Space Brothers

Space Brothers is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Chūya Koyama, serialized in Kodansha's Morning magazine since December 2007. The story revolves around the Nanba brothers, Mutta and Hibito. One night in the summer of 2006, the brothers witnessed what appeared to be a UFO heading towards the moon, sparking their dream of becoming astronauts. Nineteen years later, Hibito successfully becomes an astronaut, preparing for a lunar mission. Mutta, on the other hand, loses his job after a workplace incident. Inspired by Hibito, Mutta rekindles his ambition and joins the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut selection program. The series follows Mutta's journey as he pursues his dream, overcomes challenges, and ultimately becomes an astronaut. Space Brothers has received both the Shogakukan Manga Award and the Kodansha Manga Award. It has been adapted into an anime series, a live-action film, and an anime film. The manga has more than 40 volumes. The anime series, produced by A-1 Pictures, has 99 episodes. The live-action film stars Shun Oguri and Masaki Okada. The anime film, Space Brothers #0, tells the early story of the brothers. Various related products and events, such as social games and real escape games, have also been developed.