
Member Reviews

This is a fun manga with great graphics and an entertaining story line. Honeko Akabane does not know that she is the secret daughter of a yakuza leader. Neither does she know that assassins are out to kill her. All she knows is that she is the school head girl and she is determined to make school a better place with top performing students who do their work on time and behave appropriately.
She keeps a close eye on Arakuni Ibuki who is her childhood friend and persistent trouble maker. What she doesn’t know is that this said trouble maker is actually her body guard and so are her classmates. They must all protect Honeko without her knowing.
This team of protectors have their own internal politics as each one vies to protect Honeko without breaking their cover. It is an entertaining story and the first one in the series. It is also highly imaginative and just funny and that’s what makes it so enjoyable. A good read.
Copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I enjoyed this. One of the first things that drew me in was the art style—it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Beyond the visuals, the storyline was just as compelling. It was well-paced, emotionally resonant, and had a great balance between character development and plot progression.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for an eARC of this book to read and review.
DNF at page 82.
My apologies, but this was too OTT and stupid for me to be able to suspend the disbelief needed to read and enjoy it. It makes no sense that the father, who already has an ENTIRE CLASS of trained bodyguard operatives, tell the secret to the ONE kid in the class who ISN'T in on the secret, and expect him to help protect his daughter. The kid can fight, but he's not trained like the other kids are. Why even bring him into it?
And the kid seems to forget that ALL of the other kids in the class are really there for one reason and one reason only, pretend to be typical high schoolers, but protect the girl with their lives. Like he tries to be all tough with them and declare in not so many words, that he is top dog, which is honestly laughable.
He's also the typical hot-head yandare and YAWN.
The MC h for her part is oblivious. She does seem to like the MC H, but because of his violent and angry tendencies, she sees him as someone she needs to "help", which honestly isn't a healthy start to a relationship. Neither is the boy keeping the secret from her about her dad, the assassins, etc., but if he told her, he would probably be disappeared or something, so that makes sense. He could tell her that he likes her though, maybe TRY to have a normal and healthy relationship?
But then I realize they are teenagers who act this way to further the plot and try to relax, lol.
If you like silly, OTT action and classic tropes of high school mis/lack of communication, then this might be your thing. It just wasn't mine. The artwork isn't bad, but it wasn't enough to save this for me.
2, I really didn't like this one but YMMV, stars.

Okay, I have to say it: this story isn’t super original... but it still managed to catch me off guard in the best way! I thought I knew what I was getting into, but nope—there were moments that really surprised me, and I ended up having so much fun reading this first volume 🥰
The art is super cute and expressive (seriously, some panels made me laugh out loud), and the humor? Spot on. I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much, but I flew through the pages!
Can’t wait to see what happens next. If you're in the mood for a fun, slightly messy, and totally entertaining manga—give this one a shot!
Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the chance to read this early 💖📚

A fun first volume that sets everything up nicely, however a touch too action-packed and fast-paced for my liking. I don't think I will continue this series in spite of how fun it looks.

Our main character has been childhood friends with the girl he secretly has a crush on. One day, everything changes when he’s asked to become her bodyguard—by none other than her biological father, who also happens to be the leader of a gang.
It turns out she has a half-sister who wants her dead, and now her entire class has been hired to protect her. But none of them know her like he does. With their deep bond and shared past, he's the only one who can truly keep her safe.
This story is packed with action and intense fight scenes, but at its core is a relationship built on trust, history, and quiet affection. The artwork complements the fast-paced storytelling perfectly, making each moment, whether heartfelt or high-energy, stand out.

A whole high school class protecting a girl from killers on the loose ? Count me in !
I enjoyed the aspect of the uncover students organizing themselves to stop hired assassins and the little romance between Akabane and Ibuki. They are idiots in love oblivious to the feelings of one another !
While it was an entertaining read, the plot didn't hooked me enought to continue the series. Especially when I think about the mafia's heir last development in the story.
Anyways, this story might appeal to Spy x family fans for the silliness of the actions and the art !
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC !

I loved this story. It was very unique and had me entrapped from the begging. Can't wait for the second one!

This was such a refreshing and hilarious read! Arakuni's been tasked with the role of bodyguard for his classmate—and childhood friend—Honeko Akabane, and she's definitely a handful!
What I loved about this story was that despite Arakuni being a teenager, he's taken up this task and treating it as his own life's mission... Which kind of is, in some ways, and he'd rather be seen as a boisterous, hot-headed boy than a protector to Akabane's very own life. It felt very sweet and it makes you wonder whether there's a bit more to their friendly bond that meets the eye.
I'm still not sure how I feel about Akabane yet, although it is a little funny to see her completely oblivious to everything that's going on around her.
Definitely not short of comical moments—and also twists that I did not see coming at all—Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards' first volume is definitely an interesting start and I'm very curious to see how this develops.

