Tomodachi Game

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: Friend Game

Japanese: トモダチゲーム

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Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 26

Chapters: 130

Status: Finished

Published: Dec 9, 2013 to Aug 8, 2024

Genre: Suspense

Themes: High Stakes Game, Psychological, Strategy Game

Demographic: Shounen

Serialization: Bessatsu Shounen Magazine

Authors: Yamaguchi, Mikoto (Story), Satou, Yuuki (Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.37¹ (scored by 38,866 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #307²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #180

Members: 96,435

Favorites: 5,127

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8.37

Ranked #307Popularity #180Members 96,435

MangaBessatsu Shounen MagazineYamaguchi, Mikoto (Story), Satou, Yuuki (Art)

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Volumes: /26

Chapters: /130

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Synopsis

Yuuichi Katagiri has battled financial hardships his whole life but has learned to stay content and positive thanks to his close circle of friends. To keep a promise he made to them, Yuuichi saves up enough money to join them on the school trip. But when the gathered money mysteriously goes missing, suspicion falls on two of Yuuichi's friends: Shiho Sawaragi and Makoto Shibe, who were in charge of collecting the payments. Although innocent, Shiho and Makoto take responsibility for the failure to protect the money when no one else comes forward.

A few days later, Yuuichi and his friends receive mysterious letters which trick each of them into meeting up. Upon arrival, they are ambushed and knocked unconscious. They wake up in a mysterious room in the presence of "Manabu-kun," a character from a controversial children's show that stopped airing due to its malicious content. He informs the group that one of them indirectly gathered them together in order to settle a large debt. They are to play a "friendship game": a series of games that will test the strength of their bond and trust in each other. As the group's faith wavers due to the growing number of secrets and betrayals, Yuuichi must figure out who of his "friends" he can actually trust and ultimately discover the identity of the traitor.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Background

Tomodachi Game was published digitally as an English simulpub through K Manga. It has also been released in Spanish by Milky Way Ediciones since March 2016; and in Polish by Waneko since April 15, 2023.

The series was adapted into multiple Japanese live-action TV series and films.

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Characters

Katagiri, Yuuichi

Main

Sawaragi, Shiho

Main

Mikasa, Tenji

Main

Kokorogi, Yutori

Main

Shibe, Makoto

Main

Shinomiya, Kei

Supporting

Mizuse, Maria

Supporting

Kaidou, Satone

Supporting

Tsukino

Supporting

Manabu-kun

Supporting

Reviews

May 11, 2026

LevinH_

Recommended

Tomodachi Game is a gripping psychological survival manga that revolves around trust, betrayal, and the terrifying cost of money between friends. The story follows Yuuichi Katagiri and a group of classmates who are dragged into a mysterious series of “friendship games” designed to test the strength—and fragility—of their bonds while dealing with massive debts.
What makes the series stand out immediately is its psychological intensity. Unlike typical survival stories that rely on physical danger, Tomodachi Game weaponizes human relationships. Every game forces characters to question not only others, but their own morality. Lies, manipulation, and emotional breakdowns are constant tools of survival, and the story thrives ... on unpredictability.
Yuuichi Katagiri is one of the most compelling aspects of the manga. At first, he appears to be a kind and straightforward protagonist, but as the story progresses, he reveals himself to be an extremely intelligent, manipulative, and morally complex character. Watching him navigate the games is like watching a master strategist constantly stay several steps ahead, often turning situations completely upside down in ways you don’t expect.
The supporting cast also plays a crucial role. Each character represents different aspects of trust, greed, insecurity, and loyalty, and the games force them into situations where those traits are exposed under extreme pressure. The result is constant tension where alliances are never truly safe.
The game design itself is another highlight. Every arc introduces clever psychological mechanics that go beyond simple puzzles. They often involve hidden rules, social manipulation, bluffing, and emotional exploitation. The writing rewards close attention, as small details often become critical later.
Visually, the manga does an excellent job emphasizing facial expressions and psychological breakdowns. The art is not just about action—it’s about fear, suspicion, and mental collapse. Close-up panels of characters sweating, hesitating, or smiling unnervingly are a key part of its impact.
What truly elevates Tomodachi Game is how it explores the nature of friendship itself. It constantly asks uncomfortable questions: Can money destroy trust? Are friendships ever truly unconditional? Would you betray someone if your survival depended on it? These themes make it more than just a survival manga—it becomes a study of human psychology under pressure.
People should read it because it delivers something rare: a story where intelligence matters as much as emotion, where every conversation can be a trap, and where no character is ever truly safe from suspicion. It’s addictive, unpredictable, and mentally engaging from start to finish. If you enjoy mind games, psychological battles, and morally complex characters, this is one of the strongest titles in the genre.
Score: 10/10

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Jan 22, 2026

Cyan_Lights

Mixed Feelings

Tomodachi Game, an acclaimed manga that I unfortunately have mixed feeling about.
On one hand Tomodachi Game has a story that keeps you engaged until the end, but on the other hand I can't shake off the feeling that in order to do so the author had to make some big sacrifices. If you want an alright mystery manga to binge-read, go for it, but if you want something deeper, you might want to read my review.

In essence Tomodachi Game doesn't do anything new: a who-done-it mystery where highschoolers discover they all have big secrets. The characters are for the most part a mix of well-known ...

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Dec 31, 2023

ChinasLastHope

Not Recommended

Funny

Preliminary (80/130 eps)

I started using this site recently, but I've been keeping my own manga list for a long time now for around a couple of years and when I was putting my scores in I was shocked to see this piece of dogshit of a manga have a rating of 8

This series... How to put it lightly, is the most trash, edgy, and braindead you can imagine a story like this. We are supposed to believe this MC is smart but the way they do this is just by dumbing down every single other fucking character to the point of reading the other characters do things ...

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Manga 'Tomodachi Game' Ends Ten-Year Serialization

Mikoto Yamaguchi and Yuuki Satou's Tomodachi Game (Friends Games) manga ended in Bessatsu Shounen Magazine's September issue on Thursday. The issue, concl...read more

Aug 7, 2024 10:18 PM by Vindstot | Discuss (8 comments)

Manga 'Tomodachi Game' Gets TV Anime for Spring 2022

NTV announced on Tuesday a television anime adaptation of Mikoto Yamaguchi and Yuuki Satou's Tomodachi Game (Friends Games) manga, revealing the main cast, staf...read more

Nov 1, 2021 9:09 AM by DatRandomDude | Discuss (37 comments)

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Poll: Tomodachi Game Chapter 84 Discussion aLotQuestion_ - Jan 14, 2021	2 replies	by WutenderEnte »» Mar 5, 8:12 AM
Poll: Tomodachi Game Chapter 67 Discussion EmanGaming - May 10, 2019	2 replies	by TheGreatOOOZ »» Feb 14, 12:09 AM
Poll: Tomodachi Game Chapter 26 Discussion Stark700 - Jun 16, 2017	8 replies	by otakuweek »» Aug 24, 2025 3:27 PM
Poll: Tomodachi Game Chapter 25 Discussion rayeine - Jun 15, 2017	6 replies	by otakuweek »» Aug 24, 2025 2:04 PM
Poll: Tomodachi Game Chapter 24 Discussion Stark700 - Jun 14, 2017	4 replies	by otakuweek »» Aug 24, 2025 1:41 PM

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