While most anime shows are based on a manga or light novel, anime originals are no stranger to the spotlight with smash hits such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Code Geass. Although Carole & Tuesday didn't rise to the same widespread level of popularity, its initial premiere did garner a large audience by offering a uniquely intricate world in a futuristic setting and likable female protagonists.

This drama-sci-fi series not only centers around the wholesome friendship between its two main characters but is also a crafted love letter to music. The power of expression and the joy music brings is essential to many, and Carole & Tuesday displays this kind of wonderment through delightful songs and a vivid story that entangles every character through music. A tale of friendship connected through a shared passion and dream, here's a guide on how to get started with both the anime and manga.

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The Plot of Carole & Tuesday

Carole and Tuesday

Directed by Cowboy Bebop's Shinichiro Watanabe, the series takes place in a future where humanity has begun migrating to a terraformed Mars, where people can find new comfort thanks to the planet's technological advancements such as A.I. Specifically, the show follows 17-year-old Carole, an orphaned girl trying to make ends meet by working several part-time jobs, and 17-year-old Tuesday, an isolated rich girl who runs away from home.

Carole is outgoing and confident while Tuesday is dainty and shy. While the two seem vastly different -- having come from completely different backgrounds -- they've both found solace in music, and an accidental encounter quickly reveals that they share an intense passion for it. They therefore decide to combine their skills and become a duo to create music that will allow them to express themselves. However, Carole and Tuesday are at a disadvantage by reverting to the traditional ways of music -- writing their own songs and playing instruments live -- whereas the music industry on Mars relies on A.I.s to create best-selling songs for humans to perform.

On top of that, the world of Mars isn't all sunshine and rainbows. Earth is implied to be uninhabitable, forcing many to immigrate to another planet where life is vastly different. The trauma from Earth has created many refugees, while the problems on Mars (i.e. racism, limited job opportunities, etc.) lead to socio-political unrest. Carole especially is directly impacted by these issues as she and Tuesday attempt to find and bring hope in an unforgiving world.

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Where to Watch the Carole & Tuesday Anime

Carole and Tuesday put on their big performance in Carole and Tuesday

The 24-episode anime was animated by Bones Studio and released weekly in Japan from April to October 2019, while overseas, it was distributed by Netflix, with the first half dropping in August 2019 and the second half in December 2019. The series can be streamed on Netflix in some countries such as Canada and the UK. Physical copies of the DVD and Blu-ray may be difficult to find but can be sought out on second-hand sites such as eBay.

It's hard to talk about Carole & Tuesday without mentioning its soundtrack. The entire OST is available on several audio streaming platforms including Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube.

Where to Read the Carole & Tuesday Manga

Carole and Tuesday

As mentioned, Carole & Tuesday is an anime-original series, meaning that the manga adaptation was released afterward. Illustrated by Morito Yamataka, three volumes were released in Young Ace Magazine from May 2019 to July 2020. Yen Press acquired the license to release the manga to English audiences in 2020. The manga adaptation follows the original series quite closely, albeit skipping a few plot points, and it still captures the beautiful friendship between Carole and Tuesday from the anime.

All three manga volumes can be read digitally via Book Walker, while physical copies can be found through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and other local retailers.