Sanda (manga)

Setting The story is set in Japan in 2080. Affected by the declining birth rate, Japan has implemented a series of control policies for minors, including arranging marriage partners from infancy, not allowing children to sleep to slow down development, and needing to use the toilet separately from adults. Young people's social status is also higher than adults. Santa Claus has been sealed for a long time because of the curse, which makes the society think that Santa Claus has disappeared, and regard Christmas as an ancient custom or fictional legend. Plot On December 25, when it was snowing, middle school student Kazushige Sanda's body seal was broken by his classmate Shiori Fuyumura, making him look like Santa Claus. From that day forward he finds himself transforming into Santa whenever he wears red clothes. Later, Sanda discovers that he can change back by eating jellybeans. The reason why Fuyumura lifted the seal was that she hoped that Sanda would help find her missing classmate Ichie Ono, and also hoped that he would remind the society of Christmas. ==Characters==

Main ; : : :An extroverted and short middle school boy who is descended from the lineage of Santa Claus. He is driven by compassion to help his friends in their problems connected to the Christmas tradition, though he becomes conflicted with balancing both his adolescent life and being Santa. He is able to revert back to his Sanda form upon eating a candy called Bratty Beans. ; : :Sanda's secondary identity, who is able to be summoned when he wears any red clothing, including bloodstained clothes. He exhibits superhuman traits and strength reminiscent of traditions associated with the legendary Santa Claus, such as fire resistance, the ability to detect lies, and the ability to grow skis on his feet. He also has an alternate form called "Black Santa", which he can use to punish naughty people. ; : :A tall, lanky and withdrawn middle school girl who looks like an adult woman. She is aware of Santa Claus' existence, and is willing to commit dangerous acts in order to find Ono, with the help of Sanda's dual identity. She struggles in reconciling her identity after experiencing a growth spurt when she was young. Others ; : :Fuyumura's closest friend who still believes in Christmas and suddenly disappeared. It is later revealed she went into seclusion after she suddenly reached puberty after falling asleep, knowing that Oshibu would target her. It is also revealed she harbors romantic feelings towards Fuyumura. ; : :Sanda's best friend who dreams of the tradition of Christmas to become widespread again in order for his family bakery to thrive. ; : :An abrasive and thrill-seeking student who is Sanda's fiancée as arranged by the state. ; : :A student who is part of a class of middle schoolers who, in an attempt to rebel against their teachers, killed adults. ; : :The tyrannical cyborg headmaster of Daikoku Welfare Academy, who constantly monitors the school's students. He is 92 years old, though he keeps his face with a youthful appearance through a heart implant and other procedures. He has an obsession with youth and his trauma-free principles, and will go to great lengths to punish those who do not conform with his ideals. ; : :The middle-aged leader of the St. Nick Pursuit Unit, an elite task force assigned to capture Santa Claus. He has a personal grudge against Santa, having fought him several years earlier. Despite his animosity towards Santa and discovering he is Sanda's secondary identity, he makes efforts to keep Sanda alive to prevent himself from being executed by Oshibu. ; : :The aging chief director of Daikoku Welfare Academy, who accepts growing old in contrast to Oshibu wanting to maintain eternal youth. She also showcases strength when she needs to intervene. ==Production==

Following her work on Beastars, which featured an animal cast, author Paru Itagaki sought to create a different kind of story. She cited the 2010 film The Wolfman as an influence, noting that Benicio del Toro's transformation inspired the character Sanda's own metamorphosis. Itagaki reflected that while she initially approached the action scenes with seriousness, she later found them humorous. The author also held a particular attachment to the Isetan Shinjuku department store, having frequently accompanied her parents on shopping trips there. This connection led to her desire to use Isetan as a setting, resulting in the story's school being a renovated version of the store. With the narrative involving Santa Claus, Itagaki also considered the Christmas season an appropriate and enjoyable timeframe for the story. Prior to Sanda, Itagaki published a one-shot chapter titled in Nihon Bungeisha's magazine Weekly Manga Goraku on September 7, 2018. The one-shot featured Santa Claus and a sex worker. Itagaki later discussed with her editor at Weekly Manga Goraku her interest in reusing the Santa Claus character in a new series aimed at a younger audience. Her editor agreed, on the condition that she first create a one-volume manga for the publisher, which resulted in . Its collected volume was released in April 2021, and Sanda began serialization three months later in Akita Shoten's magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion on July 21. ==Media==

