There are so many takes on gods living in modern times in manga. Kamisama Kiss and Ah My Goddess both spring to mind. We could consider Death Note one as well. Yen Press’ The Failure at God School, from The Apothecary Diaries author Natsu Hyuuga, is another take on the concept that not only involves gods in everyday life, but gets into the training for such deities.
Editor’s Note: There will be minor spoilers for first volume of The Failure at God School manga below.
Much like The Apothecary Diaries, the star of The Failure at God School manga is a young woman named Nagi. Her family tends the Hibiya Shrine, and her deceased grandmother used to be its god. After her passing, that leaves them looking for a replacement Himiko with powers who can live there and assist the town. While her twin brother Takeru is a Himiko with abilities, he won’t take up the role due to personal trauma, so there’s been nobody who can properly serve the community and fill the role for five years. She’s tried to push him into taking the government god exam, but he won’t.
When the town’s butcher’s grandson, a young boy who had been certified as a Himiko, is spirited away, this spurs Nagi into action. When taking a shortcut to get to school, she starts to realize the area is one where a child could be lost. After passing a shrine, the world shifts and she finds the missing kid. As she starts to carry him out, she feels some entity pulling them back. Somehow, she is able to sever the connection and get them both back to freedom. This catches the attention of a Himiko named Tsukuyomi who is in town for the city hall inauguration, as she managed to overcome an “evil presence.” He and his manager then find Nagi and the boy and aid them, recognizing something special about her in the process. As a result, she gets accepted into Kannagara Academy, a school for Himiko who can become gods.
From there, The Failure at God School starts to feel a bit like a typical high school manga in which an underdog with incredible potential is involved. Nagi still isn’t totally aware of herself and her powers. As such, she’s considered the titular “failure.” Some of that teasing almost seems a bit good natured, as while Monaka can come across harsh, Sagami seems more lighthearted. So even if they’re critical, we can see there’s still a friendship there and affection. As a result, the segment in which we’re learning about how her power is “unidentified” comes across as more funny than traumatic. There are also similarly funny moments with a certain teacher determined to use her as a test subject and find out more about her potential.
I do appreciate the moments we do get glimpses of what Nagi is capable of in the The Failure at God School manga. Because in those sections, it can be both impressive and incredibly funny. After all, she ends up with the nickname “Grizzly Killer.” This could have felt like a fairly typical story of a high schooler who’s underestimated and gets a chance to make good. But the humor behind it, as well as the possible potential and “identity” of Nagi, really helps set this story apart. Even though some of the steps to get to places might feel similar, the dynamics are engaging. Especially since Nagi’s personality is quite endearing.
The Failure at God School can feel like other manga series about young adults who are coming to terms with powers and training them, especially since the star is someone with possibly incredible potential who is completely underestimated. It’s the execution that makes it stand out sometimes. Nagi’s demeanor, her reactions to the situations she’s in, and the way others behave mean it can often feel both fascinating and quite funny. I would dare say it’s promising in the same way Hyuuga’s The Apothecary Diaries is.
Volume 1 of The Failure at God School is available now, and Yen Press will release the second volume of the manga on July 22, 2025.
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