I Shall Survive Using Potions Manga: All 9 Volumes

I Shall Survive Using Potions! — All 9 Manga Volumes in One Complete Set

I Shall Survive Using Potions! (ポーション頼みで生き延びます! — the original Japanese title) is a manga adaptation based on the light novel series by FUNA. Light novels are Japanese prose fiction, often with illustrations, that frequently get adapted into manga or anime — so think of the light novel as the original story and this manga as its comic version. The manga art is by Hibiki Kokonoe (九重ヒビキ), with character designs by Sukima (すきま). It ran under Kodansha’s Sirius KC imprint in Japan — Kodansha being one of Japan’s largest manga publishers — and all nine volumes have been released in English.

The premise is refreshingly fun: Kaoru, an ordinary woman, gets killed due to a mistake by a god — and as compensation, she’s reincarnated into a fantasy world with one incredible ability. She can create any potion she can imagine. Not just healing potions, either. If she understands the concept, she can make it. Armed with modern knowledge and a sharp mind, Kaoru sets out to build a comfortable life for herself in a world that has no idea what it’s dealing with.

What makes this series stand out from the crowded isekai field is its tone and protagonist. Kaoru isn’t an overpowered warrior smashing through enemies. She’s clever, resourceful, and often hilariously self-interested. The series leans heavily into comedy and problem-solving rather than action. Some isekai stories focus on a hero who’s absurdly powerful and faces little real challenge — this isn’t that. Think less “fight the big villain with raw strength” and more “outwit everyone in the room using chemistry and sheer audacity.”

At only 9 volumes, this is one of the most approachable isekai manga collections you can put together. It’s compact, it’s finished, and it tells a complete story. For readers who’ve been burned by series that drag on forever or get canceled mid-run, that’s a huge selling point. You know exactly what you’re getting into, and you know there’s a proper ending waiting for you.

If you want a finished isekai comedy with a smart female lead and zero commitment anxiety, this is it.

The Easiest Way to Collect All 9 Volumes

Collecting a nine-volume manga series is about as painless as it gets. Here’s what to consider when deciding how to build your set.

Digital vs. Physical

Both digital and print editions are available for English readers. Digital is the most consistently reliable option — ebook versions are available through major platforms and aren’t subject to print runs selling out. If you want guaranteed access to every volume without hunting around, digital is the safest path.

Physical copies are also available, though stock can fluctuate. Amazon and major manga retailers carry the series, but it’s always worth checking current availability before you commit to completing a physical set.

Cost Considerations

At nine volumes, the total investment for a complete physical set is modest compared to many isekai manga that run 15, 20, or 30+ volumes. You’re looking at a manageable shelf commitment both financially and spatially. There’s no box set available as of this writing, so you’ll be buying volumes individually — but with only nine to grab, that’s perfectly straightforward.

For the final volume of the series, Volume 9 is readily available and wraps everything up nicely.

Buying Strategy

Since the series is complete and relatively short, there’s no need to overcomplicate your approach. Grab Volume 1, see if the humor and premise click for you, and then pick up the rest at whatever pace suits your reading speed and budget. Nine volumes is the kind of series you can realistically collect in a single shopping session if you’re feeling enthusiastic.

Volume-by-Volume Overview

Here’s a spoiler-light walkthrough of what each section of the series covers, so you know what you’re getting into as you read. Each volume runs roughly 192 pages, so you can expect to move through one in a single sitting.

Volumes 1–3 — Kaoru Arrives and Starts Her Potion Business

Volume 1 kicks things off with Kaoru’s death, her negotiation with a god for compensation, and her arrival in the fantasy world with her potion-creation ability. The early chapters establish the rules of her power and her personality — she’s not interested in being a hero. She wants to live comfortably, and she’ll use every trick at her disposal to make that happen. Her first steps in the new world are a comedy of mismatched expectations as a modern person navigates a medieval fantasy setting, and her surprisingly sharp survival instincts keep things moving.

Volume 2 sees Kaoru expanding her potion operation. She starts making a name for herself, which naturally attracts both customers and trouble. The comedy really finds its groove here as Kaoru’s modern sensibilities clash with the medieval fantasy world around her. Early conflicts arise from people who don’t understand what she can do — and from those who understand all too well and want to control it.

Volume 3 deepens the world-building significantly. The complications Kaoru faces get more serious as word of her abilities spreads beyond her immediate circle. People in positions of power start taking an interest in her, and not always with good intentions. Kaoru’s resourcefulness gets its first real stress test, and the series starts layering in stakes beneath the comedy.

Volumes 4–6 — Escalating Adventures and Political Entanglements

Volume 4 raises the stakes considerably. Powerful factions — nobility, the church, foreign interests — begin maneuvering around Kaoru. Her potions aren’t just a curiosity anymore; they represent real political and economic power. Kaoru has to navigate these threats while maintaining her independence, which is easier said than done when entire kingdoms are paying attention.

Volume 5 pushes Kaoru’s resourcefulness to its limits. The threats she faces aren’t just personal anymore — they’re large-scale, affecting the people and communities she’s come to care about. This volume is where the series shows it can handle genuine tension alongside its comedy. Kaoru’s ability to think sideways and create unexpected solutions remains the heart of the story, but the problems she’s solving get meaningfully bigger.

Volume 6 delivers major turning points. Without spoiling specifics, this is where several long-running story threads converge and the direction of the final stretch of the series becomes clear. The balance between comedy and drama shifts noticeably, though the series never loses its sense of humor entirely. If you’ve been reading for Kaoru’s wit and ingenuity, this volume rewards that investment.