Manga Written and illustrated by Paru Itagaki, Sanda was serialized in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Champion from July 21, 2021, to July 11, 2024. Akita Shoten has collected its chapters into individual volumes, with 16 volumes released from December 8, 2021, to October 8, 2024. Volumes Anime In July 2024, it was announced that the manga would receive an anime television series adaptation produced by Science Saru. It was directed by Tomohisa Shimoyama, with Kimiko Ueno supervising and writing the series scripts, Masamichi Ishiyama serving as character designer and chief animation director, and music composed by Tomoyuki Tanaka. The series aired from October 4 to December 20, 2025, on the Animeism programming block on MBS, TBS, CBC and BS-TBS. Episodes ==Reception==

Manga Ridge Harripersad of CGMagazine noted the manga's narrative depth, observing that it contained strange stories from Itagaki. He described the artwork as distinct from her previous series, Beastars, and highlighted her distinctive interpretation of Santa Claus. Although he initially found the protagonist stereotypical, Harripersad later considered the characterization appealing, drawing a parallel to Okarun from Dandadan. Bolts from Anime News Network praised the handling of the lore and the Santa character, but criticized Sanda's tendency to overanalyze situations and Fuyumura for occasionally mistreating him despite her reliance on Santa's power. Raquel Ramia of Akibahara Station commended the narrative for its themes of children leaving childhood behind, which resulted in significant character development for the main cast. She speculated about the potential for a love triangle despite its absence in early chapters, and praised the artwork for its fight scenes and detailed character expressions during dramatic moments. Reviewers at Manga News expressed surprise at the violence in the fourth volume, particularly a subplot involving a criminal and Sanda dealing with children's deadly wishes, which one reviewer found graphically disturbing. Kō Aokage of '' called Sanda a unique fantasy hero story that used the premise of a child transforming into Santa to reflect on modern societal issues, such as low birth rates and excessive state control. Aokage noted that the series explores the contradiction between state protection and individual autonomy, with its "intergenerational" and "system versus individual" themes resonating strongly. By forgoing the "anthropomorphization" metaphor of Beastars'' and having characters confront the system directly, the drama was considered more realistic, suggesting a maturation of the author's perspective. Anime Lucas DeRuyter from Anime News Network enjoyed the "ridiculous" premise and found Sanda's powers and the series' setting compelling. The animation by Science Saru was praised for its visuals in the premiere, particularly a scene where the protagonist uses his powers against an explosion. DeRuyter, who watched the English dub, commended Ben Balmaceda for his energetic portrayal of Santa Claus. Chris Beveridge of The Fandom Post found the initial conflict between Fuyumura and Sanda intriguing and noted the unique character designs. He considered the story over-the-top but felt the duality of Sanda and Santa was effective, expressing interest in future episodes. Isaiah Colbert of Gizmodo enjoyed the mix of horror and comedy. He stated that the anime stood out due to Itagaki's storytelling, which reminded the reviewer of his positive experience with Beastars, and commented that Science Saru amplified the manga's appeal. Elijah Gonzalez of Endless Mode praised the anime's portrayal of LGBTQ+ themes, gender, and puberty in a healthy manner. He cited the handling of Fuyumura's identity and her relationship with Ono as major examples. In an article titled Sanda Shows that Adolescence is Supposed to be Awkward for Anime News Network, DeRuyter noted that the series' core theme involved accepting adulthood, a process embodied by the protagonist obtaining new powers awakened by his genes. DeRuyter also noted that the protagonist was distinguished by his sympathy toward the Fuyumura during her identity crisis, a condition society refused to acknowledge in children. As the narrative progressed, Sanda sought out other individuals troubled by social issues that adults ignored, aiding them while simultaneously improving his relationship with Fuyumura. The ANN editorial team listed the series as the best anime of Fall 2025, citing its lore and themes, as well as its production values. Steve Jones related to the characters' reflections on their growth while watching the series, as he did with his own experiences of puberty. It was also listed as the seventh best anime of 2025. Commenting on the series' thought-provoking themes, Ross Locksley from UK Anime Network said that, while Santa is an appealing character due to his powers and personality, the anime stands out more for its large cast and focus on drama. A major example of this is Sanda's fiancée, Nico, who, rather than being a stereotypical abusive heroine, is actually devoted to her relationship with Sanda, while Fuyumura also has a notable relationship with Ono. The antagonists Namatame and Oshibu also received positive response for their portrayal of the theme of staying young. ==Notes==