Scum’s Wish Manga Volumes: Full Reading Guide (2026)

If you’re trying to figure out how many Scum’s Wish manga volumes there are, the short answer is 8 in English and 9 in Japanese. The series is fully complete, easy to collect, and remains widely available. Below you’ll find the full volume breakdown, a reading plan, edition details, and answers to common questions — everything you need to start or finish this series.

Scum’s Wish Manga Volumes at a Glance — A Complete Series

Scum’s Wish (クズの本懐) is a completed manga written and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari. If you’re new to manga, here’s how the format works: manga stories are first published as individual chapters in Japanese magazines, then collected into bound books called volumes. Scum’s Wish ran in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan magazine from September 2012 to March 2017 across 47 chapters, which were then gathered into volumes.

Here’s what you need to know about the volume count:

• English edition: 8 volumes, published by Yen Press (the company that handles the English-language release) in both print and digital formats
• Japanese edition: 9 volumes under the Big Gangan Comics label
• Volume 9 is separately titled decor — it’s a post-ending aftermath volume with stories set after the main conclusion

So the core story? That’s volumes 1 through 8, and it wraps up completely. No cliffhangers, no “read the light novel for the real ending” situation. Yen Press rates the series OT (Older Teen), meaning it’s aimed at readers roughly 16 and up, which makes sense given its mature emotional and romantic content. The genres are drama and romance, but this isn’t your typical sweet love story — it’s a story about longing, desire, and the ways people use each other to fill emotional voids.

The full set has been available since 2018, and all eight English volumes remain easy to find through major retailers in both print and digital. If you’re ready to start, volume 1 is where it all begins.

What Each Volume Covers — A Story-Phase Breakdown

Without spoiling anything, here’s a general sense of what to expect as you move through the series. The story follows a web of one-sided romantic attachments among high school students — and their teachers. At the center are Hanabi and Mugi, two classmates who are each secretly in love with someone else. Knowing their feelings will never be returned, they enter a fake relationship with each other as a way to cope. Everyone in this story wants someone who wants someone else, and those tangled desires drive everything forward.

Volumes 1–2: The Arrangement

The opening volumes establish the central premise. Hanabi and Mugi both know their relationship is built on a shared lie. These volumes lay out the web of unrequited feelings that drives everything forward and introduce the key players whose desires will collide throughout the series.

Volumes 3–4: Deepening Entanglements

Secondary characters step into sharper focus here. Their wants, their manipulations, and their vulnerabilities start pulling the story in unexpected directions. The web of relationships gets more tangled, and you start to see how everyone’s loneliness connects.

Volumes 5–6: Emotional Turning Points

This is where the series hits hardest. Characters are forced to confront the gap between physical closeness and genuine emotional connection. Some of the most memorable and uncomfortable scenes in the entire series fall in this stretch. It’s heavy reading, but it earns every moment.

Volumes 7–8: Resolution

The final two volumes bring each character’s emotional journey to a close. The main story concludes definitively — Yokoyari doesn’t leave loose threads. The ending is honest in a way that fits the tone of everything that came before.

A quick note: these groupings are approximate reading guides to help you pace yourself. They aren’t official divisions from the publisher or the author.

Marathon Reading Plan — Natural Break Points

At just 8 English volumes, Scum’s Wish is a comfortable single-weekend read. But because the emotional intensity is relentless, you might want to give yourself some breathing room. Here’s a suggested plan:

Session 1: Volumes 1–3 (Establishment and Escalation)

This gets you through the premise, the setup of all the major relationships, and the first real complications. By the end of volume 3, you’ll have a clear sense of whether this series is for you — and if it is, you won’t want to stop.

Session 2: Volumes 4–6 (Complications and Emotional Peaks)

The emotional middle of the series. Things get messy. Characters make choices that are hard to watch but impossible to look away from. This is the stretch that makes Scum’s Wish feel distinct from almost any other romance manga.

Session 3: Volumes 7–8 (Climax and Resolution)

A shorter final session, and that’s by design. The ending carries a lot of weight, and reading just two volumes lets the conclusion breathe. You’ll want some quiet time after you finish.

