Fans of the manga and anime Cells at Work! who can speak some Japanese may be interested in a new book coming out from Kodansha. You already knew that the Cells at Work! was not only good entertainment but also informative and educational, based on the real workings of the human body.

Especially with newcomer SARS-CoV-2 (novel coronavirus) currently wreaking havoc in human bodies throughout the world (often with tragic consequences), the time is right for a Cells at Work! illustrated reference book on viruses and bacteria. Of course, novel coronavirus is included.

The book, entitled 『感染症を正しく学べる！　はたらく細胞　ウイルス＆細菌図鑑』(Learn correctly about infectious diseases! Cells at Work! Illustrated Reference Book on Viruses and Bacteria), costs 1,400 JPY + tax, will be available from January 21st, 2021, and is geared towards elementary school-aged readers in Japan. Depending on your level and approach, it could also be useful for Japanese language learners.

Starting with the difference between viruses and bacteria that cause infectious diseases, the book covers numerous viruses that appear as enemy characters in the anime. You'll learn about the characteristics of each and how to deal with them with the visual aid of illustrations from the anime.

For example:

• Viruses: Novel coronavirus, rhinovirus, influenza virus, Mumps virus (mumps), dengue virus.
• Bacteria: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, P. acnes, Streptococcus mutans, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Campylobacter, Helicobacter pylori, and gut flora

SARS-CoV-2

Influenza virus

Pneumococcus

You can reserve your copy (Kindle version also available) on Amazon.co.jp here.