How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? Manga Returns After 10 Months; Here’s All We Know

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As an ardent fan who’s been lifting dumbbells (figuratively speaking) since the debut of this manga, I can’t help but feel like I’ve grown alongside Hibiki Sakura and her quest for fitness! The resumption of How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? after a 10-month hiatus feels like reconnecting with an old friend.

The popular manga “How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?” by Yabako Sandrovich and SAAM, which had been on a break since October 2023, has returned as of August 5. This marks the first time in 10 months that the manga is active again and can be found once more in Japan’s Manga ONE app.

In 2016, Sandrovich and MAAM debuted their ST✰R manga on Shogakukan’s Ura Sunday and Manga ONE app. The 19th collected book was released in September 2023, with the 20th volume scheduled for August 19. Previously, Doga Kobo transformed the manga into an anime series that started airing in July 2019. The manga initially appeared on Manga ONE in April 2023, then continued with volumes 2 and 3 on March 19 and August 19 respectively.

The manga has gained widespread recognition primarily due to its anime adaption that debuted in 2019. Additionally, it’s being published in English by Seven Seas, and they characterize it as follows:

“Hibiki, a teenager with a passion for food, finds her waistline growing, prompting her to explore the neighborhood gym. To her surprise, this gym is filled with muscular men, including none other than Akemi, the student council president! When Akemi suggests weight training to Hibiki, she initially resists, but that changes once she encounters the charming trainer Machio. Now, Hibiki is ready to make any sacrifice necessary for fitness!”

2019 saw the manga being shortlisted for the shōnen category in the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award. Gadget Tsūshin included lyrics from its opening theme and a training video clip in their 2019 buzzwords list for anime. The series was nominated for both ‘Best Boy’ (for Naruzo Machio) and ‘Best Comedy’, but the awards went to Tanjiro Kamado from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, respectively.

How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift is a more adult anime that thrives on fan service and distinctly anime feel-good humor; it may not be to everyone’s taste. But, for anyone who has been in the pursuit of bodybuilding or regular fitness, the comedic stylings of How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? are enough to entertain. The central character of the series is gluttonous high schooler Hibiki Sakura. When her expanding waistline begins to concern her, she decides to turn her life around and join a gym, but she must conquer insurmountable and often hilarious odds to stick to her fitness journey.

Back when December 19, 2016 rolled around, I couldn’t believe my eyes as Shogakukan unveiled the very first tankōbon volume of this manga that had completely captivated me. Nineteen volumes later, as of September 19, 2023, I’ve eagerly collected each one like a treasure trove. And guess what? In April 2019, Seven Seas Entertainment secured the rights for an English release – a dream come true for us North American fans! The first volume finally hit shelves on November 26, 2019, and I still remember the excitement that came with it.

2019 saw the announcement of a television series adaptation for an anime, slated to begin airing on various channels from July 3 to September 18. The production house behind this project was Doga Kobo, with Mitsue Yamazaki directing it, Fumihiko Shimo taking charge of the series composition, Ai Kikuchi designing the characters, and Yukari Hashimoto responsible for the music. Spanning 12 episodes, it aired on AT-X, Tokyo MX, KBS, SUN, and other channels. The opening theme was “Onegai Muscle” by Hibiki Sakura (Fairouz Ai) and Naruzo Machio (Kaito Ishikawa), while the closing theme was “Macho A Name?” performed by Machio (Ishikawa).

After obtaining the rights to the series, Funimation distributed it globally excluding Asia. Then, following Sony’s purchase of Crunchyroll, the series was transferred to Crunchyroll for streaming. In Southeast Asia, Medialink owns the rights to broadcast the series.

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2024-08-15 13:08