Manga Monday: It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story Vol. 1

Series: It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story
Author: Kalaku YukiArtist: Pirota
Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Released: January 11, 2022
Received: NetGalley
Warnings: Death

It’s that time again! Time for another reincarnation manga that is. It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story Vol. 1 is not the longest title I’ve read, but it is arguably one of the more entertaining ones! It’s also very to the point, don’t you think?

What would be the best reincarnation for a virologist? As it turns out, the answer is a virus! That is the new life for one virus researcher after they met their untimely demise. Now they’re on another planet, and their history is giving them the best chance to succeed as a virus in this life.

“Th-That’s right! I remember! I was working at my pharmaceutical company…and just like normal, after everyone left…I borrowed the lab for juuust a little bit to work on my own research. I don’t have any memory of what happened after that. Which means I made some sort of mistake and died.”

I don’t normally include quotes for my manga reviews, but it just felt so perfect in this instance. Also, I’m not ashamed to admit that it gave me a good laugh. If there’s one thing you can count on in It’s That Reincarnated-as-a-Virus Story Vol. 1, it’s that it has a good sense of humor about itself.

Actually, it has a decent sense of humor in general. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and matches the same tone presented through the title (always refreshing when that happens). The leading character is a workaholic virologist who died when working after hours (with no other humans around to help when an accident occurred, naturally). Oh! And let’s not forget the strong anti-hero vibes they give off.

That sets the scene for everything else that happens in volume one. It’s fast-paced and an even faster read, as events quickly spiral to shocking levels. It made for a fun read, and I think fans of Cells at Work! would really appreciate this one. 

Thanks to Kodansha Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.