series written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu
. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine
by Kodansha
from October 21, 1998 to October 31, 2001 and was published in 14 tankōbon
volumes by Kodansha. The series tells the story of Keitaro Urashima and his attempts to find the girl with whom he made a childhood promise to enter the Tokyo University
. The manga was licensed for an English language release in North America and the United Kingdom by Tokyopop
, in Australia by Madman Entertainment
, in Poland by Waneko
and in Singapore by Chuang Yi
.
[Motoko blasts Keitarō skyward.] Keitarō, did the Earth look blue from up there?
Hi-ho, Silver! Jitterbug! Rhumba!
Tee-hee! I'm impressed with the magic from the ruins of Todai! I never thought you'd make a "sewage disposal!" [Meaning to say "marriage proposal."]
[As Keitarō and the others discuss getting into Tokyo U] What's a tokyou? Can you eat it?
It had three holes, and I really wanted one!
[After Su kidnaps Naru in Molmol] Goddammit, Su, we were getting along so fine! This is not a sci-fi manga!!
[When Keitarō returns to Hinata House from the hospital, he thinks everyone will receive him warmly there, but in fact only Tama-chan greets him] Oh boy... I spent three weeks away... You're the only one nice to me here, Tama-chan...
[After Naru punches Keitarō, his pants rip and she offers to fix it] Oohhh! A sewing kit! So you can do something feminine for a change!
[After using one of Motoko's sword techniques against her] "You use that attack so often on me, I sorta claimed it as my own. (Think of it like Kimahri's Lancet ability.)"
[Laying down in the sand, without his glasses, after seeing Mutsumi and Naru playing in the water] Where are we? Oh, I know... this must be heaven! And the angels have come to take me to the peraly gates!