I remember reading this graphic novel but nothing comes to mind when I try to recall any storylines or plot. But I do remember having a few laughs...

I quite like the original Cells at Work! series, as well as a few of the spinoffs so requesting an arc of the newest alternative story was a given.
As usual this was not only enjoyable but also educational- I was nervous as to how the menstrual cycle would be explained but thankfully it was presented well and with accuracy.
The fixation and glorification of pregnancy was a little creepy at points but I thought the endometrial cells were adorable which balanced it out xD

Notes I made as I was reading:

+ For some reason, I thought it was hilarious the way in which phagocytosis was depicted.

+ I loved the Memory B cells (though I can't remember exactly why right now and didn't write more about it in my notes)

+ When the woman was on her period and the statue depicting her crying blood- I felt that xD

+ The uterus chapter as a whole I thought was adorable

Would I pick up the second volume? Probably !



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, authors and illustrators for the arc.

Cells at Work! is so freaking good...like yall need to get into this RIGHT NOW. I learned more from this series than whatever I learned in high school bio. Educational + entertaining (I will always laugh at how the cells took sex so seriously like they worship sex at this point). I cannot take the cells seriously sometimes, especially when they wait for the sperm as if it's a legendary being LMFAOOOO

Many thanks to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Summary:

Running a body is hard work! If you could ask the cells in your body how much work they do in a day, they'd never shut up. The truth is that some bodies have to work harder than others, while specific cells pull even harder shifts.

Macrophage, Killer T, Helper T, and White Blood Cells are very busy keeping the lady safe and healthy. It's easier said than done, as we're all about to find out!

Review:

It's time to dive back into the world of Cells at Work! Cells at Work! Lady Vol. 1 is a different perspective, but it has the same overall concept as the rest of the series. In other words, it's pretty perfect for fans of the series.

I'll admit that I haven't been that great about reading the series in order. I mostly pick it up here and there as it's made available to me. Bad reader, I know. That said, I've still enjoyed everything I've read.

This series is great in that it's funny, quirky, and informative. It's a sneaky way to learn more about how our bodies function. Okay, there's more drama than that, but that's just to keep us entertained.

Highlights:
Part of the Cells at Work! Universe
Funny
Informative

Will I continue the series? Here and there, yes

Thanks to Kodansha Comics and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Good education as always, but the worship and devotion (and fixture on pregnancy) by the body's cells made this version of the Cells at Work premise a little creepy.

As a fan of the original Cells at Work I loved this. It was a great spin off series with a lot of the things that were great about the first series with a new spin, taking on the specifics of a woman's body. Fun and educational!

4/5 stars
Spin off to Cells at Work

I will admit I think I like this one a bit better than the original. It is still entertaining and informative (this time the body belongs to a girl). I love the characters design/art with both microphage and killer T giving us something a bit different.

In this version of the popular "Cells at Work" series we are located inside the body of a young woman. The series stays true to its record of being both entertaining and informative as we learn about different ailments and issues the body can endure as well as tips and advice for how to keep your body healthy. Many different topics are explored such as the effects of stress, the menstrual cycle, and anemia. The informational boxes explain the duties of different cells as well as provide information about different areas of the body and different types of bacteria. It's a great way to get a mini biology lesson while enjoying some witty plot.

Thank you to netgalley, authors, illustrators & publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I loved this! Such a unique story line and the art style was amazing! I haven’t read the original series but it is defo being added to my tbr now! ❤️

Thank you so much for letting me read this manga. As I am not familiar with the original series, I didn't know what to expect. But this was a fun way to explore the inner workings of the female body.

I had never read something from this series but I was happily surprised!

I found it very educational and a different but nice way to learn more about the organs and our bodies.

As a doctor I love to learn about the human body and put that in manga style and with women in the focus, a masterpiece!

I actually loved how educational this was, as well as a decent addition to the series. Filled with care, delicate topics and some self love.

Thank you Kodansha Comics for an e-copy through NetGalley.
Rating: 4

The Cells at Work series is back, and this time, we will look at the lives of cells that are in the female body! It’s a little different in there, but all the cells are prepared to work together to keep the Lady healthy and happy. Follow Macrophage, a strong white blood cell known for quickly disposing of enemies, as he, Killer T, and other immune cells experience chills, dieting, and all the symptoms of the menstrual cycle. The manga explains each medical inquiry in efficient and correct detail, providing scientific facts and some advice on how to treat certain problems. The art is fluid, easy to follow, and action-packed, and the characters are overall wholesome, funny, and helpful to one another, even when their personalities clash. I personally like the original Cells at Work series slightly more because the OG cast were the most well-written and not complete caricatures, but new cells in Lady provide good humor and storytelling nonetheless. I would recommend it to anyone who has already read the Cells at Work! and Cells at Work: Black series and want more, teens who want to learn about the human body in a fun, story-driven, and engaging medium, and teens who just want a campy, feel-good manga.