Volumes 7–9 — The Final Arc

Volumes 7 and 8 build toward the series climax. Major confrontations that have been brewing since the early volumes come to a head, and Kaoru faces challenges that can’t be solved with a single clever potion. The emotional stakes are at their highest here, and the supporting cast gets meaningful moments alongside Kaoru. These volumes move with real momentum — once you start Volume 7, you’ll likely want Volume 8 in hand already. (In manga, a “story arc” is a self-contained storyline within the larger series — and this final arc pulls together threads from the very beginning.)

Volume 9 wraps up Kaoru’s journey. The series gives itself a proper conclusion, tying up the major plot threads and character storylines. For a comedy-focused isekai, it earns its ending rather than rushing through it. Kaoru’s story reaches a satisfying stopping point, which is something not every manga — isekai or otherwise — manages to pull off.

Note that this original 9-volume manga adaptation by Hibiki Kokonoe is complete and self-contained. If you finish Volume 9 and want more of Kaoru’s world, the light novel series by FUNA continues beyond where this manga ends — and a sequel manga, I Shall Survive Using Potions! Continuation (illustrated by Futsū Onshin), began serialization in August 2022 and has been collected into five volumes in Japanese as of 2026. A spin-off manga also exists. What this article covers — the original nine-volume adaptation — is a complete work with no loose threads left dangling.

Availability and Out-of-Print Concerns

This is worth thinking about if you’re planning a physical collection.

I Shall Survive Using Potions! is a completed series that doesn’t have the massive mainstream readership of titles like One Piece or My Hero Academia (long-running series with millions of readers that get constantly reprinted). Completed series with smaller audiences can — and often do — become harder to find in physical print after a few years. Print runs are limited, and once stock sells through, reprints aren’t guaranteed.

If you’re set on owning physical copies, it’s worth checking current stock for all nine volumes before assuming you can pick them up at your leisure. There’s nothing worse than collecting eight out of nine volumes and then discovering the one you’re missing is out of stock everywhere.

Digital editions are your safety net. Ebooks don’t go out of print. If you want guaranteed long-term access to the complete series regardless of what happens with physical stock, digital is the way to go. Even if you prefer physical manga, having the digital option as a backup means you’ll never be stuck with an incomplete collection.

A practical approach: if physical copies are available right now and you want them, grab all nine while you can. If some volumes are already getting scarce, prioritize those and fill in the easier-to-find volumes later.

A Finished Series — Your Collection Stays Complete

Let’s make this crystal clear: I Shall Survive Using Potions! is a completed manga at 9 volumes in both Japanese and English. The Japanese edition was published by Kodansha under the Sirius KC imprint, with chapter-by-chapter serialization beginning in June 2017, with the first compiled volume releasing in November 2017. All nine Japanese volumes have been released, and all nine English volumes are out.

The story this original 9-volume manga adaptation set out to tell is finished.

The broader universe does continue: the underlying light novel by FUNA extends beyond this manga’s endpoint, and a sequel manga — I Shall Survive Using Potions! Continuation, illustrated by Futsū Onshin — began serialization in August 2022 and is ongoing in Japanese as of 2026. But this original manga adaptation itself is a self-contained, complete work. You can read from Volume 1 to Volume 9 and get a full story with a beginning, middle, and end.

For collectors, this is about as clean as it gets. You know the exact scope of what you’re collecting: nine volumes, no more. Your shelf space is predictable, your budget is calculable, and there’s zero risk of the series being canceled before it finishes. It already finished. That peace of mind is genuinely valuable in a manga landscape where ongoing series can run for decades or get canceled without warning.

Who Should Collect I Shall Survive Using Potions!

This series fits a few reader profiles particularly well:

• Fans of lighthearted isekai with a clever female protagonist. Kaoru isn’t a swordfighter or a magic-user in the traditional sense. Her power is creativity and knowledge, and watching her outmaneuver problems with potions and quick thinking is genuinely entertaining. If you like protagonists who win by being smart rather than strong, this is your kind of story.

• Readers who prefer completed series. You can start and finish this manga without worrying about whether the next volume will ever come out or if the series will go on a long publication pause. The whole story is here, ready to read. For anyone who’s been burned by incomplete series, that matters.

• Collectors looking for an affordable, short set. Nine volumes takes up minimal shelf space and represents a reasonable financial commitment. It’s a great series to slot into a curated collection without dominating your bookshelf or your budget.

• Readers new to isekai manga. The comedy-driven tone and manageable length make this an excellent entry point into the genre. You don’t need any prior isekai knowledge to enjoy it, and at nine volumes, you won’t feel overwhelmed the way a 30+ volume series might make you feel.

The comedy-driven, problem-solving approach here genuinely stands out. There’s no “I’m the strongest being in the world and everyone is amazed” dynamic. Instead, Kaoru’s victories come from ingenuity, and her failures come from her own stubbornness and overconfidence. It makes for a more engaging and often funnier read than series that rely on raw power to solve every problem. The humor skews lighthearted and situational — if you enjoy watching a protagonist talk circles around confused nobles and bluff her way out of danger, you’ll have a good time. If you prefer intense action or high drama, this series’ comedy-first approach may not be for you.

If female-led isekai comedies with a focus on brains over brawn sound appealing, I Shall Survive Using Potions! belongs on your shelf. Grab Volume 1, see if Kaoru’s brand of chaos makes you laugh, and go from there. Nine volumes later, you’ll have a complete, satisfying story and a tidy little set on your bookshelf.