The digicore group pinponpanpon have paired their debut album, pinponism, with a mini graphic novel. The record is out October 10, and the manga, which the trio describe as the almost-true story of how they found one another, is available as a download on their website, The FADER reported.
According to the manga's telling, Domenatsu, Katherine and Tokyo-chan were strangers before the group existed, each chasing a dream of her own.
What is inside the manga
The FADER ran exclusive pages shared by the band. The book includes photos from a recent trip the members took, their reactions to other things in the world that carry the "pon" name, and a personality breakdown of each member.
Only the download from the group's site carries the full story, according to The FADER.
The album and the year behind it
pinponism is the group's official debut album. It follows their 2023 EP, PinPonPeaceProject. The new record runs seven songs and, as The FADER put it, leans into blown-out, cute-ified digicore.
The release comes after what the outlet called a breakout year. In that stretch the trio played Frost Children's Frost Fest, Summer Smash and Anime Expo, among other appearances.
Why it matters
Pairing an album with a manga suits a group whose identity is built on character and a playful, anime-adjacent look. The book gives listeners a way into each member's personality alongside the songs. It also gives the group a story to tell about themselves as they move from an EP to a full-length release. The sources do not mention upcoming dates or further releases.
Reporting sources: The FADER, “pinponpanpon dropped a manga with their debut album pinponism”.