Farewell My Dear Cramer Manga Editions Guide (2026)

If you’ve been searching for Farewell, My Dear Cramer manga editions and finding something called “Sayonara, Football” instead — here’s what you need to know: they’re closely connected but not the same book. Sayonara, Football is a 2-volume prequel by the same creator, Naoshi Arakawa, and Farewell, My Dear Cramer is the 14-volume main series that continues the story. Kodansha Comics publishes both together in English under the Sayonara, Football umbrella title, numbered sequentially as a 16-volume set. Both are available in standard paperback and digital — no hardcovers, no omnibus sets, no special editions. This guide covers what each format costs, how the art reads in each one, and which option makes the most sense for your situation.

Farewell, My Dear Cramer Manga Editions — One Series, Two Names

For anyone new to the term, manga refers to comics originally published in Japan, typically read right-to-left in their original format. Farewell, My Dear Cramer (さよなら私のクラマー) is the Japanese title. When Kodansha Comics — one of the largest Japanese publishers releasing manga in English — brought the series to Western readers, they branded it as Sayonara, Football. If you see either name in a store or search result, you’re looking at the same work.

The series is written and illustrated by Naoshi Arakawa (新川直司), who also created Your Lie in April, a well-known romantic drama manga. Arakawa originally published Farewell, My Dear Cramer chapter by chapter in Monthly Shonen Magazine — a Japanese anthology magazine aimed at younger male readers — from August 2016 through April 2021. In manga publishing, individual chapters appear in magazines first, then get collected into standalone books called volumes. This series ran for 55 chapters collected across 14 Japanese volumes. It’s a women’s soccer manga — character-driven, emotionally grounded, and complete.

The good news for anyone picking this up today: the series is finished. All 14 volumes have been published in English by Kodansha Comics. You can start at volume 1 and read straight through to the ending without waiting for future releases.

As noted above, there are no deluxe editions, omnibus collections (larger books that bundle multiple volumes together), or hardcover releases for this series. Your choice comes down to two formats — standard paperback or digital. That simplifies the decision, so let’s look at both.

Every Farewell, My Dear Cramer Manga Edition Compared

Since there are only two ways to read this series in English, the comparison is straightforward. But there are still meaningful differences worth understanding before you buy.

Standard Single-Volume Paperback

This is the physical edition published by Kodansha Comics under the Sayonara, Football title. Each volume collects several chapters of the original serialization in a standard manga-sized paperback — roughly 5 by 7.5 inches, smaller and lighter than a typical American comic book or graphic novel. These are the same dimensions and build quality you’d find across Kodansha’s wider English manga catalog.

The covers feature Arakawa’s character artwork and follow a consistent design language across the run. A 16-volume set lines up neatly on a shelf without taking up excessive space.

Digital Edition

The digital release is the same Kodansha Comics translation and lettering, formatted for screens. It’s available through major digital manga retailers including Kindle, Kobo, BookWalker, and Apple Books, among others. The content is identical to print — same page layouts, same translation, same cover art.

Digital volumes can be read on tablets, phones, e-readers (such as a Kindle), or desktop apps depending on the platform. For a sports manga like this one, a tablet-sized screen tends to give the best experience since Arakawa’s match sequences benefit from seeing a full two-page spread — where art stretches across both facing pages as a single image — at a reasonable size.

Format Comparison

Feature	Print Paperback	Digital
Publisher	Kodansha Comics	Kodansha Comics
Content	Identical per volume	Identical per volume
Total volumes	16	16
Resale / lending	Yes	No (you purchase a license to read, not a physical copy you own outright)
Shelf display	Yes	No
Instant access	No (shipping/store visit)	Yes
Storage needed	Physical shelf space	Device storage
Best for	Collectors, physical readers	Budget readers, space-savers

A Note on the Numbering

In the English release from Kodansha, Arakawa’s 2-volume prequel Sayonara, Football and the 14-volume main series Farewell, My Dear Cramer are published together under continuous numbering as a single 16-volume set. Volumes 1–2 cover the prequel story — a self-contained narrative set at the middle-school level that introduces key characters and themes. From volume 3 onward, the covers add the Farewell, My Dear Cramer subtitle as the story moves to high school. The practical takeaway: start at volume 1 and read in order. You’ll get the prequel followed by the main series exactly as Kodansha intended it to be read in English. There’s nothing extra you need to track down.

No Special or Limited Editions

Unlike some manga that receive box sets, collector’s editions, or anniversary hardcovers, Farewell, My Dear Cramer has not been given any special edition treatment in English. What you see — standard paperback or digital — is what’s available.

The Cost to Read the Complete Series

With 14 volumes to buy, the total cost adds up, so it’s worth mapping this out before you commit.

Print Paperback Costs

Kodansha Comics manga paperbacks typically carry a list price in the range of $10–$13 per volume, though exact pricing can vary by volume. For a 16-volume series, that puts the total list-price cost for print somewhere in the ballpark of $160–$210 if you’re buying every volume new at retail.

