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Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga by Dav Pilkey Review: A Bold, Manga-Reimagined Classic
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga is a manga adaptation of the original 1997 Captain Underpants chapter book, written and adapted by Dav Pilkey with all-new illustrations by manga artist Motojiro, published by Graphix on April 7, 2026. It reimagines the story of mischievous fourth-graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins — who accidentally hypnotize their tyrannical principal, Mr. Krupp, into becoming the superhero Captain Underpants — in a fresh format designed to introduce the globally bestselling series to a new generation of readers.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Young manga fans aged 7 and up — especially reluctant readers already hooked on Dog Man — who want to experience the Captain Underpants origin story in a fresh visual format.
Worth it if
The format is the draw: it's worth picking up if your child loves manga or illustrated comedy and hasn't yet encountered George, Harold, and Mr. Krupp — or if you're looking for a high-energy bridge between Pilkey's Dog Man world and Japanese-style comics.
Skip if
Skip it if your reader already knows the original 1997 chapter book well and is hoping for new plot territory — this retells the same story with new artwork, not a new adventure — or if the series' trademark bathroom-adjacent absurdist humor has been a sticking point in your household before.
What readers & critics say
Publishers Weekly reports that the book is written and adapted by Pilkey and illustrated by Japanese manga artist Motojiro, follows the storyline of the first chapter book, and will incorporate Pilkey's signature Flip-o-Ramas with full-color art reading left to right — noting the title is part of Scholastic's Graphix manga line, with publication set for April 2026. Screenwiseapp.com describes it as "the ultimate reluctant reader bait" that "builds visual literacy and vocabulary through high-engagement comedy" and calls it "the perfect bridge for kids who love Dog Man but are starting to get into Japanese-style manga."
“The latest entry in Scholastic's Graphix manga line brings a familiar face to a new medium.”
— Publishers Weekly4.6from 116 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
Look inside the book
Preview the actual pages, via Google BooksIn This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Is and What It Contains
- The Franchise's Place and Significance
- What the Adaptation Is Designed to Do Well
- Genuine Limitations and Audience Considerations
- Who This Book Is For
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Reimagines the beloved original story with all-new manga artwork by dedicated manga artist Motojiro, making it a genuine creative reinvention rather than a repackage
- Based on the franchise's proven, fast-paced original plot — George, Harold, Mr. Krupp, and the villainous Dr. Diaper — giving new readers a strong entry point
- Part of a series with more than 90 million copies sold worldwide and translations into over 37 languages, reflecting extraordinary staying power
- Designed for readers aged 7 and up, strategically targeting the growing audience of young manga readers
- Published by Graphix, Scholastic's dedicated graphic novel imprint, bringing specialist publishing expertise to the format
What Doesn't
- Offers no new story for readers already familiar with the original 1997 chapter book — the appeal is the format, not a new narrative
- The series' signature bathroom humor has made it one of the most frequently challenged books in American schools and libraries, a consideration for some families and educators
The manga adaptation of a beloved 1997 children's chapter book, this title brings George Beard, Harold Hutchins, and Captain Underpants to life in an entirely new visual format — and it signals both the franchise's remarkable endurance and its willingness to reinvent itself for young audiences.
What the Book Is and What It Contains
Interior manga spread showing action sequences with colorful comic panels, explosions, and dynamic character movements in manga format.
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga is a manga reimagining of The Adventures of Captain Underpants, the original 1997 children's novel that launched Dav Pilkey's global franchise. Written and adapted by Pilkey and illustrated by manga artist Motojiro, the book retells the story of George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two mischievous fourth-graders at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School in Piqua, Ohio. After their principal, the cruel and ill-tempered Mr. Krupp, catches them sabotaging the school's football game on camera, George orders a "3-D Hypno-Ring" to escape Krupp's punishment. The boys accidentally send Krupp — now convinced he is the superhero Captain Underpants — out into the world, where they must manage his crime-fighting antics, including a confrontation with the villainous Dr. Diaper, who plans to destroy the Moon using his crystal-powered Laser-Matic 2000. The adaptation is billed by the publisher as a reimagined adventure "perfectly paired with all-new manga artwork," not merely a reprint of Pilkey's original illustrations.
The Franchise's Place and Significance
Few children's series can claim the cultural footprint of Captain Underpants. Since its debut in 1997, the series has sold more than 90 million copies worldwide — over 50 million in the United States alone — and has been translated into more than 37 languages, according to Wikipedia's series overview. The original novel series was, as the publisher notes, instrumental in shaping the illustrated children's chapter book category. The franchise has expanded to 12 main novels, numerous spin-offs including the wildly popular Dog Man series, a 2017 DreamWorks animated film, and a Netflix television series. The manga adaptation, arriving in 2026, marks yet another evolution: the introduction of a distinctly Japanese comics format to a story that has already proven its adaptability across film, television, and prose.
Interior manga pages showing action sequences with robots, vehicles, and characters in dynamic comic panel layouts.
