This collection of stories explores different types of exclusion and isolation. Ever since his father died saving him, Asano has associated his father's white ashes with purity and cleanliness. Unfortunately, for his dark-complected cousin Izuru, Asano's neurosis prevents them from being close. Will Asano learn to overcome his distaste for things that are not pure white for Izuru's sake? Includes three other stories.... more>>

Stories included in this collection:

White Brand I

White Brand II

Teal End

Hasta La Vista, Baby

Exhibition Painting

One Size Fits All <<less

Consists of three oneshots:... more>>

1) Soko wa Nemuri no Mori -

Yui has stopped growing because of something that happened when she was 12 years old. One day, 18-year-old Yuri found a young man with amnesia near the hidden cottage she lives in, and brought him home. Yui named the man "Pochi" because he cannot even remember his name, and she treats him as her pet...

2) The Stars Knows Everything -

Futari no Tame ni Sekai wa Aru no extra. Chiharu is dating the stundent rep Kyou but it's a secret - so she disguises their relationship with Fukaya Hisaki - it's too bad that Kyou's bestfriend feels she's 'corrupting' him and decides to intervene...

3) Climb the Stairs of Cinderella. Kaya is a child prodigy, best in choir without any lessons, perfect piano playing, but she has a hard time dealing with other's jealousy, especially when Katsuma, the boy she likes is in love with Misaki, her bestfriend, but Misaki doesn't know....what should Kaya do? <<less

In Your Color, a girl goes to the same high school as the girl she admired in middle school, her senpai in the Art Club,... more>> and ends up modeling for her when she has to leave the track team due to injury. <<less

Kira believes that Rei and all other men in the world are dirty. She stays away from her classmates, hiding in her art. What happens... more>> when the delinquent motorcyclist and playboy, Rei, gets a hold of one of her drawings, and actually wants to keep it? <<less

Oba Tamako tells of her time being at art high school.

Mayu is a book-worm who genuinely wants to do something different than the girls around her. One day, she accidentally walks into a body paint... more>> exhibition and finds this story. <<less

Consists of four stories:... more>>

1) Othello

After Atsushi dies in a horrible accident, his twin brother Ayumu decides to steal his identity and returns to school in his place. He attempts to hide his reckless behavior and assume persona of his honor student brother. However, for some reason, Ayumu is unable to hide his true colors and composure around his classmate Kirishima.

2) Snow White in Summer

3) Night's Fragrance

4) Night's Abyss (Haruka no Fuchi) <<less

Contains two stories:... more>>

Chapters 1-3 -- Dokusaisha Granada

Naruse Kunihiko is an upcoming short film-maker who shares the spotlight with no one. He writes his own scripts, his own music, and uses the one-man art of claymation to realize his vision onscreen. An arrogant artist who doesn't tolerate any criticism, he operates solely on the desire for praise. So when he forms a friendship with Nakata, a journalist who has been assigned to interview him, Naruse finds himself unprepared for the trials of a real human relationship...

Chapters 4-5 --

When a failed suicide attempt lands troubled teenager Takashi Koyama in hospital, he first hates and then develops a close bond with a terminally ill boy named Kuro. A bittersweet story about how even a tragically short connection can change a life. <<less

Ever since he was small, all the girls in the neighborhood have fawned over Tsutomu Yamaguchi, whose name came from a song and whose adorable face closely resembles the monkey character Monchichi's. Even back then, it was enough to make his friend and neighbor Mikako sick. Now that he's a little more grown, Tsutomu looks like the lead vocalist of Manbou, Ken Nakagawa (Midori friend/boyfriend from ; we meet main characters from Tenshi on market/fest), and that makes him even more popular with the ladies. But Mikako--now a trendy teen with modern sensibilities--couldn't care less. Or could she...? Gokinjo Monogatari is a sharp-witted and stylish slice-of-life story!... more>>

