In a city so dismal it's known only as "the Hole," a clan of Sorcerers have been plucking people off the streets to use as... more>> guinea pigs for atrocious "experiments" in the black arts. In a dark alley, Nikaido found Caiman, a man with a reptile head and a bad case of amnesia. To undo the spell, they're hunting and killing the Sorcerers in the Hole, hoping that eventually they'll kill the right one. But when En, the head Sorcerer, gets word of a lizard-man slaughtering his people, he sends a crew of "cleaners" into the Hole, igniting a war between two worlds. <<less

In the Noramimi universe, most families own a 'mascot'. These strange and amusing creatures live at home and act as companions for younger children. ... more>>

Noramimi is one such mascot. Unfortunately for him, he is an ogre type and thus not popular with children, who prefer 'cuter' alternatives. Unwillingly, he decides to 'home stay' at "Hello Kids" - an agency that organizes matters between mascots and humans.

But, like all mascots, his heartfelt wish is to one day be adopted by a family... <<less

This is a collection of one-shots from Douman Seiman. It contains 36 short stories about serial killers finding love, historical figures brought back from the... more>> dead, yaoi fan-girl ghosts making suggestions to the men she watches, and everything in between. <<less

On the planet of Hekiou, there is a continuing war between the first wave of immigrants and the second. An important section of the military uses a native creature, the Niebass, to give its soldiers translocation abilities. These soldiers are all women, with the alien creature transplanted into their wombs. Some people see this practice as a violation of human women by aliens, and Mana Oga's boyfriend has a similar perspective on the matter. Mana Oga is a new soldier in this section, and the story follows her and the other women in her group who accept the alien creatures into their wombs in order to defend their homes.... more>>

Note: Won Nihon SF Taisho Award in 2016. Was nominated for Seiun Award in 2017. <<less

The author, a high-school teacher, recounts his 12 years on "night patrol" in Yokohama City, where he comes face to face with youth dealing with... more>> issues ranging from self-mutilation to drug abuse. <<less

The tale begins on January 1965, Vietnam. Hikaru Minami, a newbie reporter, lands in Saigon to begin photographing the war. Thus does his story of war, growth, life, and a tragic love begin.... more>>

Drawn in a simple and light style that belies its subject matter, complementing the writing very well. <<less

During summer vacation a group of fifteen children discover a mysterious man living in a cave surrounded by high tech gadgets, the man claims to be a game developer, creating a video game with a giant robot defending Earth from fifteen alien invaders. He asked the children to test the game for him and they agreed.... more>>

Notes: Received Excellence Prize from Japan Media Arts Festival in 2010 <<less

Fumi Koito used to be raised by an old housekeeper named Hatoko Natsuyaki. He would call her "Peppermint Nanny" because she would eat his leftover peppermint candy drops, because he hates how they taste, then breathe into his nose because he likes the smell.... more>>

Now Fumi is in his mid-20's and living on his own as a cram school teacher. One day a little girl no more than nine years old shows up at his house. It turns out she is his old nanny who misses cooking and tending to his every need. But because she is pushing eighty and has grown too frail, she drank a mysterious bottle of medicine to regain her youth, and accidentally drank too much.

Thus begins their new life together, with the reader frequently left guessing who is taking care of whom. <<less

Coil is a man whose idea of "life" is his alter ego in an online world. A place where the hearts of people come together...and... more>> it is not a pretty place. The slender spiderweb that connects their souls within this endless world brings greater pain than reality itself. <<less

The betrayal of her lover sends Chica into despair and as result she attempts to end her own life. But she is saved by a... more>> man called Antonio, who helps nurse her back to health. It is then Chica that decides and swears: "I will become a bullfighter. By becoming one, I will be able to die in front of my lover." But little does Chica know of the difficult road that lies ahead and the trouble she must face to follow the path of a matador... <<less

The World consist of the upper, the middle, and lower classes.... more>>

Those who are wealthy live in the Town.

Those who are poor live in the Fields.

Those below, in the thick and gloomy Forest....

In the Fields, Takaoku Restaurant's show girl, Kiyoko, supports her mother by managing the food preparation. One day, a regular patron named Tanaka, who recruits day laborers for the underground, requests that they bring meals to an assassin from the Forest called "Yorukumo," or "Night Spider."

Yorukumo was born in the Forest as a disposable child, raised to be void of emotions, unable to feel pain, and without knowledge of reading and writing. With Tanaka's instructions, he easily handles assassin jobs daily. When Kiyoko and Yorukumo meet, the World begins to come apart a little at a time. <<less

The twin brothers Susumu and Tsutomu have been friends with the girl Sakura since they were kids. But when Tsutomu mysteriously disappears at the age... more>> of ten, Susumu and Sakura begin to drift apart. What Sakura doesn’t know: Tsutomu has returned, not as a person, but as the mirror image of Susumu. That is, whenever Susumu looks in a mirror, he sees his brother who talks to him. Thus begins a bizarre love triangle between Sakura, who torments the poor Susumu as much as she is being tormented by her peers, Susumu, who keeps thinking he has to save Sakura because he likes her, and Tsutomu, who despite being stuck in a mirror pulls everyone’s strings. <<less

Benzo and Soji witnessed the death of Tatsugoro, leader of the Akame Gang. Tatsugoro's last words to them were "I'm leaving you two in charge",... more>> but it was Jinzaburo, the former leader's friend, who was chosen instead. Displeased with Tatsugoro's wife's decision, the two left the gang. They then set off on an aimless journey, vowing to accomplish something big. [Stiletto Heels] <<less

The story of an orphanage, the children who live in it, and the beat-up old Nissan Sunny 1200 which provides them with a means of escape from their boring everyday lives.... more>>

In 2016 won the "Shogakukan Manga Awards" in the category "Best manga of the year". <<less

Includes the following short stories:... more>>

1. Once Upon a Time

A lost little girl wants to find her way home...