What the Adaptation Is Designed to Do Well
The central creative proposition here is the pairing of Pilkey's story and adaptation with Motojiro's all-new manga artwork — a deliberate reinvention rather than a simple repackage. The publisher describes it as "totally reinvented for a new generation of readers," targeting children aged 7 and up who may be entering the Captain Underpants world for the first time, or who are already devoted fans of manga as a format. The choice to bring in a dedicated manga artist rather than replicate Pilkey's original line-art style positions this as a genuine creative collaboration. Pilkey himself is no stranger to the illustrated, comic-adjacent form: his Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club series have made him one of the dominant forces in graphic novels for early readers, and the Captain Underpants franchise has always blended prose with comic-strip interludes. The manga format extends that tradition into new visual territory.
Genuine Limitations and Audience Considerations
Because this is an adaptation of an existing story rather than a new narrative, readers who already know the original chapter book — or its many sequels — will find no new plot territory here. The appeal rests entirely on the manga format as a fresh experience, not on story novelty. Additionally, Captain Underpants has been, since its 1997 debut, among the most frequently challenged books in American schools and libraries, with educators holding varied opinions about the series' humor and content. Pilkey himself has noted, with some irony, that he credits part of the franchise's commercial success to the publicity generated by those challenges. Parents or educators who have had reservations about the series in its original form will find the same core story — complete with its signature absurdist, bathroom-adjacent humor — intact in this manga edition. That is a feature for its core audience and a known friction point for some adults in their lives.
Who This Book Is For
The manga format is a smart pivot for a franchise with this kind of reach. Children who have grown up reading manga — or who have come to Pilkey's work through Dog Man — are a natural audience for a book that combines the irreverence of Captain Underpants with the visual grammar of manga. The publisher specifically frames the book as designed to "captivate a new generation of readers," and for reluctant readers drawn to illustrated formats, a 192-page manga retelling of a proven, fast-paced story has clear appeal. Long-time fans of the series seeking a new entry point into George and Harold's world — or parents and educators looking to meet manga-obsessed young readers where they are — will find this adaptation purposefully constructed for exactly that crossover moment.
Frequently Asked Questions
is Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey worth reading if my kid already knows the original book
If your child already knows the original 1997 story of George Beard, Harold Hutchins, and Mr. Krupp, there's no new plot territory here — the review is upfront that the appeal rests entirely on the manga format as a fresh experience, not on story novelty. That said, if your kid is into manga or came to Pilkey through Dog Man, the all-new artwork by manga artist Motojiro makes this a genuinely different visual experience rather than a simple reprint.
what is Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey actually about
It retells the original 1997 Captain Underpants story: two mischievous fourth-graders, George Beard and Harold Hutchins, accidentally hypnotize their cruel principal Mr. Krupp into believing he is the superhero Captain Underpants, then have to manage his crime-fighting antics — including a showdown with the villainous Dr. Diaper, who plans to destroy the Moon with his crystal-powered Laser-Matic 2000. The whole thing is reimagined with all-new manga artwork by Motojiro rather than Pilkey's original illustrations.
what age is Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey appropriate for
Best for ages 7 and up — the manga format, fast-paced illustrated storytelling, and early chapter-book reading level are calibrated for independent readers in that range. The humor runs to the absurdist and bathroom-adjacent side that has made Captain Underpants one of the most frequently challenged books in American schools and libraries, so parents who've had reservations about the series before will find that same core content intact here.
is Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey good for reluctant readers
The review specifically calls out reluctant readers drawn to illustrated formats as a natural audience, noting that a 192-page manga retelling of a proven, fast-paced story has clear appeal for kids who gravitate toward visual storytelling. Children who already love manga or who discovered Pilkey through Dog Man are described as a particularly strong fit for this crossover format.
is Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey similar to Dog Man
They share the same creator and a similar comic-adjacent, irreverent energy — the review notes that Pilkey's Dog Man and Cat Kid Comic Club series have made him one of the dominant forces in graphic novels for early readers, and that Captain Underpants has always blended prose with comic-strip interludes. The manga format here extends that same tradition into new visual territory, so Dog Man fans are described as a natural audience for this book.
does Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey have inappropriate content for kids
The series has been among the most frequently challenged books in American schools and libraries since its 1997 debut, and the review confirms that the manga edition keeps the same core story and signature absurdist, bathroom-adjacent humor intact — nothing is sanitized. Pilkey himself has noted with some irony that those challenges helped drive the franchise's commercial success, but parents or educators who've had concerns about the original will find the same friction points here.
should i buy Captain Underpants: The First Epic Manga (From the Creator of Dog Man) by Dav Pilkey or just get the original chapter book
It depends on your reader: the review frames this as a deliberate reinvention for kids entering the Captain Underpants world for the first time or for devoted manga fans, not a replacement for the original. If your child is manga-obsessed or has come to Pilkey through Dog Man, this purposefully constructed crossover is built for them; if they just want the story and aren't drawn to the manga format, the original 1997 chapter book covers the same ground.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
- 1
- 2
en.wikipedia.org
- 3
scholastic.com
- Further reading
- 4
Dav Pilkey, Wikipedia
- 5
pilkey.com
- 6
- 7
- 8
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