 | Spider-Man : Kizuna 1 (Spider-Man: Kizuna) Author: Kobayashi, Setta | |
| Price: $9.83 | ||
Summary:
Welcome to Ohakama City, Japan. Yu, a timid boy who loves to draw manga, is attacked by Green Goblin, only to be rescued by the super hero known as Spider-Man! Despite being defeated, the villain activates a device that merges Yu and Spider-Man together. Suddenly bestowed with not just great power, but also the proportionate speed, strength, and agility of a spider, will Yu find the courage to help others, or fall prey to Spider-Man's worst enemies? In manga graphic novel format.
| Illustrator: | Torrefranca, Richmond |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (08/01/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 08/01/2025 Gr 4–7—Yu is a Japanese elementary student with little confidence, no friends, and a huge imagination. One day, he befriends Spider-Man during a harrowing battle with the Green Goblin. One of Goblin's attacks turns Spidey into a noncorporeal being but gives Yu the ability to communicate and combine with Spidey to form Spider-Man: Kizuna! Now, Yu is thrust into the world of a superhero and must be confident, break out of his shyness, and use his imagination to stop Green Goblin's scheming, which includes using villain tokens to transform Yu's classmates and fellow citizens into villains from Spidey's New York past. This action-packed, breakneck story incorporates many favorite Spider-Man villains and is a delightful introduction for readers who may be new to the universe. The illustrations are drawn in a "chibi" style and the action realized in a very over-the-top, dramatic fashion to appeal to younger audiences. VERDICT A first purchase for elementary collections where superhero stories and graphic novels are popular.—Sara Smith - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 08/01/2025 *Starred Review* Super fun and fast paced with a touch of wacky humor, Spider-man Kizuna is the perfect manga for young readers. Living in the fictional Ohakama City in Japan, Yu is a quiet 10-year-old who loves to draw manga. But when he accidentally gets merged with the infamous Spider-man during a nefarious attack by the Green Goblin, he obtains Spidey's iconic powers—with a twist. Now able to bring his creative spark to life using Spider-man's webbing, Yu teams up with Spider-man (now a spectral figure only Yu can see) to fight the Green Goblin, who's using Villain Badges to turn the citizens of the city into avatars of Spider-man's greatest foes. Outrageously fun and frenetically fast paced, this manga has a lot of ingredients that will engage elementary- and middle-school readers. Super heroism with a dash of artistic humor certainly evokes a bit of Dav Pilkey, and the energetic action is evocative of One Piece and other shonen hits. The chibi art style adds a layer of cuteness that avoids any violence or fanservice, making this an especially strong choice for children's collections. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
