Gaku Kuze - Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan Manga

Uramichi Omota is a 31-year-old former professional gymnast who works as the high-energy exercise leader for the popular children's television program Together with Maman. While he maintains a cheerful, smiling facade for the cameras and his audience of preschoolers, his internal reality is a jaded landscape of exhaustion, cynicism, and nihilism. This dark comedy explores the daily absurdity of his job, where he frequently breaks character to impart "life lessons" to the children about the soul-crushing realities of adulthood—such as unfulfilled dreams, workplace misery, and existential dread. Alongside a equally jaded supporting cast, including a pair of singing duo coworkers and two college juniors forced to perform in oppressive animal mascot costumes, Uramichi struggles to survive the demands of management and the blunt honesty of children while searching for a shred of meaning in his own mundane life.

Japanese Name: うらみちお兄さん (Uramichi Oniisan)
English Title: Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan
Original Work: Gaku Kuze
Art & Adaptation: Gaku Kuze (Creator/Artist); Anime produced by Studio Blanc
Original Publisher:  Ichijinsha (serialized in Comic POOL)
English Publisher: Kodansha USA
Release Years: 2017–Present
Volumes: 11 volumes 
Age Rating: Rated OT (Older Teen / Ages 16+)
Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Dark Comedy, Gag
Themes:  Adulthood, Cynicism, Mental Health (Depression/Anxiety), Workplace Struggles, Satire of Children's Media

Awards, Nominations & Sales Milestones

Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan achieved early critical success by winning the Web Manga category at the 2017 Next Manga Awards (Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taishō). Since its debut, the series has become a bestseller in Japan, reaching a significant sales milestone with over 1.5 million copies in circulation by 2021, a number that has continued to grow with the release of 11 volumes as of 2026. Its popularity further expanded with its 2021 anime adaptation, which was nominated for Best Comedy at the 6th Annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Additionally, the manga gained recognition in fan-driven polls, ranking sixth on AnimeJapan’s "Most Wanted Anime Adaptation" list in 2019.

Comics & manga are assumed VG+ or better unless otherwise noted. No broken spines, no writing, no stickers, and may have light shelf wear. Mid-2000s or earlier manga may have slight yellowing due to the age of the paper. All manga and comics are assumed to be pre-owned.