2. See You Next Time

A girl calmly reminisces about her dead friend.

3. Imp in the Night

A little imp wonders why he's afraid of the night.

4. Sakura Antique Store

The story of an old watch sitting in the window display of the Sakura Antique Store.

5. Shiroi Kumo (White Clouds)

A beautiful and touching story about life, death, and the heartening belief that we will all arrive at the same place when our time has come.

6. Molehill

The story of a young mole who decides to become human so that he can see his girlfriend's face...

7. The Lands of Dreams

A girl is trapped in an endless dream...

8. Grape Picking

Two teachers discuss the godliness of children.

9. Let's Go Home

An elderly couple's reminiscences as they pay a visit to the village from their shared childhood.

10. The Story of a Flower

They don't have a mother, but...

11. The Road Where Flowers Bloom

A careworn man whose life stuck in a rut, a book with Sakura blossoms stuck in the pages, a mysterious woman who claims to have been killed by him, a childhood best friend's mysterious reappearance...

12. Egg Water

The taste of the water bubbling up from a well in the backyard of a little old lady's house...

13. Hoppie's Bear

The unlikely friendship between a lovelorn office worker and a strange -- and strangely mature -- girl.

14. To A Certain Place...

Returning home. <<less

In a world that has become 70% harsh desert, the Rainbow Council of the International Peace Keeping Forces, a team of super-powered global security guardians,... more>> have a growing crisis on their hands. No. 5, one of their own and known within the council as their top marksman, has left his post and gone rogue. It's up to the other guardians to track him down--but No. 5, with his mysterious companion Matroshka, won't go down without a fight. <<less

Through his hobby, which is exploring (peeping?) through the spaces in-between, Heisaku-kun ends up falling in love with his neighbor, Fumio-chan. However, it turns out... more>> that Fumio-chan has also been spying on Heisaku-kun all this time. Will this uncontrollable pair's hidden love ever be realized? <<less

It is the story of two boys, Machizo and Tetsuo, who create manga together.... more>>

Machizo's father is a successful mangaka (manga artist). Machizo feels he's living under his father's shadow, and resents his father's success.

Tetsuo, who is at school with Machizo, enjoys drawing manga and is good at it. His favorite mangaka happens to be Machizo's father. The two boys strike up an alliance to draw a successful manga to win a contest, with Machizo writing the story and Tetsuo drawing the graphics. An important part is also played by a violent girl named Kimiko, who has a crush on Tetsuo. <<less

A collection of unique, fantastical short stories featuring quirky, mysterious characters.

A collection of seven humorous oneshots covering a wide range of themes.... more>>

Story 1, A Lad?s Christmas: A jaded Santa has to get through a particularly rough Christmas.

Story 2, Travel Writer: A young couple on their first trip break rule number one: Never leave the tourist route.

Story 3, TUDM: A soldier learns his comrade is a robot while trapped within a mine field.

Story 4, Space War: A young platoon captain fighting on a distant planet has to keep her troops together in the face of unexpected alien developments.

Story 5, Slavakia: A lonely woman meets someone new on a desert planet.

Story 6, Greedy City and Konjac Rock: A backpacking kid comes across an easy way to get money.

Story 7, Latakia the Witch: A boy winds up as a helper to a "witch". <<less

Nawoki Karasawa is one of the longer-active and more prestigious names in the typically small time, lesser-known world of gag manga. In a genre where art skill is second to just about everything else, Karasawa's dialogue is hilariously sharp and witty.... more>>

A gag parody of Shinji Nagashima's immortal "Mangaka Zankoku Monogatari" (Karasawa's title only differs by adding "Chou" (super) to "Zankoku"), a manga about the dreams, ambitions, and suffering of a group of bright young mangaka. Karasawa brilliantly takes the piss out of just about everything involved with being a mangaka. It's lewd, raunchy, endlessly cynical and laugh-out-loud funny.

Originally published in Ikki and the Big Comic Spirits special issue "Casual" from 2000 to 2003, it was collected into a single book in 2005. <<less

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From Mohiro Kitoh, the author of Narutaru and Bokurano, comes this wonderful collection of short stories that reinforces his reputation as a skillful story teller. Spanning almost 20 years of the artist’s career—from his professional debut work Zansho to his latest contribution to IKKI magazine Pochi no Basho—this collected volume offers a unique view of Kitoh’s artistic development.... more>>

Includes:

1. Zansho - Summer Heat

2. The Girl on the Pole at the Intersection on 3rd Street

3. Bringing Flowers to Kasei Inn

4. Soiled, Beautiful

5. A & R

6. Papa's Song

7. Pochi's Place <<less

Shiro Kamiya, an ordinary boy, transfers into St. Kleio Academy, a school attended by the clones of many well-known figures.... more>>

“Afterschool Charichuma” is drawn by Kumiko Suekane to show a different side of the “Afterschool Charisma” world. <<less

In the centuries to come, humankind as we know it will be all but extinct. Tiny fairies become the dominant species on Earth. This series... more>> of laid-back reports follows one of the few surviving humans, a girl who tries to befriend and study the fairies while also digging up relics of our civilization (CDs, etc) to her great wonderment. <<less