Actual prices at retailers fluctuate. Some volumes may be available below list price during sales, while others — particularly if a batch has sold out and hasn’t been restocked yet — may temporarily sit at or above list price from third-party sellers.

The final volume of the series is readily available from Kodansha Comics.

Digital Costs

Digital manga volumes are frequently priced a bit below their print counterparts at retail. Platforms sometimes run sales on completed series, which can bring the per-volume price down further. For a 16-volume completed series, keeping an eye on periodic digital sales can meaningfully reduce the total investment.

Ways to Bring the Cost Down

• Digital sales: Manga retail platforms like Kindle, Kobo, and BookWalker periodically discount completed series. Since Farewell, My Dear Cramer is finished, all 16 volumes are eligible whenever a Kodansha or platform-wide promotion runs.
• Used print copies: Because the series is complete and has been available in English for some time, used copies circulate through secondhand bookshops and online resellers. Condition and availability vary, but this is a viable path for budget-conscious readers who prefer physical books.
• Wishlist notifications: If you have a specific price target in mind, retailer wishlist notifications can flag when a volume drops below it.
• Library borrowing: Many public library systems carry Kodansha manga, either on physical shelves or through digital lending apps like Libby or Hoopla (both free with a library card). It’s worth searching your local library catalog — you might be able to read the whole series at no cost.

Digital or Print — Which Suits This Soccer Manga Better

This is where personal preference matters more than any general rule, but there are some specific things about Farewell, My Dear Cramer that make the format decision more interesting than usual.

How Arakawa’s Art Translates to Each Format

Naoshi Arakawa draws dynamic, kinetic soccer sequences. Players are in constant motion — dribbling, passing, shooting — and the way he arranges the individual framed images on each page reflects that energy. On a physical page, you get the tactile experience of flipping through those sequences, and the standard paperback size gives you the art roughly as it was originally published.

On a digital screen, the experience depends heavily on your device. A 10-inch tablet does these action sequences justice. A phone screen — less so. The wider compositions that Arakawa uses during match highlights lose their impact when shrunk down to a 6-inch display. If digital is your path and you care about the soccer scenes landing properly, reading on the largest screen available to you makes a real difference.

For the quieter character moments — and there are plenty, since this is as much a story about the women playing soccer as it is about the matches themselves — both formats work equally well. Arakawa’s expressive character work reads clearly at any reasonable screen size.

Price Advantage of Digital

For a completed 16-volume series, digital’s price advantage is worth considering seriously. You’re not just saving a dollar or two per volume — over the full run, the difference between digital sale prices and print retail prices can be substantial. If your goal is to read the story rather than own physical copies, digital is the more wallet-friendly route.

Print Availability

As a completed Kodansha Comics title, print volumes are generally available through major retailers and bookstores. That said, completed series can occasionally see individual volumes go temporarily out of stock between print runs. If you’re building a physical collection, it’s worth buying volumes when you spot them rather than assuming they’ll always be sitting on the shelf.

Subscription or Chapter-Based Reading

Some manga subscription services carry Kodansha titles, which could provide access to the series as part of a monthly subscription fee. Availability on these platforms changes over time, so it’s worth checking current catalogs if subscription reading appeals to you. This can be the cheapest way to read the full series if it’s available — even less than buying digital volumes outright.

The Right Edition for Your Situation

Different readers have different priorities. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you land on the right choice.

Budget-First Reader

Go digital. The complete 16-volume series will cost less in digital format, especially if you catch a sale on platforms like Kindle or BookWalker. You get the full story, the same translation, and zero shelf space required. For a series you’re reading for the first time and aren’t sure you’ll want to revisit, digital keeps the financial commitment modest.

Shelf Collector

Print paperbacks from Kodansha Comics are your only option — and fortunately, they’re solid. A 16-volume run looks clean on a shelf without taking up excessive space, and the matching spine artwork gives the set a cohesive look when lined up together. Buy volumes as you find them at good prices, and build the set over time if budget is a factor.

New to the Series

Start at volume 1 regardless of format. This is a character-driven sports manga where the early volumes establish the cast, their relationships, and the stakes of the team’s journey. Jumping in mid-series would rob you of the emotional investment that makes the later volumes pay off. The story builds deliberately — Arakawa takes time to develop his characters before the big moments arrive, and that groundwork is part of what makes the series rewarding.

The Default Recommendation

For most readers coming to Farewell, My Dear Cramer for the first time, digital is the most practical starting point. It’s cheaper, instantly accessible, and lets you gauge whether the series clicks for you before committing to 16 physical volumes. If you read the first few volumes digitally and find yourself deeply invested — which is very possible, because Arakawa writes characters you genuinely root for — you can always start collecting the print editions afterward.

The series is complete. The full story is available right now. Pick whichever format suits your reading habits, grab volume 1, and enjoy one of the more heartfelt women’s soccer stories in manga.