Handa-kun (はんだくん)

Hey, guys, this is big!

It looks like Handa's getting his very own anime!

Uh?

How did we miss this?!

So, the media has finally taken notice

of Handa's greatness.

A bit late if you ask me.

Wonder who they'll get for his voice actor.

I know they do like,

"based on a true story" specials, but not anime.

And not about a normal high school student.

Handa's way better than "normal," you moron.

From what little information I could gather,

it was some sort of mysterious agreement

with a mysterious contract

formed by a mysterious group of mysterious producers.

Handa likes it mysterious. That makes sense.

It doesn't make sense to me.

I mean, what's the show even about, anyway?

Is it like, slice of life?

Oh, I know!

It's gonna be Handa on some badass journey,

being all cool and tough!

Only no violence, cause he's a nice guy.

That looks super violent, actually.

Manly anime is way out of style.

They don't make that crap anymore.

Oh yeah?! Then what do you think it's gonna be about?!

Isn't it obvious?

It'll be a modern romance story

for cool and fashionable people like me.

Got it. Got it.

And everyone has super long noodle limbs.

Okay, but why'd you need so many oranges?

You may not get it, but they'll love it in France.

Y'know, 'cause fashion and stuff.

Hey, you're right!

Maybe they'll even invite him to make a speech at the Japan Expo!

About what?

Anyway, everyone here is forgetting

that Handa is a calligrapher.

Oh, good point.

I bet he could get an invite to the expo, even without an anime!

Forget the damn expo!

C'mon, guys, think...

What kind of anime would be good for someone like Handa?

How about a sci-fi story?

He can use his wits and courage

to battle alien invaders!

What about a fantasy where he rides a dragon?

Screw the dragons. Make it a war story.

But why would they need Handa for that?

The point is, Handa's a student, right?

It's gotta be a high school drama.

Something like the tale of a talented artist,

who can't come out of his shell.

Yuki. You're wrong.

Huh?

Handa is a superstar, all right?

He's not some boring little nobody like you!

You're barely fit to be a booger under Handa's desk!

And there goes my self-esteem, right down the toilet...

Well, whatever it's about, we'll find out soon enough.

Do you know the title yet?

It's "Handa- kun. "

Hm? Looks like we missed the first episode.

Huh?

It can't be--

We're the Handa Force.

How is it that every last single one of us missed his show?

I'm so ashamed.

Dude, we so blew it.

Hey, wait, one of us might have DVR-ed it, right?

How many people have DVR?

How many caught it?

Disgusting! We should've watched it together live.

Hand in hand, praising Handa!

And you call yourselves the Handa Force?

You're just as bad!

Hold on. Maybe Dash or that Hanada guy caught it.

Good point!

Hey, Hanada? Did you watch the Handa anime?

Huh? No, they made it already!

And no. You're not playing Handa!

Why would they call you? They could get the real Handa!

Hanada isn't just a failure to Handa,

but as a human being. Okay, next one.

Hello? Dash? Here's a question--

There's no way this will end well.

He's probably just gonna talk about running again.

You got the soundtrack?!

Say what?!

No, "track" like a track of music,

not like you running track!

Just forget it.

I should've known those two would be useless.

Why did I bother? I might as well just burn the Handa Force

to the ground and start over again at this rate!

Come on, man.

Maybe we should try calling Eraser.

I-If she finds out we let Handa down, she'll erase us.

Uh-huh.

Uh? Let's just call the studio that made the show!

You think they're actually gonna listen to us?

Of course they will! They have to!

We're like Handa's family, after all!

Hello? Is this Diomédia?

I'm calling on behalf of the Handa Force.

We're, uh, Handa's management office.

We are?

There must have been some sort of mixup

at the television station, but the point is,

we need you to rebroadcast the first episode of the show

at your earliest convenience.

Uh? What do you mean you can't do that?

It's your fault for not contacting us

in the first place!

How could you air a show about Handa

and not tell his fans--um, uh--management!

Please stop before I die of secondhand embarrassment.

Hey! Answer me!

They hung up.

Yeah, of course they did.

So, what did they tell you?

They're so unprofessional!

"Buy it digital, or wait for the DVD," they say!

"Ha" I say! The Handa Force watches things live!

If these anime guys are such chumps,

their show probably sucks balls anyway.

That settles it, then!

We'll just have to make our own Handa anime, won't we?

Now we're talking!

We'll sell it to the other TV stations

and they'll play it whenever we want!

Let's put together the production committee!

Nope. Don't like where this is going at all.

We've got a big supporting cast if we put them in the show.

Guys, I think I've had enough.

Let's replace those otaku with pretty girl characters!

How 'bout the book worm?

The carnivore girls?

Nah. Too much trouble.

Let's...

I'm leaving.

So long, suckers.

Screw you, other Handa anime!

And so, with a little help from our compatriots,

the Handa Force made the best Handa anime ever.

Way better than that one we didn't see.

We did it. The true Handa, right from the heart!

We don't need a budget or fancy producers or anything!

All we need is love for Handa!

This is the true power of the Handa Force!

Uh...

All right, now let's watch it!

Why are all of you so excited?

Haven't you seen it already?

Gaze in awe

as the masterpiece unfolds before your very eyes!

Handa Forever!

Aw man, this is just the logo and it already sucks.

It's Handa time!

Hey...

Kill it with fire!

You guys made an opening, too.

Hanada wrote the lyrics.

Of course...

I'm really proud of the visuals here.

It shows when Handa came to Earth.

Wait, so he's an alien?

"The kind-hearted Handa Force

adopts Handa when they find him on the street."

That just makes him sound like a lost kitten.

"At first, Handa couldn't stand,

because the gravity on Earth

is greater than the gravity on his planet."

I guess they don't wear clothes there, either?

But thanks to the loving support

of the Handa Force, now he's like this!

Like what, exactly? I can't even tell 'cause the art's so bad.

I don't know what you guys were shooting for,

but it's not getting through at all. Did you draw this, Reo?

No, I just did the character designs.

Take a look.

This is what I drew and the Cute Girl Club based on these looks.

And nobody complained--they just rolled with it?

I can't tell if that's being professional or just stupid.

Hey, watch!

Handa's about to stand up; it's a very moving scene!

Oh no, no no no no. This is gross.

Hey, guys. I'm Handa what's going on?

So that was Hanada, wasn't it?

Yep. That's right.

He kinda sounds like Handa,

but that lifeless delivery doesn't fit the story.