The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses: All 12 Volumes Guide

The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses Manga — Complete Series Overview

The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses is a school romantic comedy by Koume Fujichika (藤近小梅) built on one irresistibly simple premise: a boy named Komura sits next to a girl named Mie, and Mie keeps forgetting her glasses. That’s it. That’s the hook. And it works beautifully.

Because Mie can barely see without her glasses, she constantly leans in close to Komura, squints at his face, and asks for help — all completely innocently. Komura, meanwhile, has a massive crush on her and absolutely cannot handle the proximity. His panicked internal monologue drives the comedy, and the sweetness of their interactions carries the romance.

The series was originally published chapter by chapter in Monthly Gangan Joker, a Japanese manga magazine (published by Square Enix, the Japanese publisher also known for video games) from November 2018 to April 2024, running for 109 chapters across 12 volumes. In English, the manga is published by Square Enix Manga & Books, the English-language imprint of Square Enix. All 12 volumes are out. You can pick up volume 1 today and read straight through to the ending without ever hitting a gap.

The content is very wholesome — the most intense things you’ll encounter are blushing, accidental closeness, and Komura’s racing heartbeat. There’s no violence or mature content to worry about, making this a great pick for younger readers or anyone buying the series as a gift.

For anyone who wants a completed romance manga that won’t ask you to invest in 30+ volumes, this is a fantastic choice. It’s short, it’s finished, and it’s genuinely charming from start to finish.

What Each Volume Covers

One thing worth knowing before you start: this series tells its story through standalone episodes rather than long, continuous plotlines. Each chapter is a short, self-contained scenario — Mie forgets her glasses (again), something funny and adorable happens, and Komura’s heart nearly explodes. The relationship between the two leads builds gradually across those small moments rather than through big dramatic turning points.

That said, there’s a clear progression over the 12 volumes. Here’s a loose guide to what you can expect:

Volumes 1–3: Setting the Stage

These opening volumes establish the premise and the comedic rhythm that defines the series. You’ll meet Komura and Mie, get a feel for their classroom dynamic, and quickly understand why this setup generates so much material. Komura’s inner monologue is the engine here — he’s constantly trying to help Mie without being obvious about his feelings, and the gap between his cool exterior and his internal meltdown is where most of the laughs come from. By the end of volume 3, you’ll know exactly whether this series is for you. (Spoiler: it probably is.)

Volumes 4–6: Expanding the World

The middle stretch introduces more of the supporting cast and puts Komura and Mie into new situations — school events, group outings, and scenarios that push them slightly outside their usual desk-neighbor routine. The comedy is still the foundation, but you’ll start to notice the emotional stakes rising. Small moments land a little harder. The relationship isn’t just funny anymore — it’s genuinely sweet, and you can feel it building toward something.

Volumes 7–9: Feelings Get Real

This is where the dynamic between Komura and Mie starts to shift. Both characters begin confronting their feelings more directly, and the balance between comedy and romantic tension tilts toward the latter. The series doesn’t abandon its sense of humor — it’s still very much a romantic comedy — but there’s a new weight to the interactions that makes these volumes feel different from the breezy early chapters.

Volumes 10–12: The Payoff

The final three volumes carry the story to its conclusion. The central relationship reaches a resolution across these closing chapters, and having spent nine volumes watching these two circle around each other, the ending feels earned. Without spoiling anything: if you’ve been rooting for Komura and Mie (and you will be), these volumes deliver.

I’m keeping descriptions light on purpose. The joy of this manga is in the moment-to-moment interactions — the small embarrassments, the accidental closeness, the quiet kindness. You don’t read this series for plot twists. You read it for the feeling.

Marathon Reading Plan — Natural Break Points

At 12 manga volumes and 109 chapters, this is a very manageable series to read in one concentrated burst. Each volume is short and breezy — you can get through one in about 20–30 minutes. The whole series could realistically be finished in a single weekend if you’re in the mood to just sink into something warm and easy.

Here’s a suggested reading plan with natural break points:

Session 1: Volumes 1–4

This is your introduction. You’ll meet the characters, settle into the comedic rhythm, and get hooked on the central dynamic. By the end of volume 4, you’ll have a solid sense of the supporting cast too. This is a comfortable stopping point because the early volumes are episodic enough that you won’t feel like you’re leaving a scene mid-action. At roughly 20–30 minutes per volume, expect this session to take about an hour and a half to two hours.

