakes storytelling, I think this series offers a lot of entertainment. This series is funny and all-around a soothing read~

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the imagery really adorable all times. I preferred when there was “true” mini stories rather than all the puns at time with no plot. It did really pick up for me around the half way mark when there was less puns but it wasn’t a book that I was looking forward to be picking back up again between breaks. I unfortunately don’t think I will continue with the series but if I decide to, I think I will just get it on my kindle.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Polar Bear runs a cafe that is visited by Panda and Penguin and makes lot of puns.

This sense of humor didn't connect with me and the story is shorts so, while I thought it was cute, I won't be continuing in the series. The numerous puns that were successfully translated into English were impressive.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the same story every time for me -- I get sucked in by the cuteness of the characters, but the experience of reading manga (or American comics) is only just meh to me. The early issues collected in this volume made a lot of rhyming jokes, but those quickly went away in favor of actual stories ; I kind of missed the rhyming though.

[Joana Bookneeders · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5stars
The beginning in English does not work well, found it extremely boring. It redeemed itself tho about the half way mark and although there's still some parts as the beginning, you are able to enjoy them because they don't appear every two pages the same style of thing - which is basically playing with words, as in Japanese words.

[cobwebbing · Rating 2 out of 5]

AHHH I wish I liked this more. Just a little too repetitive for my taste and some of the humor doesn't translate from Japanese (it kind of messes with the flow of a joke that's a series of puns if you have to stop and explain the puns in parentheticals). It is cute, though, and I can totally see others enjoying it.