In recent years, Japan has become the shining light of Asia, with its noteworthy achievements in the fields of Science and Technology, Medicine and the like. ... more>>

But while there are a great number of rich and successful Japanese people, there are even more who're engaged in a furious struggle simply to earn their day-to-day living expenses -- all the while battling dangerous and money-consuming addictions such as gambling and alcoholism. What will these people do when they require the cash to feed the never-ending desires that are part and parcel of being human? How miserable and dangerous might their lives become if they fall into traps set by black market money-lenders to ensnare just such weak-willed individuals?

Note: Won the 56th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 2011. And the 23rd Japan Media Arts Festival Social Impact Award in 2020. <<less

Shirou's ordinary life as a poor construction worker gets turned upside down when he comes across a naked girl, Lucy, who's fallen out of the sky! Her strange and unique personality entices him and he introduces her to his apartment buddies. ... more>>

But after leaving for just a few minutes, he returns to the apartment to find Lucy gone, all his friends slaughtered and an ogre-like stranger standing amidst the carnage.

The big man suddenly pulls Shirou out of the apartment building just before it explodes! Shirou gets pushed down into the sewage system of the city and is saved by a mysterious man... <<less

The story centres on Kujou, a lawyer who would even defend the devil. In the new Reiwa era where chaos is spreading, he is the... more>> "guardian of darkness" who operates behind the scenes. <<less

The smugglers in our tale--guys who have to clean up the bodies after mob assassinations in which heads get ripped off--are a cold-hearted silent veteran, an old man, and a young guy forced to do dirty work to pay back money he owes the mob. ... more>>

When the young smuggler makes a mistake by allowing a captured rival to escape, the price he must pay for his error gets horrifically high... <<less