Review date: September 26, 2023

If there are fans of Osmosis Jones that haven't discovered the Cells at Work series yet, please do. This particular spin-off is lady-focused (see title). This leads to some fun depictions of cramps.

The series as a whole isn't one that I could sit there and devour though. This is an episodic series and reading it one go becomes tiring. The characters are one-note.

As far as the English translation goes, it's not terrible, but the my lady schtick gets old fast.

I love this series so much!!! It is an AMAZING way to introduce people to what goes on in their bodies in an easy to understand way

I had heard about this story and was very curious. Luckily I was able to read the manga and the truth is that I really liked it.

Being able to learn about how our body works while reading a manga is a great thing, but I admit that sometimes I was a little lost. Like there were many presentations of characters together and one got half dizzy. Or maybe just me.

The illustrations are not what attracts me the most, but I think that no one comes here for the illustrations (it is not the main thing I think) but for the story and what it has to tell us. So I love it! NOTE, I'm not saying that the illustrations are ugly, not at all. I wish I could draw 5% like that, but I'm not very attracted to the drawing style.

Thank you Kodansha Comics for the issue I read on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Cells at Work! Lady" is a wonderful spinoff of the franchise. I thought the original "Cells at Work" was great, but was not into "Cells at Work! Code Black", the grim spinoff. As one can expect, Lady focuses on the operations within a uterus-bearer, going as far as to have a "Uterus" chapel. The effects of temperature sensitivity, restrictive diets, anemia, cervical cancer, and menstruation factor into volume 1. If you're trying to ease a child into practical sex education through learning about the human body first, this would make a great addition to your library. (I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.)

I love Cells at Work. I read the original series and watched the anime. This new one is a little different from the original though. It focuses on a the woman's body and the main 'character' is the butler looking, Macrophage!

Together with his team, White Blood Cell (not the original), Killer T, B Cell and Helper T he combats a variety of situations including viruses, germs, bacteria, different bodily functions and a several medical procedures. I was wondering how they were going to represent menstruation and the fertility cycle, and got a bit of a chuckle at the way they were about it. Very classy. I also enjoyed how the book provides women helpful info on things they can do to help with symptoms including foot baths, aroma baths, particular exercises, general medication, vitamins, minerals, food and drink choices. All are given in a general way that provides advice you can either take (if you didn't already know some of it) or leave.

They use the correct terms for a variety of characters they encounter in the volume. Each one gets a little box that provides a explanation of what they are and what they do. In the back there is a small glossary of terms for people to look at as well.

The art is sometimes quite pretty and the standard matches that set by the original series.

It's cute. It's educational and it's entertaining. Honestly, what more could you want in a manga???

5 Stars!

Maybe it's just me, but I don't love this book's romanticization of the female reproductive system. I understand why that's the direction the creators took: childbirth is something only AFAB bodies can do. Therefore, it's an excellent topic for a Cells at Work! spinoff, and quite frankly, too many people with female bodies don't get enough education about their health. (Particularly as it relates to “icky” things like periods.) Normalizing it is essential. But, uh…do we really need a little macrophage butler who constantly refers to the body as “my lady” and a Virgin Mary-like statue in the chapel of the uterus as the woman's representative? It feels a little too precious as if bodies aren't something you live in.

That said, this book has zero compunctions discussing menstruation, pregnancy, STI and cancer screenings, and all the other wonderful things that come with owning a uterus and vagina. Macrophage and his pals all have to deal with anemia and PMS, as well as the horrors of a transvaginal ultrasound and pap smear, and their reactions are pretty spot-on – aghast but resigned. While this doesn't get into too much detail, it does mention how all of these things affect the body and can be intertwined with each other, which again isn't something that gets a lot of press because of societal discomfort with female bodies and bodily functions.

Because this is a book about a lady body, there are a few new cell types introduced into the mix, primarily the endometrial cells, which all look like especially froofy Victorian maids. They spend their time prepping a gorgeous, fluffy bed for “The Legend,” i.e., a fertilized egg, and again, I'm a bit torn on seeing them weep when none appears and the body's period starts. Yes, it can feel like your body is mad at you at that time of the month, but since not all women want (or can have) children, having the lovely endometrial cells start crying feels one-sided. Just because bodies can do something doesn't mean that they need to, and this is the rare case where the Cells at Work! franchise feels like it loses sight of that.

But really, this does what it says on the tin: it's a book about anthropomorphized human cells in the body of an adult woman. Information is doled out in a reasonably entertaining fashion, and it's pretty fun. It would be a good addition to any middle-grade library about sexuality and sex ed because, as an overview, it's glamorized but still solid.