Another is a Japanese mysteryhorror novel by Yukito Ayatsuji, published on October 29, 2009 by Kadokawa Shoten. The story focuses on a boy named Kōichi Sakakibara who, upon transferring into Yomiyama Middle School and meeting the curious Mei Misaki, finds himself in a mystery revolving around students and people related to his class falling victim to gruesome, senseless deaths. A manga adaptation by Hiro Kiyohara was serialized between May 2010 and January 2012 in the issues of Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace. Both the novel and the manga have been licensed in North America by Yen Press. A 12-episode anime television series produced by P.A.Works aired in Japan between January 10 and March 27, 2012, with an original video animation episode released on May 26, 2012, and a live-action film of the same name was released in Japanese theatres on August 4, 2012.
Plot
In 1972, Misaki, a popular student of Yomiyama North Middle School's class 3-3, suddenly died partway through the school year. Devastated by the loss, the students and teacher behaved like Misaki was still alive, leading to a strange presence on the graduation photo. In Spring 1998, Kōichi Sakakibara transfers into Yomiyama's class 3-3, where he meets Mei Misaki, a quiet student whom their classmates and teacher seemingly ignore. The class is soon caught up in a strange phenomenon, in which students and their relatives begin to die in often gruesome ways. Realizing that these deaths are related to the "Misaki of 1972", a yearly calamity that has struck most every class 3-3 since 1972, Kōichi and Mei seek to figure out how to stop it before it kills anymore of their classmates or them.
Another is a 487-page novel written by Yukito Ayatsuji. The novel was originally serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's literary magazine Yasai Jidai in intermittent periods between the August 2006 and May 2009 issues. A compiled tankōbon volume was published on October 29, 2009 and a two-volume bunkobon edition was released on September 25, 2011. A re-release of the bunkobon edition featuring illustrations by Noizi Ito was released under the imprint Sneaker Bunko on March 1, 2012. A spin-off novel titled Another: Episode S/0 was released on July 31, 2013. It is two novels in one binding. Another S is a side novel set in the same time period, an adventure of Mei Misaki during summer vacation. Another 0 is set during Aunt Reiko's year in class 3-3, in 1983. Yen Press has licensed the novels in North America. The English translation is by Karen McGillicuddy. A sequel, titled Another 2001, was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Shosetsu Yasei Jidai magazine from the November 2014 issue to the February 2020 issue, and as its name implies, takes place in 2001.
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Hiro Kiyohara was serialized between the May 2010 and January 2012 issues of Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine. Four tankōbon volumes were released between October 4, 2010 and December 29, 2011. A "0th" volume of the manga was released on May 26, 2012. Yen Press has licensed the original four-volume manga in North America and released it as an omnibus.
Anime
A 12-episode anime television series adaptation produced by P.A.Works and directed by Tsutomu Mizushima aired in Japan between January 10 and March 27, 2012. The screenplay was written by Ryō Higaki, and the chief animation director Yuriko Ishii based the character design used in the anime on Noizi Ito's original concept art. The music was produced by Kow Otani, and the sound director is Yoshikazu Iwanami. The anime has two theme songs: the opening theme "Kyōmu Densen" by the band Ali Project, and the ending theme "Anamnesis" by Annabel. Sentai Filmworks licensed the series in North America, releasing it on BD/DVD on July 30, 2013. An original video animation episode set before the beginning of the series was released on May 26, 2012 with a "0th" volume of the manga. MVM Films released the series, including the OVA, in the United Kingdom and Ireland in late 2013.
Live-action film
A live-action film adaptation of the same name, directed by Takeshi Furusawa and produced by Kadokawa Pictures was released in Japanese theaters on August 4, 2012. The theme song is "Rakuen" by Miliyah Kato.
;Another manga volumes story by Yukito Ayatsuji, art by Hiro Kiyohara. Original Japanese version published by Kadokawa Shoten. English version by Yen Press.