The manga does a great job keeping the reader engaged with surprises and character development in a short period. It's a fun action with romantic and comedic elements which I hope are expanded on as the story progresses. I enjoyed the art style and thought it lent itself well to the action and story. Will definitely keep reading and trying to solve the mystery!
3.5 stars

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this manga. I think so far this is my favorite teen yakuza story because of the number of characters and their abilities but also because it's not just a flat-out romance, there is also a mystery that I am curious about. I will say though because of the number of characters looking similar to each other there could be some confusion, but otherwise a lot of fun. Because of these points, I have to give this a 4 out of 5 stars

3.5-4 stars
Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards
-Volume 1 & 2 released
-Volume 3 Release May 27
-thanks to Netgalley+ Kodansha was able to read this eARC
I’m going to start off by saying I liked how volume one flowed. We get that Ibuki is to protect Akabane then the entire class is guarding her from assassins, then into him also having a mission to see who the spy is within that group. The one thing that bothers me about this is how all these assassins are after her but she has no idea… I just feel like at some point she would notice what was going on or is she just acting like she doesn’t know. I’m also curious if she knows that her family is yakuza, because I feel like it would be hard to hide that with how many people seem to be involved with her family. She does mention her parents being attorneys, so my question is are they attorneys so they can help protect the family?
The art is fitting for this genre and the fight scenes don’t drag on- personally, it feels well balanced. Ibuki and Akabane seem to have had a good relationship since they were kids, so it seems natural to assume that things will progress as the series continues. Ibuki is a bit oblivious to the fact Akabane also likes him; although, everyone else can see how they feel about each other. The contrast in Ibuki’s personality is nice to see when he is with her as well, even though he tries to hide it.
Summary:
Ibuki is seen as a delinquent and childhood friend of Akabane’s, which is the perfect cover to carry out his mission that the head of the Honeko family asked of him. Without Akabane knowing, Ibuki is to be her bodyguard as information was leaked that she was the granddaughter of the yakuza family. To his surprise all of Class 3-4 are her bodyguards and now he also has to show his worth to these trained “bodyguards”. One catch is that Akabane cannot find out what is happening. Who leaked this information? Will Class 3-4’s cover be blown?

A Stylish Blend of Action, Comedy, and Romance
Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards 1 introduces readers to a unique fusion of high school life and underground intrigue. The story follows Arakuni Ibuki, a delinquent high schooler who is tasked with protecting his childhood friend, Honeko Akabane, from assassins hired by rival yakuza factions. The catch? Honeko must remain unaware of the danger, leading to a series of comedic and suspenseful situations.
Masamitsu Nigatsu's storytelling is engaging, balancing action, humor, and romance effectively. The dynamic between Ibuki and Honeko is both entertaining and heartwarming, with their long-standing friendship adding depth to their interactions. The supporting characters, including the diverse group of classmates who double as bodyguards, bring additional layers to the narrative.
The artwork complements the story well, with clean lines and expressive character designs that enhance the emotional tone of the scenes. The pacing is brisk, keeping readers hooked from start to finish.
While the premise is intriguing, some elements may feel familiar to fans of similar genres. However, Nigatsu's unique approach and character development set this series apart, making it a promising start to what is expected to be an exciting series.
In summary, Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards 1 is a delightful read for fans of action-comedy and romantic school dramas, offering a fresh take on familiar tropes.

Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards is a fun, action-packed manga with a romcom twist!
Honeko, an ordinary high school girl, is actually a daughter of a yakuza leader and she’s being targeted by assassins but she is completely unaware. The only one who knows this is her childhood best friend Ibuki, who becomes her bodyguard in order to protect her and he has to keep everything a secret!
I loved the art and the premise was so entertaining, full of twists and turns! Ibuki and Honeko's interactions were really funny and cute. I loved everyone in Class 3-4 and their varying personalities and skills.
I know this was made into a live-action movie last year so I was really intrigued and I'll definitely check out the next volumes!
~Thank you to Kodansha Comics and NetGalley for the ARC!

"Honeko Akabane's Bodyguards" by Masamitsu Nigatsu is a manga that blends school life and yakuza. The story follows delinquent Arakuni Ibuki, who is together with his classmates tasked with protecting his childhood friend Honeko, who is unaware that she’s the daughter of a yakuza boss. The bodyguard team, each with their own unique skills, has their hands full protecting Honeko from various attempts on her life, often landing them in one unbelievable situation after another. Arakuni must earn his place within the group and prove himself along the way.
The characters are lively, with strong group dynamics and a fun mix of personalities. Nice art, especially during action scenes. Underneath the humor, the manga explores loyalty, friendship, and coming-of-age themes!

This had my attention from the first to last page, and even now still has me in a chokehold to read volume 2 ASAP! The MC was interesting and the plot was unexpected. I would recommend this to anyone who likes an action packed manga! 100/10

An interesting story line, I was excited to see where the story would go next. There were a couple of scenes that I did not think we're necessary to the overall plot that will limit young readers from picking up the manga.

I liked it, it's good story, and funny 😭 I laughed so much reading it
the art reminded me of those old mangas and it brought back memories of a lot of good stories, the nostalgia ♥️

A wonderful, hilarious and action-packed manga! I breezed through this and had so much fun reading this story! I enjoyed the plot twists a lot and nothing felt overexaggerated or hard to believe.
It's adorable the relationship Honeko and (her bodyguard) Ibuki share! How they have each other's backs, too. The art is gorgeous and so expressive! The action scenes are also very clear and cool! I really enjoyed this, and I look forward to reading the next volume, too!
Great work and story by Masamitsu Nigatsu!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting premise with the Yakuza getting the main guy character to protect the girl without her knowledge. A bit silly and over the top but enjoyable!