The Climber in English: where it stands before volume 13-14

What The Climber is about

Buntaro Mori is a loner. He has just moved to a new high school. He hardly talks. He expects nothing from the people around him.

Then a classmate dares him to climb the outside wall of the school building. Mori does it with no gear at all. At the top he feels something he has never felt before. That moment hooks him. It draws him into rock climbing and then toward the high mountains.

Do not expect a story about rivals or trophies. The Climber cares about obsession and isolation. Mori would rather climb alone and the manga stays close to that choice. The pace is slow. The mood is intense and it can get bleak. Nothing here is in a hurry.

The art carries a lot of the weight. It is extremely detailed. Every rock face looks cold and dangerous. You feel the drop under each hold.

What kind of manga it is

The genres are Adventure, Drama, Psychological and Sports. The themes are Mountaineering, Philosophy, Coming of Age and Outdoor Activities. That mix tells you a lot. The climbing is the frame. The real subject is the person doing it.

It suits readers who like serious seinen drama about physical extremes. If you want light banter or a tournament arc this is not that book.

The series is credited to Shinichi Sakamoto, Jirou Nitta, Yoshio Nabeta and Hiroshi Takano.

Where it stands in Japan

The story is complete. It started in Japan in 2007. It ended there in 2011. The full run has 17 volumes.

So there is no risk of a story left hanging. You can commit knowing the ending already exists.

Where it stands in English

VIZ Media publishes The Climber in English. As of October 2026 the English edition is at volume 12. That one came out on 21 July 2026.

Japan sits at 17. English still has ground to cover. The English edition is not complete yet.

The next English release

Volume 13-14 comes out on 20 October 2026. It is a paperback from VIZ Media.

Anyone who read volume 12 in July has a short wait. This is the next book on your shelf. All the details sit on the volume 13-14 page.

How to start

Begin with Volume 1. In English that means the Vol. 1-2 omnibus from VIZ Media. It came out on 15 April 2025. You get two volumes in one book.

Here is the English picture at a glance:

• First book: the Vol. 1-2 omnibus from VIZ Media
• Latest out: volume 12 on 21 July 2026
• Next up: volume 13-14 on 20 October 2026
• Japan: finished in 17 volumes

The full list of English volumes and dates is on the The Climber series page.

Start now or catch up?

New readers have a good amount waiting. There are 12 volumes out in English already. That is plenty to settle into Mori's slow climb before the next release.

Lapsed readers can pick up where they stopped. The new paperback gives a clear point to aim for. Read back to volume 12 and you are ready for 20 October 2026.

One thing to keep in mind. This series asks for patience. It rewards readers who like to sit with one stubborn character on one cold wall. If that sounds like you then Volume 1 is the place to begin.