Session 2: Volumes 5–8

The midpoint stretch. School events and secondary characters add variety to the formula, and the emotional undercurrent starts running stronger. This is where the series really hits its stride — comedy and romance working together in every chapter. Another natural pause point at the end of volume 8, though you might not want to take it. Budget another hour and a half to two hours here.

Session 3: Volumes 9–12

The home stretch. Once you’re this deep, you’ll probably want to read straight through to the ending without stopping. The emotional payoff in the final volumes is best experienced in one sitting — the momentum builds in a way that rewards continuous reading. One more session of about an hour and a half to two hours, and you’ll have finished the entire series.

Of course, adjust these sessions to your own pace. There are no brutal cliffhangers demanding you keep going at any specific point. But the charm of the series makes it genuinely hard to put down, so don’t be surprised if your “I’ll just read one more volume” turns into finishing the whole thing at 2 AM.

Manga vs. Anime — What the Adaptation Covers

An anime TV adaptation aired in 2023, so some readers might be coming to the manga after watching the show. If that’s you, here’s what you need to know.

The anime covers the early portion of the manga. If you watched the anime and want to continue the story in the manga volumes, a common recommendation is to start from the beginning rather than trying to pinpoint an exact pickup point — the anime rearranges and condenses some material, so jumping in mid-series can mean missing scenes that weren’t adapted. That said, if you’d rather skip ahead, starting around volume 4 or 5 will put you past most of what the anime covered, though you may miss a few manga-only moments.

Even if you’ve seen the anime, there’s real value in reading the manga from volume 1. Fujichika’s art style is wonderfully expressive on the page — Mie’s squinting faces, Komura’s flustered reactions, the subtle body language between them. The way manga uses the layout of individual drawings on each page to control pacing and comedic timing is quite different from animation, and many readers find that certain jokes and quiet moments land even better in manga form.

And ultimately, the manga is the only way to get the complete story right now. If you want to see how Komura and Mie’s relationship concludes, the 12 manga volumes are where that happens.

Which Edition to Buy

The English edition is published by Square Enix Manga & Books. All 12 volumes are available in standard physical paperback format — individual books, each collecting several chapters, in the compact trim size typical of manga sold in English.

As of now, there are no special editions, omnibus collections (multiple volumes combined into one thicker book), or box sets confirmed for the English release. That means if you want to collect the full series, you’re looking at picking up all 12 individual volumes.

Digital editions are also available through major platforms like Kindle, Kobo, and BookWalker for readers who prefer tablets or phones. This series works particularly well in digital format because the art is clean and the layouts aren’t overly complex — everything reads clearly on a screen.

For a 12-volume series, the full set is quite affordable compared to longer-running manga. It’s worth checking for bundle deals from retailers when buying the complete run, as purchasing multiple volumes together can sometimes save you a bit compared to buying them one at a time.

Volume 1 is the obvious entry point, and since the series is complete at 12 volumes, you can buy ahead confidently knowing the story has a proper ending. Below is the final volume (Vol 12) as a reference for the complete set:

Frequently Asked Questions

How many volumes of The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses are there?

12 volumes in both the Japanese and English editions, collecting all 109 chapters of the series. The Japanese edition was published by Square Enix, and the English edition by Square Enix Manga & Books.

Is the manga finished?

Yes — the series is complete. Serialization ran from November 2018 to April 2024 in Monthly Gangan Joker. All 12 volumes are out in English, so you can read the entire story from beginning to end right now.

Who publishes the English edition?

Square Enix Manga & Books, the English-language imprint of Square Enix, publishes the English translation. All 12 volumes are available in both physical paperback and digital formats.

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

Absolutely. The 2023 anime covers only a portion of the manga’s story. The manga continues well beyond where the anime ends and delivers the complete narrative, including the conclusion of Komura and Mie’s relationship. Even for the parts the anime did cover, the manga’s comedic timing and expressive artwork offer a different (and arguably even more charming) experience. You’ll love it.