So you’ve heard about My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s and want to know how many manga volumes are out, what the release schedule looks like, and where to grab copies. Let’s get straight to it.
If you’re new to manga in general, a quick note: this series belongs to the isekai genre — a Japanese term for stories where characters are transported from the real world into a fantasy world. It’s one of the most popular genres in manga right now, and this series puts a darker spin on the formula.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero’s Manga Volumes — 7 in Japan, 6 in English
The manga currently sits at 7 volumes in Japan, published by Overlap (a Japanese publishing company), and 6 volumes in English, released by Seven Seas Entertainment — a publisher that licenses and translates Japanese manga for English-speaking readers. The series is ongoing, meaning new chapters are still being released in Japan, so more collected volumes are on the way.
A quick explanation if you’re unfamiliar with how manga publishing works: most manga series are first published chapter by chapter in Japanese magazines. Those chapters are then collected into volumes — the paperback books you see on shelves. This process is called serialization, and it’s why there can be gaps between volume releases. This series is serialized in Comic Gardo, a Japanese digital manga magazine published by Overlap.
This is a manga adaptation of the light novel written by Matsuri Akai. A light novel is a Japanese prose fiction format — think of it as a short novel, often with a few illustrations, that’s distinct from both manga (which is comics) and traditional Western novels. The manga art is by Hiroyuki Aigamo, with character designs by Tozai (the artist who created the visual look of the characters that Aigamo then draws in manga form). If you’ve read the light novel first and are curious how the manga compares, the adaptation follows the same story with Aigamo’s art bringing the action and darker moments to life in a way that suits the tone well.
For English readers, Seven Seas publishes the manga in both print and digital formats, which is helpful whether you prefer physical books on your shelf or reading on a tablet or phone.
Complete Manga Volume List
Here’s the Japanese release history for the manga. All six Japanese volumes through Vol. 6 have corresponding English editions available from Seven Seas. Note that individual English release dates for Volumes 1 through 5 are not confirmed in our verified data — only Volume 6’s English release date is verified.
| Volume | JP Release |
|---|---|
| Vol. 1 | January 2019 |
| Vol. 2 | August 2019 |
| Vol. 3 | May 2020 |
| Vol. 4 | July 2022 |
| Vol. 5 | September 2023 |
| Vol. 6 | February 2025 |
| Vol. 7 | — (JP release date not in verified data) |
A couple of things jump out from this timeline. The series started at a steady pace with Volumes 1 through 3 releasing roughly every 6–8 months. Then there was a longer gap between Vol. 3 (May 2020) and Vol. 4 (July 2022) — over two years. The spacing has varied quite a bit since then as well, so if you’re already a fan waiting on the next volume, be prepared for a potentially longer wait between releases. That said, the story is well worth following — more on what makes it stand out below.
On the English side, Volume 6 released in November 2025 (ISBN: 9798893733082). Seven Seas has been steadily catching up to the Japanese release, and with 6 of 7 volumes now available in English, the gap is nearly closed. If you stopped buying at an earlier volume and are wondering what you’ve missed, you can pick up right where you left off — the English volumes match the Japanese numbering one-to-one.
What Kind of Isekai Is This?
If you’re browsing isekai manga and wondering whether this one’s worth your time, here’s the setup.
An entire high school class gets summoned to another world — a premise you may have seen in other manga. But the twist hits right away: while one student gets the flashy “Hero” class, the protagonist, Akira Oda, receives the Assassin class. The kicker? His stats completely dwarf the Hero’s, which immediately makes him a threat in the eyes of the kingdom that summoned them.
This isn’t a lighthearted story where the main character breezes through every challenge thanks to being absurdly strong — a common setup in isekai manga sometimes called a “power fantasy.” Instead, this series leans into dark fantasy territory, meaning the story has a grittier, more serious tone with real consequences, political intrigue, and moral gray areas. The kingdom doesn’t trust Akira, and he doesn’t trust them right back. There’s genuine tension about what happens when the people who summoned you realize you’re more dangerous than the hero they actually wanted.
The series uses game-like mechanics — characters have numerical stats, levels, learned skills, and class-based abilities (similar to what you’d find in a role-playing video game). But the story grounds these mechanics in a world where having too much power paints a target on your back. If you like isekai manga that questions the “summoned hero” setup rather than playing it straight, this one does that well.
How Does It Compare to the Light Novel?
The manga is based on the light novel of the same name by Matsuri Akai. If you’ve already read the novel, the manga covers the same story beats but benefits from Aigamo’s visual storytelling — fight scenes hit harder on the page, and tense political confrontations gain extra weight when you can see the characters’ expressions and body language. If you haven’t read either, the manga is a perfectly good entry point — you don’t need the novel first.
Is the Manga Finished or Still Ongoing?
The manga is ongoing. It continues to be serialized in Comic Gardo, published by Overlap in Japan. There’s no indication the series is wrapping up anytime soon.
An anime adaptation also exists, which may have been how some readers first discovered the series. If you watched the anime and want to continue the story, the manga goes further than the anime does and gives you more detail along the way.
One thing to keep in mind: the release schedule for this manga isn’t super consistent. Looking at the Japanese volumes, the gap between Vol. 5 (September 2023) and Vol. 6 (February 2025) was roughly 17 months. Earlier volumes came out faster, but recent gaps have been longer. So while the series is definitely still active, don’t expect a volume every few months — plan for a longer wait between releases.
For English readers specifically, Seven Seas has been keeping pace reasonably well. With 6 English volumes out of 7 Japanese ones, you’re almost caught up — which is a nice position to be in compared to many manga series where the English edition trails by several volumes.
Where to Buy the English Manga Volumes
Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the English edition in both print and digital formats. You can find the volumes at major book retailers — both online and in stores.
For digital readers, the series is available through platforms like Amazon’s Kindle store and BookWalker, among other digital manga storefronts. Digital is a solid option if you want to start reading immediately without waiting for shipping — and it’s a quick way to check out Volume 1 to see if the series clicks with you before committing to the full run.
The most recent English release is Volume 6, which came out in November 2025. If you’re starting fresh, Volume 1 is readily available and the whole run through Volume 6 should be easy to track down since Seven Seas keeps their catalog well-stocked.
If you’re looking to pick up the latest volume, Volume 6 is available now in both formats.
My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's, Vol. 6
Starting the Series
If you’re new, just grab Volume 1 and go from there. The story sets up Akira’s situation quickly — you’ll know within the first volume whether the tone and premise work for you. The class-summoning setup happens right away, and Akira’s conflict with the kingdom kicks in fast, so there’s no long slow build before things get interesting.
With 6 English volumes available, you’ve got a solid chunk of story to read through before you hit the waiting game for new releases. And since the series is ongoing with both the Japanese serialization and English publication active, there’s more to look forward to down the road. Whether you’re coming from the anime, the light novel, or discovering this series for the first time, the manga is a strong way to experience the story.