Kara Dennison
September 4, 2024 
Marvel manga has already given us a wealth of wild “what ifs.” What if Deadpool led a Japanese-based Avengers team? Or what if Spider-Man met Ultraman? Next month, there’s a new possibility on the table: what if Doc Ock was a Japanese schoolgirl?
Spider-Man: Octo-Girl hails from the Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court, the team behind My Hero Academia: Vigilantes. Volume 1 goes on sale from Viz Media next month. So what’s it about? Is it worth your while? And what’s even going on? Read on to find out!
The Story
Spider-Man: Octo-Girl starts with a fight between eternal foes Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. But as Doc Ock falls to his imminent death, he triggers a failsafe. His consciousness will be transferred to one of many clones prepared for just such an occasion, allowing him to cheat death. But when he wakes up, he finds he’s not in a clone body. Instead, he’s sharing a body with Japanese schoolgirl Otoha!
Now, Doc Ock and the shy, bullied girl must share a body while they figure out how to get him back to himself. Only one can be in control at a time, with the other speaking to whoever is “up front” via a cute little octopus hair clip. But getting home won’t be so easy, and friends and foes old and new stand in the way of Doc Ock’s plans. Moreover, it seems as if time with Otoha may even be changing the mad doctor just a bit…
On the Surface
Taken just as a Marvel spin-off, Octo-Girl is a lot of weird fun in its first volume. Naturally, it’s fun to see Otto Octavius rage against his current situation. (Even author Furuhashi says his greatest dream is to see the manga referenced in Western media someday.) But there’s a lot of super-antics going on here. For one thing, Sakura Spider leaps from the pages of Deadpool: Samurai into the action. But she isn’t the only variant stalking the pages of this manga!
If elements of this storyline sound a bit familiar—specifically the Octavius clones—you may be able to guess who else makes an appearance. As it’s toward the end of this volume, we won’t spoil the reveal. Suffice to say this story digs deep into some Marvel lore. Which is great… but also not the only thing going for it.
School Days
Octo-Girl could thrive solely on its Marvel connections and drum up an admirable fanbase. But where it really shines is in using this super story to flesh out the character of Otoha. A shy shoujo manga fan who doesn’t realize she’s being bullied, Otoha is surprisingly upbeat for someone in her situation. Even the bullies in her life have their own extenuating circumstances. The schoolgirl tales that take place around the fringes of Doc Ock’s misadventures take this from a fun novelty to a legitimately compelling story.
Whether you’re a Marvel maniac or more into manga, Spider-Man: Octo-Girl will have something you enjoy. Come for the quirky story concept; stay for the surprisingly heartwarming school drama.
Spider-Man: Octo-Girl Vol. 1 goes on sale on October 8.