Continuation (after years) in . <<less

These stories are told with the same bold, kinetic art style and brilliantly paced storytelling that Samura's Blade of the Immortal epic is famous for.... more>> The main offering, "Ohikkoshi," follows the turbulent paths of several twenty-something art students as they fall in love, fall in lust, play in rock bands, ride motorbikes, eat, sleep (together), and try to avoid making life decisions while drunk. This romantic comedy is a "Japanese art school confidential" packed with absurd humor, obscure death metal references, and some expertly placed, dramatic revelations. "Luncheon of Tears Diary" is a vibrant, genre-busting tale that also peppers its humor with sharp, dramatic moments. Natsumi Funabashi, a virgin, is an aspiring manga creator on a quest for love and a fulfilling career. Along the way, she has to cope with overzealous men, gang warfare, a mahjong addiction, and a lascivious manga editor. This collection is rounded off by Samura's hilarious "Kyoto Super Barhopping Journal: Bloodbath at Midorogaike," a rare, autobiographical travel piece. <<less

Provence is a popular cafe that is owned by brother and sister, Hayes and Hayumi. Many young girls come to Provence just to meet Hayes. In the first story we meet Yune who is a high school student who illustrates childrens books, who is enamored of Hayes. Will she be able to confess how she feels?... more>>

In the second arc we switch to Hayumi and Alan. Alan has been in love with Hayumi for a long time, however is constantly rejected by her. Will he finally win her over? <<less

Aoi - a girl who lives in a household of seven. Her current status? Poor. Masafumi, dubbed the Prince of School, lives in a mansion with a household of mostly servants and his grandparents. His current status? Rich. When Masafumi decides to throw away 40 cents which Aoi could have used, she's enraged at his action of discarding the valuable amount, and vows to never forgive him! But, what happens when fate brings Aoi to the Prince's door, in place of her mother, who is injured? Revenge? Schooling in the antics of the poor?... more>>

Extra:

That is Why we Dream - Nakahara has a habit of setting things on fire, she coops herself up in the art room and never smiles..she is also a young and famous artist. While setting fire to another object, she meets a boy, who is a young and famous basketball player...why does he give her so much attention when everyone else shuns her? and why does she seem so sad while painting? <<less

Abe Takahiro is an ordinary, well-adjusted, high school student, who falls in love with his bespectacled classmate Asai Rumi, thinking she's just a cute member of the art club. Alas, his love is anything but ordinary - she's actually a hardcore yaoi-loving fujoshi who is utterly convinced Takahiro and Shunsuke Chiba, the handsome class playboy and his best friend from middle school, are having a torrid affair. With comical misunderstandings, awkward half-confessions, and the revelation that class idol Matsui Yoko is an otaku enamored with Rumi as well, poor Abe has his work cut out for him if he hopes to woo the Otaku-Type Delusion girl.... more>>

Source: Jmanga <<less

The story of the characters of In the Walnut is actually a spin off a oneshot that was published in volume 2.... more>>

What do a gallery owner, Hideo Tanizaki, and a young, naïve filmmaker, Sohei Nakai, have in common? Well, both of them are 24 years old – that’s a good start. They both graduated from the same art school – that can’t hurt either. The fact that Tanizaki has a penchant for art forgery is just one “minor” difference between the two that Tanizaki hopes to rectify pretty quickly. <<less

A European-style romance story inspired by the historical real-life passion of Parisian painter Marie Laurencin and French poet Guillaume Apollinaire.... more>>

Marie and her fiancé Woobin live an idyllic life until Woobin dies in a tragic accident. Her life shattered, Marie returns from France to face his family and an unexpected problem. Woobin's young brother Gangbin looks exactly like him.

Ashamed, Marie suppresses her longings, but Fate draws them together. The cruel hope of experiencing true love again torments Marie. However, a dark and beautiful celebrity, Cheryun, also has her eye on Gangbin and she'll soon play her hand... <<less

Moka's brother Megu is returning from New York City where he lived with their father. Not only that but she is also interested in the... more>> subject of art. When she goes to the library she meets Masato-kun, whom she begins to like. But Masato-kun turns out to be a playboy. Will Moka's determination win him over? <<less

Enthusiastic fujoshi and doujinshi artist Yurina sees yuri everywhere at her all-girls' school... except in the eyes of the best friend who cares for her.

