Gaku: Minna no Yama (岳 みんなの山; lit. 'Peak: Everyone's Mountain') is a Japanese mountaineering manga series written and illustrated by Shinichi Ishizuka. It was serialized by Shogakukan in the seinen manga magazine Big Comic Original from September 2003 to June 2012, with its chapters collected in eighteen tankōbon volumes. It depicts the adventures of a volunteer with an alpine search and rescue team in the Japanese Alps. A live-action film adaptation premiered in 2011.
Gaku: Minna no Yama received the 2008 Manga Taishō and the 2009 Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.
Contents
Plot
Sanpo Shimazaki, an experienced mountaineer and volunteer rescuer, works in Japan's Northern Alps after climbing major peaks around the world and gaining rescue experience overseas. Based around the mountains near Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, the story depicts Sanpo responding to accidents involving hikers, climbers, and other mountain visitors.
Kumi Shiina, a rookie member of the Nagano Prefectural Police mountain rescue squad, joins the team under the guidance of squad chief Masato Noda and Sanpo. As she trains and participates in rescue operations, Kumi confronts the harsh realities of the work, including failed rescues, grieving families, and the limits of what rescuers can do against nature.
Publication
Written and illustrated by Shinichi Ishizuka, Gaku: Minna no Yama was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic Original from 20 September 2003 to 5 June 2012. Shogakukan collected its chapters eighteen tankōbon volumes, released from 26 April 2005 to 30 August 2012.
Reception
The series' sixth volume reached number 6 on the Tohan Comic Ranking; volume seven also reached number 6; volume eight reached number 14; and remained at number 16 the following week, and volume 9 debuted at number 26, before rising to number 17 the following week. The series was featured by Da Vinci magazine as the Platinum Book of the Month for April 2007.
Gaku: Minna no Yama received the first annual Manga Taishō in 2008, and the 54th Shogakukan Manga Award for the general category in 2009.