is a Japanese manga series written by and illustrated by . It was originally serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine Miracle Jump from January to December 2011, and was transferred to Weekly Young Jump in April 2012. Its chapters have been collected in 24 volumes as of August 2026. The story follows humanity's struggle against mutated humanoid cockroaches on Mars, leading to deadly expeditions and battles to save Earth from a mysterious virus and the invading creatures. In North America, the manga is licensed for English release by Viz Media.
A two-episode original video animation (OVA) adaptation, Terra Formars: Bugs 2 Arc, was released in 2014, and an anime television series adaptation, covering the Annex 1 story arc, was broadcast as well in that same year. A second season, Terra Formars: Revenge, was broadcast in 2016. A live action film adaptation directed by Takashi Miike was released in 2016.
Plot In an attempt to colonize Mars, 21st-century scientists are tasked with terraforming the planet. Their goal is to seed Mars with modified algae that can absorb sunlight and purify the atmosphere, along with cockroaches, whose corpses will help spread the algae across the planet as they feed.
Five hundred years later, the first crewed ship to Mars lands, and its six crew members are attacked by giant mutated humanoid cockroaches with incredible physical strength, later labeled "Terraformars." The crew is wiped out after sending a warning back to Earth. Two years later, BUGS II, a multinational expedition of genetically modified humans, is sent to collect ten samples of both sexes of roaches and exterminate the mutated bugs to take control of the red planet. Only two survivors manage to return to Earth, one of whom vows to return and avenge their fallen companions. As a third expedition is assembled, questions arise about the true origin of the Terraformars and their connection to an unknown disease afflicting mankind, known as the Alien Engine Virus, or A.E. Virus. To combat the Terraformars' strength and agility, members of the second and third expeditions undergo genetic modification to inherit the characteristics of other organisms, a process made possible only after having a special organ implanted, which carries a 36% chance of survival during the surgery.
The third expedition also ends with most of its crew members killed, either in battles against the Terraformars or in conflicts among themselves within the multi-sided struggle between the various factions aboard the ship, each with its own opposing interests. Despite this, the few survivors manage to collect enough samples for research on a cure for the A.E. Virus and return home. However, a new fight against the Terraformars begins when it is revealed that the creatures arrived on Earth long before. After multiplying at an alarming rate and adapting to their new environment far better than they did on their homeworld, they initiate their plan to take over the planet.
Characters BUGS 2
A member of the second expedition to Mars, Komachi is one of its few survivors. His strong sense of justice compels him to protect others, a drive that once led him to kill an abuser in his youth. He later undergoes the M.O. operation to follow his childhood friend, Nanao, to Mars. After witnessing her death, he returns two decades later as the leader of the Annex I's Japanese squad. His Asian giant hornet-based abilities grant him immense strength and a lethal sting. He is mortally wounded by Joseph G. Newton but achieves victory by using an overdose of transformation serum to sustain his body for a final attack.
As the other survivor of the BUGS 2 expedition, Hiruma is a pragmatic individual who initially attempted to betray his crew for financial gain. His experiences on Mars lead him to a political career, where he eventually becomes the Prime Minister of Japan, working to secure his nation's interests in the Annex I mission. His M.O. procedure grants him abilities based on the sleeping chironomid, providing an incredibly durable carapace and enhanced strength.
Shokichi's childhood friend and love interest who, after her stepfather was killed by Shokichi, joined the BUGS 2 crew. All she wanted was a peaceful life with Shokichi after returning to Earth, but tragically she was the first victim of the Terraformars when one of the roaches snapped her neck, dying in Shokichi's arms. Her powers were based on the silk moth, but died before being able to show them, until one of the Terraformars managed to copy her powers twenty years later.
The Captain of the BUGS 2 mission and Michelle's father. His powers were based on the Paraponera clavata, an ant so ferocious that even Army Ants will steer clear of its path, and is believed to be the world's strongest insect. He was capable of splitting in two the previously untouchable roaches with the pure strength of his arms or crush their heads with one hand. His power allowed him to fight off a horde of roaches singlehanded, giving time for his crew to escape. He was murdered by Victoria Wood. His daughter Michelle inherited his ant powers. Twenty years later, Michelle faces a roach that stole his powers.
Coming from Thailand, his powers were based on the desert locust and acquired an extreme leg strength that could decapitate a Terraformar with one kick. He sacrifices himself to allow Shokichi and Ichiro to use the BUGS 2 emergency escape pod to save themselves, after he overdosed on the drug and his body was more locust than human. He dies while being hugged by Komachi, calling him a friend. Twenty years later a cockroach is able to copy his powers.