One thing to keep in mind: the series maintains its emotional intensity from start to finish. There aren’t really lighthearted “cool down” volumes. That’s part of what makes it so effective, but it also means taking breaks between sessions isn’t a bad idea.

Manga vs. Anime — What the Adaptation Covers

If you’ve already watched the anime, you might be wondering whether the manga is worth reading too. A TV anime adaptation of Scum’s Wish began airing in January 2017. The anime is generally regarded as a faithful adaptation of the main manga story — it covers the central narrative without major deviations from the source material (meaning the manga the anime was based on).

The key difference? Volume 9 decor — the aftermath stories set after the main ending — was not part of the anime’s scope. So the anime and the 8-volume English manga give you essentially the same story, but readers who track down the Japanese-only ninth volume get additional epilogue content — stories that take place after the main conclusion.

If you’re deciding between formats: the manga gives you the complete experience, with the added possibility of seeking out the Japanese edition of decor for those post-ending stories. The anime is a solid way to experience the narrative, but the manga’s pacing lets you sit with each moment longer — each illustrated panel gives you more time to absorb the characters’ internal states, which suits this particular story well.

Which Edition Should You Buy

English Edition (Yen Press)

Yen Press publishes all 8 main-series volumes in both print and digital formats. These are standard single volumes — there are no omnibus editions (collected multi-volume books) or special collected editions currently documented for the English release. The final English volume was released on August 21, 2018, so the full set has been available for years and is easy to find through major retailers.

If you’re building a physical shelf, 8 slim volumes won’t take up much space. If you prefer digital, all eight are available in that format as well.

Volume 8 is where the main story wraps up, so picking up that final volume is the moment everything comes together.

Japanese Edition (Big Gangan Comics)

The Japanese release includes 9 volumes total. Volumes 1–8 contain the same main story, and volume 9 decor is a separately titled aftermath volume with post-ending stories.

An important note: as of the most recent catalog verification, volume 9 decor has not been published in English by Yen Press. If you want to read the aftermath stories, you’d need to seek out the Japanese edition.

There’s some cataloging ambiguity around how decor relates to the main series numbering — some listings treat it as “volume 9” while others catalog it as a separate, related work. Either way, it’s distinct content, not a repackaging of earlier material. It contains new stories set after the events of volume 8.

Which Should You Start With?

For English-speaking readers, the Yen Press singles are the straightforward choice. Grab volume 1, and if the series hooks you (it probably will), the remaining seven volumes are readily available. If you finish the main story and find yourself wanting more, that’s when you can look into the Japanese edition of decor.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many volumes of Scum’s Wish are there?

There are 8 volumes in English, published by Yen Press. The Japanese edition has 9 volumes, where volume 9 — titled decor — is a separately titled aftermath volume containing post-ending stories.

Is Scum’s Wish finished?

Yes, completely. The main series serialization ended in 2017. The main story concludes in volume 8, and the Japanese-only volume 9 decor provides additional epilogue content.

Who created Scum’s Wish?

Mengo Yokoyari (横槍メンゴ) wrote and illustrated the entire series. Yokoyari is also known for their work as illustrator on Oshi no Ko, a popular manga they create with writer Aka Akasaka — but Scum’s Wish is entirely Yokoyari’s creation, both story and art.

Is volume 9 decor available in English?

As of the most recent catalog data, no. Volume 9 decor has not been published in English by Yen Press. It remains available only in the Japanese edition under the Big Gangan Comics label.

What age rating does Scum’s Wish carry?

Yen Press rates the series OT (Older Teen), generally meaning ages 16 and up. The rating reflects the manga’s mature emotional and romantic content. While there’s no graphic violence, the series deals frankly with desire, manipulation, and the complicated feelings that come with unrequited love. It’s a story written for readers who can handle emotional complexity and characters who don’t always make admirable choices.

Should I read the manga if I already watched the anime?

The anime covers the same main story, so you already know the plot. But the manga’s pacing is different — it gives you more time to absorb the characters’ internal states. And if you want the aftermath stories from decor, the manga route is the only path there (in Japanese). Many fans find the experience worthwhile even after watching the anime.