Paru Itagaki has never been a creator who plays it safe. With Beastars, she turned a high school animal society into a raw allegory of identity, desire, and power. Now with Sanda, her latest manga series, she once again pushes manga into unexpected territory — this time by transforming Santa Claus into a supernatural curse passed through generations. What sounds like a gag premise becomes, in Itagaki’s hands, a biting satire of society wrapped in slapstick comedy and manga charm.

At its core, Sanda asks: What if becoming Santa Claus was a hereditary curse? Our protagonist, high schooler Kazushige Sanda, learns the hard way when he suddenly transforms into a hulking, bearded Santa on Christmas Day. His classmate Shiori Fuyumura, unhinged after the disappearance of her friend Ono, forces him into accepting this role — claiming his powers are the key to saving her missing friend.

From that moment on, the manga snowballs into chaos: part supernatural mystery, part high school melodrama, and part black comedy. What begins as a surreal Christmas joke morphs into a sharp critique of society’s obsession with youth, image, and forgotten traditions.

Episode 1

The debut chapter sets the tone with a mix of chaos and satire. We meet Kazushige Sanda, an ordinary high schooler, and his volatile classmate Shiori Fuyumura, who brandishes a knife and makes cryptic claims about Santa Claus. The narrative escalates quickly as she reveals Sanda is a descendant of Santa, forcing him to undergo the transformation into a hulking, red-suited old man.

Itagaki wastes no time in establishing her surreal style and getting to the point. The art here is loose, jittery, and full of nervous energy, perfectly reflecting Fuyumura’s instability and Sanda’s panic. The comedy lands in the absurdity of seeing a teenager instantly morph into a massive Santa, yet the undertone is dark — Ono’s disappearance and Fuyumura’s desperation set up the emotional stakes. This opening captures Itagaki’s greatest strength: taking a ridiculous premise and grounding it in genuine drama.

Episode 2

As Sanda struggles to understand his transformation, while Fuyumura tests his powers by planting a bomb in the science lab. Sanda is forced into action, torn between saving lives and accepting his bizarre identity as Santa. His resistance to fire — chalked up to “a chimney thing” — adds to the absurd comedy, while the situation underscores how reckless and unhinged Fuyumura is.

The bomb scenario is over-the-top, but it works as a way to test the limits of Sanda’s curse. The comedy shines in his reluctance — this isn’t a heroic power fantasy, but a curse that drags him into embarrassing and dangerous situations. Artistically, Itagaki uses chaotic paneling to amplify the tension, contrasting the students’ nonchalance with the absurdity of Sanda running around as Santa. It’s slapstick layered over genuine suspense, showing Itagaki’s mastery of tonal whiplash.

Episode 3

Sanda’s roommate Amaya steps into the spotlight. Having witnessed Sanda’s secret, Amaya manipulates him and Fuyumura, even demanding they kiss to secure their freedom. Sanda refuses on the grounds that “Santa DNA” won’t allow him to kiss a child, invoking his role’s bizarre moral code. The tension between them escalates, revealing Amaya as a cunning antagonist who thrives on control and cruelty.

This chapter is both the funniest and most disturbing so far, in my opinion. The kiss demand reads as playground bullying amplified by Itagaki’s sense of humor, but it also critiques the exploitation of innocence. Sanda’s refusal is played for laughs yet builds on the manga’s underlying rules: Santa is bound by folklore, even in absurd situations. The artwork shines in Amaya’s twisted expressions and Fuyumura’s manic energy, with exaggerated anatomy and angles that heighten the uncomfortable comedy. It’s quintessential Itagaki — chaotic, satirical, and emotionally charged.

Episode 4

The grotesque principal is introduced in this chapter, a 92-year-old man who maintains a youthful appearance with cosmetic injections, embodying society’s obsession with youth. He prowls the school seeking out “traumatized” students to drag into a rumored basement. When Fuyumura becomes his target, Sanda intervenes, unleashing violent Santa powers to protect her.

This episode pivots the manga into social critique. The principal is both hilarious and horrifying, a literal caricature of vanity and authority. Itagaki’s linework exaggerates every wrinkle, injection, and grotesque smile, making him one of the most visually striking characters so far. Thematically, this chapter solidifies Sanda as not just a gag manga but a satirical commentary on societal decay — the corrupt adult world preying on fragile youth, if you will. The fight scenes here are messy and violent, with energy lines and distorted anatomy giving them a frantic, unsettling edge.

Episode 5 & 6

Sanda and Fuyumura’s alliance deepens, driven by her obsession with finding Ono. Their relationship swings between manic comedy and poignant vulnerability, with moments of tenderness breaking through the chaos. Ono’s disappearance remains the driving mystery, while the presence of manipulative classmates and corrupt adults expands the sense of conspiracy around the school.

These chapters show Itagaki’s pacing — she doesn’t rush answers but layers mysteries with bizarre detours. Comedy continues to clash with heartfelt emotion: one moment we see a ridiculous Santa gag, the next a touching glimpse into Fuyumura’s dramatic, grief. The visual rhythm keeps readers off-balance, jumping from slapstick to action to melancholy in the span of a few pages. This unpredictability is what makes Sanda stand out among current manga titles.

Overall Impression

Volume 1 of Sanda is pure Paru Itagaki: raw, experimental, and deeply strange. The artwork is unpolished yet expressive, bursting with emotion. The comedy lands in its absurdity but beneath the humor lies real commentary on trauma, youth, and a society, subjects Itagaki fans are very much familiar with.

Personally, I do not like seeing Christmas item 3 months before December rolls in however, for anime and manga readers, Sanda is a refreshing break from formula, making it a MUST READ. It’s messy, surreal, and often thought-provoking, funny, and emotionally resonant. Like Beastars, it’s not afraid to push genre boundaries — but where Beastars explored love and instinct, Sanda wields Santa Claus as a weapon against societal decay. A bold, chaotic opening volume that combines comedy, satire, and action into something wholly unique. Sanda isn’t for readers who want polish or predictability — but for those who crave manga that experiments, provokes, and entertains.

Get your copy of Sanda volume 1 here, volume 2 is set to release November 18 and is available to preorder here.

The Anime series

The anime is slated to premiere on October 4, 2025 and will be able to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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