1) Atsui Hibi... more>>

When Kuniyoshi was on his way home, he saw honour student, Ikeda, in the river looking for his notebook. Then, the girl who picked up the notebook, Murozono appears and she has come to know about the ‘murder-plans’ written in it…

2) Flower's marking

Who draws the beautiful flowers on Kikuchu's desk? And why were they erased when she added one of her own next to them?

3) Cold days like before

Can the warm feelings of Tooyama thaw Ikeda senpai's heart.

4) Nameless Guest

Four people are held hostages under the threat that those who remain will be killed if anyone tries to escape. Then a professional hostage rescuer sneaks into the room looking for Tateishi Hideyo only... <<less

A collection of 6 stories.... more>>

[STORY 01]

Suki Ja Nai (I Don't Love You)

"If you always say 'I love you,' you'll find happiness." Thanks to grandmother's good luck charm, Rio is a very happy and bright high school girl, well-liked by everyone because she tells everyone that she loves them. ...Except for a boy in her class named Kaito. For some reason, he's different from everyone else. He makes Rio nervous and gets her heart pounding, and she can't communicate an "I love you" to him. Just what's going on!?

[STORY 02]

Koi No Mukou (Beyond Love)

Stories 2 and 6 are continuations of the first story.

[STORY 03]

Kiss No Jouken (The Terms of a Kiss)

[STORY 04]

Touched by Love

[STORY 05]

Surprise Attack

[STORY 06]

Happy <<less

Nanaka loves to paint. So when she enters high school, she gets excited at the prospect of joining the arts club. However, there are only... more>> two members--the mysterious Chihaya and the energetic Kento. They're both good-looking guys, and Chihaya shares Nanaka's love for painting! Alongside the two gorgeous guys (and Nanaka's best friend)... what will happen? <<less

Emi, a writer of short stories, is in love with Tsuzuki from the art club. She finds herself writing him love letter after love letter,... more>> but will she ever actually give him one of the letters? <<less

Takemoto lives in a run-down student apartment, where his greatest worry is when he'll next be able to afford to eat meat and whether he'll get to class on time. Although he's away from home and living on his own, Takemoto is far from finished growing up. Along with his crazy cast of friends, Morita, Mayama, Yamada, and Hagumi, Takemoto sets out to discover life and his true self.... more>>

Note: Was adapted into a in 2006 and a live action tv series.

Won the the 27th Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo in 2003 (shared with ). <<less

Butterfly is a young geisha in training. She loves and admires her childhood friend, Chinatsu-san. He’s a tattoo artist, and he paints butterflies on her arms and is kind to her. One day she visits Chinatsu and finds a naked woman there. Butterfly is devastated at the thought of her friend with another girl all along. Soon after, a rich foreigner offers to buy Butterfly and take her to live luxuriously in a faraway land with him. She’ll miss life at home, but maybe it will help her forget Chinatsu. But does she really want to?... more>>

Also includes:

Memories of You <<less

A love story between two souls separated by their stations in life, in the form of a tattoo.... more>>

-----

"Even if we stopped seeing each other, my soul would always be with you."

A man visits a certain tatoo artist. A vivid love story of surreptitious, yet intense longing of two souls. <<less

• White Room ... more>>

Angels exist in both black and white. The white angels have pleasant jobs, like making flowers bloom and warning people of danger. The black angels have ugly jobs, like making people sick. When she was a child, the black angel Lily admired the white angels, and now as an adult she's decided she wants to be one.

• A Story of Long Ago

Long ago, an angel born from a daughter and her mother's lover remembers back to when she was born.

• The Dreamer

A girl dreams the same dreary dream every night, and meets a blind man who describes a blue sky to her. She searches for the blue sky.

• Imagination

Envious of the boy who always places first in her art school, she snaps at him, only to realize how wrong she was to do so.

• I Dreamt of a Delicious Little Finger

Dreaming that in a dream, your body parts turned to bread...!

• Cups

A depressed girl, seeing that her kitten is pregnant, works so that she will have money to afford kittens, only to find tragedy.

• The Edge of the Sky, to the Furthest Horizon

A man searches for his true love. <<less