Butareba: The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig

Lore & Background

The story begins when a 19-year-old otaku falls unconscious after eating pork liver and awakens in the world of Mesteria as a pig. There he meets Jess, a 16-year-old girl of the Yethma people, who always wears a collar. Jess can telepathically understand the pig's thoughts and agrees to let him accompany her on a journey to the capital, hoping the trip might help him become human again. The pig has a somewhat perverted personality, and he remains in Mesteria throughout the story, never returning to the real world or writing a web novel.

Reader's Guide

Butareba: The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig is notable for its unusual protagonist—a man reincarnated as a pig—and its exploration of themes like prejudice and identity through the Yethma people, who are forced to wear collars. The series gained recognition by winning the gold prize in the 26th Dengeki Novel Prize, a major Japanese light novel award. Its adaptation into manga and anime expanded its reach, though the anime received mixed reception; Game Rant stated it 'is not a very good anime by any stretch of the imagination' while noting its uniqueness. The series is licensed in English by J-Novel Club for both the light novels and manga, and the anime is licensed by Aniplex of America in North America, streaming on Crunchyroll. The work stands as a distinctive entry in the isekai genre, with a protagonist who remains a pig throughout the main story.

Did You Know?

• The light novel series won the gold prize (first place) in the 26th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2019.
• The protagonist is a 19-year-old otaku who becomes a pig after eating pig liver and falling unconscious.
• The anime's 12th and final episode was delayed and eventually broadcast on February 6, 2024.
• The series is also known as Heat the Pig Liver, a translation of its Japanese title.

Origins & Publication Journey

The light novel series was crafted by writer Takuma Sakai and artist Asagi Tōsaka, a creative pairing that had previously collaborated on Delta to Gamma no Rigakubu Note. Tōsaka's illustrative style also extends to other titles such as Girly Air Force and The Demon Sword Master of Excalibur Academy, giving the duo a recognizable visual identity across multiple projects. The series first gained recognition when it claimed the gold prize—effectively the second-place finish—at the 26th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2019, a competitive award whose top winner that year was Seiyū Radio no Ura Omote. Following that recognition, ASCII Media Works picked up the property for publication under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. Nine volumes were released between March 2020 and March 2024, establishing a steady release cadence over four years. The series eventually crossed into English-language markets when J-Novel Club announced a licensing deal in September 2023, making the full novel run accessible to international readers.

The World of Mesteria & Its Cast

The story follows a 19-year-old otaku who, after consuming a plate of pork liver, loses consciousness and awakens reincarnated as a pig in the fantasy realm of Mesteria. His new existence is defined by a somewhat lecherous personality carried over from his human life. His path crosses with Jess, a 16-year-old girl belonging to the Yethma, a community whose members are compelled to wear collars as part of their condition. Jess possesses the remarkable ability to read the pig's thoughts and emotions telepathically, creating a deep communicative bond between them. Her goal is to reach Mesteria's capital to see the king, and after learning about his former human life, she agrees to let him join the journey, hoping the trip might restore his humanity. Their party is complicated by Ceres, a 13-year-old Yethma who harbors romantic feelings for Nott and actively resists the group traveling together. Other companions include Nott and Brace, rounding out a small ensemble navigating a world where a pig holds a human soul.

Adaptations Across Media

The franchise expanded well beyond its novel roots. A manga adaptation drawn by Minami began serialization in ASCII Media Works' seinen magazine Dengeki Maoh in August 2020, and by July 2026 its chapters had been collected into nine tankōbon volumes. J-Novel Club secured the English manga license during their Anime NYC 2023 panel. The anime television series was announced on December 11, 2021, at the Dengeki Bunko Winter Festival livestream. Production fell to Project No.9, with Masayuki Takahashi at the helm as director, Deko Akao handling scripts, Susumu Watanabe designing characters, and Kenichiro Suehiro alongside Mayuko composing the score. The thirteen-episode run aired from October 8, 2023, to February 6, 2024, on Tokyo MX, adapting primarily the first novel volume. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka voiced the Pig while Tomori Kusunoki brought Jess to life. The opening theme, "Watashi ga Warau Riyū wa," was performed by Asca, and the closing track, "Hitori Janai yo," by Myuk. In North America, Aniplex of America holds the license with streaming on Crunchyroll outside Asia, while Muse Communication covers Southeast Asia.

Reception & Place in the Genre

The series' most distinctive quality is its premise: a human man reborn as a pig navigating a fantasy world. This unusual protagonist choice set it apart from the typical isekai reincarnation formula where the hero returns as a human. The 26th Dengeki Novel Prize gold award in 2019 validated the concept before publication, signaling editorial confidence in the story's originality. Critical reception of the anime was mixed. Game Rant acknowledged the show's singular appeal in centering a pig as the lead character but ultimately judged it "not a very good anime by any stretch of the imagination," suggesting the adaptation struggled to fully capitalize on its unique hook. The final episode's delay to February 6, 2024, also drew attention, briefly interrupting the broadcast schedule. Despite the lukewarm critical response, the series maintained a dedicated fanbase drawn to its comedic tone, the telepathic bond between the pig and Jess, and the broader worldbuilding of Mesteria. Its shared creative team with Delta to Gamma no Rigakubu Note and Tōsaka's other illustrated works further anchored it within a recognizable creative ecosystem.