The lieutenant of the BUGS 2 crew, her powers were based on a mantis, that gave her 2 mantis-like arms capable of cutting the roaches. She was killed by one of the evolved cockroaches. She was Liu Yiwu's childhood friend and was sent to as a spy to steal the technology on the BUGS surgery in America, only to be captured and underwent the BUGs surgery as part of her release negotiations by the Chinese government.
Coming from Israel, his powers were based on the bombardier beetle, and he was able to mix hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone just like the bug itself. Combining these two substances, he could then release a spray of extremely hot benzoquinone from his palms, creating a huge explosion, not unlike a flame-thrower. He was the first person to die battling the cockroaches. Twenty years later a roach was able to copy his powers and uses them to kill Sheila.
Coming from Russia, her powers were based on the rainbow stag beetle. She was cut in half by one of the roaches swift kick, despite the natural strength of the beetle's shell. Her powers are then used by one of the cockroaches, twenty years later.
Coming from South Africa, her powers were based on the emerald cockroach wasp, and she was capable of enslaving cockroaches by stinging them in the brain and even hiding within their bodies. She tried to betray the rest of the crew alongside Ichiro by bringing a roach egg, but later she revealed her plan on taking over the world using her powers. Unexpectedly the egg hatched and the newly evolved roaches were immune to her poison. She died during the crash landing.
Annex I
A Japanese member of the Annex I expedition, Akari is the son of a BUGS 2 crewmember, granting him latent inherited abilities. His M.O. procedure bestows the powers of the Japanese bagworm moth, enabling him to generate strong, elastic threads invisible to Terraformars. He wields these in tandem with a katana and martial arts. His innate mantis-based abilities later manifest, producing a sharp limb and transforming his threads into thorned, razor-sharp weapons. A mutual attraction exists between him and his superior, Michelle K. Davis.
Michelle K. Davis is the American leader of the Annex I expedition and the granddaughter of an executive behind the first mission. As the child of a BUGS 2 crewmember, she inherits the Paraponera abilities, granting her formidable strength and durability. Her own M.O. procedure adds the power of the blast ant, enabling explosive attacks. Six jet propellants enhance her speed and striking force. A mutual attraction exists between her and her subordinate, Akari.
A Mexican boy who joins the Annex I crew alongside his childhood friends Alex and Sheila in order to escape the poverty of his country and gain an American citizenship. His M.O. Operation powers come from the huntsman spider giving him great strength, ferocity and incredible speed that can bypass the roaches, leaving them no time to counterattack. Despite his immeasurable speed, his endurance is a bit low, forcing him to recharge after some time fighting, leaving him vulnerable to attack. In combat Marcos also uses a staff that he calls the "Arachnebuster Mk.II" that he uses to deflect ranged attacks and impale the roaches.
A Mexican member of the Annex I crew, Alex joins the mission to earn American citizenship and pursue a professional baseball career. His M.O. procedure grants him the abilities of the harpy eagle, enhancing his eyesight eightfold and granting immense upper-body strength for flight. His powerful grip allows him to throw objects with bullet-like force and pinpoint accuracy from great distances.
A Mexican girl that along with her two childhood friends Marcos and Alex escaped from her country and joined the Annex I to have the American citizenship. She seems to have a crush on Shokichi. She is killed when, while trying to capture a roach, the insect unexpectedly uses the powers of one of the fallen BUGS 2 crew to shoot a hole through her chest. She dies while trying to confess her feelings for Shokichi, to which he apparently understood her.
A member of the Annex I crew that joined the mission in order to pay the debts of the treatment of his retinal detachment. A former lightweight boxing champion, his M.O. Operation powers come from the peacock mantis shrimp, making him incredibly strong and durable, capable of regenerate any lost limbs after a few minutes with little effort. In addition to their powerful blows, the mantis shrimp also possesses one of the most advanced eyes in the animal kingdom, enabling him to see clearly in pitch-darkness.
A member of the Annex I crew who joined the mission in order to pay and sever her connections with her disgraced family. Her M.O. Operation powers come from the white-throated needletail, which grants her lightweight skin of amylose and strong chest muscles enough to lift her body into the air. While flying, she is so fast that the terraformar cannot match her movements. She uses a special body kit weapon with blades that allows her to swiftly kill several terraformars.
A Japanese girl that joined the Annex Project because of her financial debts. Her M.O. Operation powers come from the striped skunk and is capable of producing a smell so strong even the Terraformars will stay away from her (for some time), but she lacks any offensive capabilities. When used in tandem with Akari, however, the chemicals that produce the smell can cause lethal damage to her opponents.
An American man that joined the Annex Project to pay his economical debts. His M.O. Operation powers come from the killer whale, which makes him able to use echolocation by sending out ultrasonic waves and through the reflection of these waves, he is able to accurately locate and identify enemies even if they are underground or not visible. He was shot in the throat by the Archer Fish Terraformar and then he sacrificed himself to protect the unconscious members of his team from the Echidna Terraformars.