Originally released in 1993, Magic: The Gathering has become one of the biggest tabletop gaming phenomenons in the world, with over 50 million players as of 2023; as of 2022, it was reported that Magic generates over $1 billion in annual revenue. Given the popularity of the franchise, it’s no surprise that it would become a global phenomenon, which has led to the series receiving an interesting collection of adaptations – whether that be comic books recounting stories about many of the important figures in the Magic: The Gathering universe, or film and television series that have struggled to see the light of day.
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One of the most interesting takes on the Magic: The Gathering IP, though, is a Japanese manga adaptation of the series written by Katsura Ise with illustrations by Takuma Yokota that doesn’t expand on any in-universe lore – rather, it tells an unconventional love story between two rivals who love pitting their favorite decks against one another just as much as they eventually fall for each other.
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Magic: The Gathering’s Newly-Localized Manga Takes a Different Approach
Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. steps away from tackling the narratives of iconic Planeswalkers or major in-universe events in the Magic: The Gathering mythos to instead focus on what has truly helped Magic survive for so many years: the players. Taking place in 1998, Destroy All Humans focuses on Hajime Kanou, a junior high student who is a self-proclaimed Magic: The Gathering otaku. In between classes, Hajime and his rowdy group of friends compete against one another, share their favorite cards, and talk about their best combos. The group regularly catches the attention – and ire – of their classmate Emi Sawatari, a top student and Hajime’s academic rival who scolds the group of boys for being obnoxious. One day, while visiting his local game store, Hajime runs into Emi playing Magic and learns she isn’t just a hobbyist; her decks are some of the most competent he’s ever seen.
Despite both of the teens being naturally competitive, they’re able to genuinely bond with one another through their love of the game – a sentiment that almost any other Magic player can understand. Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. is a project that, despite being an official Magic: The Gathering project, gives its writer and artist the freedom to truly allow the series to be a project filled with love for the game. Even for those who don’t necessarily play Magic regularly, the manga still works as a unique, off-beat slice-of-life romance that any nerd can get into.
Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. Is a Love Letter To the Magic Community
Magic: The Gathering has been around for a long time, and with that maturity sometimes comes a feeling of resentment from fans toward new products or ideas that fail to truly live up to the expectations and love that longtime fans have for the original property. Destroy All Humans, thankfully, isn’t that kind of series. Everything from the protagonists’ love for the game to the many other unique individuals they come across at their local game store truly makes the manga feel like it was written by longtime fans of the series. Many of the references to classic cards and play styles from the early era of Magic: The Gathering feel refreshingly nostalgic and are more than guaranteed to bring back memories for readers who have been invested in the game for decades.
Aside from being a good representation of the Magic: The Gathering community, Destroy All Humans also excels by being a genuinely entertaining shonen rom-com. The characters are developed far beyond being mouthpieces to make reference humor, they feel like actual young people stumbling their way into adulthood while still finding the time to enjoy their favorite game with just enough development between Emi and Hajime to make the romance hook feel real. The chemistry between the rivals is truly invocative of old-school “rivals to lovers” couplings from classic romance manga, and watching the two find common ground through something as pure as their love for tabletop games is absolutely adorable.
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Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. Is a Crucial Time Capsule For Magic’s History
Trends in gaming grow and change over time, and there isn’t a stronger example of this than the constant evolution that Magic: The Gathering seems to undergo with the release of each new set. Whether a fan of the tabletop titan got invested when the game originally launched or started learning with one of the more recent sets, Destroy All Humans provides a snapshot of how timeless the community surrounding Magic: The Gathering is and how much the game has changed over time. Considering all the different formats and staples players have now, it’s fun to be able to read a passion project that reflects on how humble the game was when it originally launched.
The manga’s references to some of the older staples – and even mention of cards that are in high demand across multiple platforms now – not only proves that the writer behind the series knows their stuff but serves as the perfect collective to learn more about the game on a fundamental level. The English release of the series, which is handled by Viz Media, has done an absolutely incredible job translating the series as well. Volume 1 released in English during October 2024, and is filled with enthusiastic fun facts about the game and crafted an easy-to-understand breakdown of Magic‘s sometimes convoluted rules.
Volume 2 is set to release in English on January 14th, 2025, continuing directly from the first volume and teases a potential time-skip showing the main cast in a slightly more “modern-day” setting. In addition to a nifty guide to breaking down niche pop culture references from the late 90s, Destroy All Humans. They Can’t Be Regenerated. also comes packaged with special promo cards. Destroy All Humans Volume 1 came packaged with a foil copy of Diabolic Edict, and Volume 2 will include a copy of Shock. As of writing, it seems as though the promo card releases will be the same as the original Japanese publication.
