Welcome back, manga fans! I wanted to pose a question to you all. When is a manga not a manga?
As an American comics fan, the term “manga” has come to have a specific definition based on country of origin, i.e. Japan, and a specific set of aesthetic qualities & conventions. Usually it’s in black & white, almost exclusively it’s read right to left, and shorthand & tone-shifting expressed through intentional simplification/increased detail is used more readily, just to name a few. As you can see by the many qualifying words, that’s not such a
Yet the former aspect – country of origin – is often more important than the aesthetic qualities, despite the aesthetic qualities better defining what makes “manga” a thing Yet there are plenty of works that are aesthetically indistinguishable from around the globe
I ask this because Ablaze has a manga imprint that includes print manhwa – which, interestingly, are increasingly being referred to as webtoons/Korean webtoons, whether or not they originate on that platform – and the book I saw in this month’s solicits, “Witch of Mine,” visually fits with the other manga titles. It’s all marketing, sure, but it brings into focus that all important question: if a work shares only the aesthetic qualities of a specific sub-type of comic but not the country of origin, can it be called by that moniker? Or does it need a qualifier, like the Toykopop American manga/manga-style books of yore? Or does this make the artificiality of these divisions more apparent, to the point they stop having any meaningful significance writ large?
At this point, I’m not sure. I don’t know if I want to be sure. For the purpose of this column, and my own sanity, I’m gonna stick to comics originally from Japanese publishers. And don’t you @ me about “Creepy Cat.”
12. MTVs Newest Reality Show
I love when artists create fictionalized, clearly exaggerated versions of their life in a memoir style. There’s a lot of freedom in taking the real and making it hyper-real, such as what was done in “The Men Who Created Gundam.” I don’t think it’ll go quite that far. It seems more grounded. The cover’s contrast between the traditional shojo stylings of the woman in the background and the simplified autobio look of our author is also a great sign that there’s something more than just another funny and potentially introspective autobio here.
The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend
Written and Illustrated by Mieri Hiranishi
Published by Viz LLC
Mieri is an awkward, nerdy college student with no dating experience, and her previous crushes on fellow butch women have all ended in disaster. That all changes when she meets Ash and has her feelings returned for the first time-but when first love turns to first heartbreak, Mieri will do everything possible to win Ash back. Based on true events, this is a hilarious and heart-wrenching story about love, loneliness, and the true meaning of finding one’s own happy ending.
11. Tell Me A Story, Monogataman
The only reason I included this on the list (and felt I needed to extend it too) is because it’s a single volume work by Nisioisin. I should note I have no first hand experience with his work. The “Monogatari” series is simply big enough to make me perk my ears up at anything he’s involved in. There’s just something about the description that worries me; it feels like a work that’s tonally more like “Banana Fish” and “New York, New York” and could easily replicate their worst aspects without interrogating them. I hope to be wrong.
Continued belowTwilight Out of Focus
Written by Nisioisin
Illustrated by Oh Great
Published by Vertical Comics
Second-years Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Otomo make three promises: 1) That Mao will never tell anyone that Hisashi is gay and has a boyfriend, 2) That Hisashi will never think of Mao “in that way,” and 3) That they’ll always knock before entering, in case someone is having some “private time.” The two’s ground rules should ensure a peaceful life together in their dorm, but life is never as simple as it should be, and some things are not so easily promised…
10. Psycho Helmet Vs. Claw
I figured since Mob Psycho 100’s third and final season is currently airing, it would make sense to highlight the original. I don’t always do this, though I do try, but Mob Psycho 100 and its two sequel seasons are some of the most lavishly produced and impeccably animated series of all time. If you have not watched them, do yourself a favor and do so, though be aware that Crunchyroll refusal to meet with union reps for season 3’s dub for you dub watchers. Once you’ve done that, come back and see the manga that inspired it all. It may not be as lavish but there’s a reason BONES was able to make three seasons of perfection from it.
Mob Psycho 100, Vol. 11
Written and Illustrated by One
Published by Dark Horse Comics
A tower looms above the ravaged city . . . left standing by its ravagers, the psychic terrorist organization Claw, bent on nothing less than world domination! Reigen, Mob, and their friends haven’t lost their courage to resist, and fight their way through the rubble in a counterattack. They’ve battled Claw’s elite “Scars” before . . . but behind them are an inner circle of five ultimate espers, the personal lieutenants of the man at the center of it all-Claw’s leader, Toichiro Suzuki!
9. I Said Stakeout, Not Steak Out
If “Candy Color Paradox” seems a bit basic, that’s because it probably is. There’s no big creative hook to highlight, no art to fawn over, or even a reputation to rely on. Sometimes though, you just need to read something that’s doing the standards well.
The plot isn’t too contrived and has a malleable angle – reporters, one a writer, the other a photographer – fall in love during their stakeouts and by this point in the narrative have just moved in together, which is creating tension. The story clearly cares about not just the romance angle but the ways in which that intersects with their jobs and the newfound tension of being in a more serious relationship.
I just think it looks neat.
Candy Color Paradox, Vol. 6
Written and Illustrated by Isaku Natsume
Published by Sublime
Reporter Onoe and photographer Kaburagi constantly bicker and argue on their stakeouts, but will their antagonistic behavior paradoxically evolve into something sweeter?Satoshi Onoe, a reporter for a weekly magazine, has a new stakeout partner, and he’s anything but thrilled about it. Photographer Motoharu Kaburagi’s unconventional reporting methods and overall bad attitude are enough to drive Onoe insane. But the more the two work together, the closer they get.
Ready to take their relationship to a whole new level, Kaburagi and Onoe make the next big leap on their path to love-finding an apartment together. But end-of-the-year holiday cheer turns into holiday dread, with endless work keeping the two from having time to see each other! Onoe starts worrying that Kaburagi is overworking himself, but his concern comes off as criticism, sparking the couple’s first big argument and driving Onoe to say that maybe they shouldn’t live together after all. And even after they make up, Kaburagi starts getting cold feet about the big move…
8. Get Behind Me sDaEtMaOnN
I’m disappointed in Denpa for not keeping the English that’s actually on the original cover “Hero in the Satan’s House.” Not surprised, considering Helstrom was renamed from Hellstrom because they were afraid people would get mad if the title had Hell in it, but still disappointed. Especially because the whole thing feels like an elaborate shitpost.
Just look at that cover. It looks like a piece of dark edgy fanart an 11-year old made of their favorite brooding fantasy anti-hero, only its gotten the same upgrade “One Punch Man” got when Yusuke Murata redrew the series. The rest of the cover screams “graphic design is my passion.” Satan’s even got a dick cape! I need to know what the hell this book is and I think you all do too.
Continued belowHero in the Demon’s Castle
Written by Inutoki
Illustrated by Syohei
Published by Denpa Books – Kuma
The burgeoning romance(?) between the Demon King and a friendly adventurer.
7. I’ll Be Honest. I’m As Lost As You Are.
This is by the “Tokyo Ghoul” guy. It’s not nearly as incomprehensible as that series got. I still have no idea what to make of this book. So why am I putting it at #7 on my list? Well, because beneath the chaotic art and mess of a narrative structure is a wildly creative idea that is impossible to pin down but gnaws at the back of your mind between every chapter.
There’s a reason “Tokyo Ghoul” got as big as it did despite its abundant and obvious flaws and “Choujin X” is no different. In some ways it’s more cohesive and in others it’s far messier. But it’s taking big swings and if you’re into dark supernatural stories, this is worth giving a shot and seeing where it goes. Plus, it’s a new Sui Ishida book and that’s something to celebrate, even if I do think anyone saying they can interpret his fight scenes is lying to my face.
Choujin X, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Sui Ishida
Published by Viz LLC
Best friends Tokio and Azuma do everything together, even if most of the time it feels like Tokio is just stumbling along in Azuma’s cooler, more talented footsteps. But when they’re attacked one night by a superhuman mutant called a choujin, Tokio finally has a chance to shine-by turning into a choujin himself!
6. I Don’t Know Enough K-Pop to Make a Funny Title
I cannot believe that there is now an entire sub-genre of comedy manga that’s just “what if yakuza were people like us but only in this one specific, contradictory way?” In this one, a yakuza boss becomes a K-pop stan. Usually I try to justify my pick here but I think the cover speaks for itself in this case.
Yakuza’s Bias, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Teki Yatsuda
Published by Kodansha Comics
A yakuza enforcer becomes the gang world’s biggest K-pop stan in this cult comedy manga that went from webcomic to sleeper hit in Japan! Takeru is one of the top lieutenants in the feared yakuza outfit the Oshio-gumi. He lives his life by the code of the Japanese underworld, where nothing is more important than loyalty, and ties between soldiers and their aniki are sacred bonds. Takeru’s never had time for hobbies… until the boss’s only daughter Megumi drags him to a K-pop concert, and he sees the glittering, charismatic Jun for the first time. Smitten like a new recruit on his first job, Takeru plunges into fandom with the solemnity and passion only a true man who walks the way of the yakuza could muster.
5. Swimming By Gaslight
This has all the makings of a favorite of mine…and probably not many others. The set-up is great, with a mystery about a strange town and merpeople and it appears to be pretty low-key with an art-style that’s reminiscent of “Saturn Apartments” but with way thinner outlining. It also gets bonus points for being a Josei manga AND a single US volume (2 volumes originally.) If that sounds like it’s right up your alley, this is the work for you.
Mermaid Scales & the Town of Sand
Written and Illustrated by Yoko Komori
Published by Viz LLC
Everyone but Tokiko denies the existence of merpeople, and yet the townspeople hold a festival every year to honor them. Can she solve the mystery of what is real and what is fantasy? And learn to live with the truth?When Tokiko’s parents break up, she and her father move from the bustling city to a sleepy coastal town to live with her grandmother. Starting sixth grade in a new school where everyone has known each other their whole life isn’t easy… Things start to look up when local boy Narumi, another outsider, wants to be friends!
But then strange memories start to surface.
Swimming in the ocean…
Drowning…
Getting saved by…
…a merman?
4. Darling!
I’ve held off highlighting “Urusei Yatsura” here because I haven’t gotten much of a chance to read it past the third re-release volume and, as I said in my review of the first 2-in-1 re-release years ago this isn’t a series for everyone. For example, I much prefer “Maison Ikkoku.” Still, “Urusei” is a bona fide classic. With David Prodcution’s reboot currently airing, it seemed like the best time to spotlight the comic that put Takahashi on the map and whose original original adaptation revolutionized the anime industry.
Continued belowUrusei Yatsura, Vol. 17
Written and Illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi
Published by Viz LLC
Inaba the Rabbit Man is trying to get a promotion, but to level up he has to pick a rare flower that only grows in space-time, and he needs to find a girl who will come with him on his dangerous quest! But when he asks Shinobu to be the girl he gets Ataru and Lum too! Is his promotion a guaranteed no? Later, some random dude shows up at Tomobiki High claiming to be Lum’s fiancé! He whisks her away to be married on his darkness-draped home planet, and the only way Ataru can save her is by saying “I love you.” When he can’t bring himself to say it, Lum makes an ultimatum that balances the fate of the world against Ataru’s heart! Is Earth doomed?!
3. Bring On the End of the World
There’s been a real uptick in post-apocalypse media in the last couple years. Not since the post-“Fist of the North Star” & Mad Max boom has there been so many, I’d venture. I wonder why that could be… Let’s not dwell too much on that.
My recommendations for these kinds of works are…spotty, I admit. “Crazy Food Truck” was not as good as I hoped it’d be. On the bright side, I’m getting strong “Heavenly Delusion” vibes from this comic and that IS a comic I like. The art style seems like a mix of Inio Asano and “Yokai Watch” with a dash of early-2000s Jump protag. I’m not sure if it wants to be a more chill series, an adventure, or a series with an underlying creeping dread. I suppose the tone doesn’t matter so much to me because the rest has me intrigued enough to give it a shot.
Touring After the Apocalypse, Vol. 2
Written and Illustrated by Sakae Saito
Published by Yen Press
Youko and Airi’s next stop is Umihotaru, a rest stop in the middle of Tokyo Bay famous for its nighttime view. But with the Aqua-line tunnel from Kawasaki flooded, they’re forced to take a huge detour all the way to Chiba. On the way, they make a stop in Akihabara to investigate a mysterious radio signal. Could someone still be alive there…?
2. Cats! Cats! Cats!
My love for this series is well documented and I LOVE this cover. Look at the sea-green background and all the cuties on the cover. LOOK AT FUKUMARU’S ADORABLE SQUISHY CHEEKS!!! Please, do me a favor and read this series. It’s hilarious, it’s bittersweet, and it’s getting more and more narratively ambitious with each volume. The only reason it’s not at #1 again is I wanted to give some other books a chance.
A Man and His Cat, Vol. 8
Written and Illustrated by Umi Sakurai
Published by Square Enix Manga
Having won hearts and topped charts in Japan, this hotly anticipated series about an older gentleman and his unique, adorable cat is available in English for the first time! Rival pianist Geoffroy and five kittens (!!) have taken up residence at Mr. Kanda’s house, and things are livelier than ever! But when an outrageous young woman who claims to be Mr. Kanda’s daughter comes calling, Geoffroy is bewildered and has no one to turn to with Mr. Kanda away! What will become of Geoffroy when a visiting Hibino joins the fray, and cats and (found) family collide?
1. Chase the Light
I really struggled with what to put here at #1. I ended up going with this debut work for the strength of its cover and the tightness of its description. I like my fantasy works with a bit of bite and baked into “Call the Name’s” premise is a literal inner battle. This is then expressed through the cover in a beautiful way, with delicate linework and a promise of wonder against a backdrop that wants to swallow the frame whole. It’s got the makings of a dark fairytale like “Girl from Next Door” with a bit more mainstream appeal. Let’s see if it can make the splash I hope it can.
Continued belowCall the Name of the Night, Vol. 1
Written and Illustrated by Tama Mitsuboshi
Published by Yen Press
Deep in the forest, a curious pair reside: a young girl Mira, whose affliction leads her to call forth darkness whenever she’s in distress; and her physician Rei, determined to seek a cure. Each day, she works to remember the light and bring back the person she used to be. But a sudden visit from Rei’s friend, who harbors an interest in Mira’s illness may be end of their peaceful days…
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Anything I missed? What are YOU looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!
