A rose desperate to hide her thorns finally blooms in this office romance. Suzu Takamine, the office's unattainable beauty who turns down anyone that asks her to date, is carrying a painful secret. Whenever she tries to be intimate with a man, they faint for some reason. Suzu wants to get married someday, but with her condition ruining her dating life, she's losing hope for any happily ever after. When the office playboy, Kinase, learns of her unbelievable secret, Suzu is shocked to hear him offer his "expert assistance" in resolving her problem. Now she has to decide: Will she give him a try?
Winner of the 24th Manga Division Excellence Award at the 2020 Japan Media Arts Festival
Every young couple has high hopes for their unborn child, and Sara and Kouta Takano are no different. But only days away from giving birth, Sara learns about the tragedy of Malala Yousafzai's attempted assassination at the hands of the Taliban, and her pure and innocent belief in the future is shaken. If such a smart and courageous child can be hurt so badly by the world, how can she keep her own baby safe? With Sara now in a state of shock, will the young couple be able to bridge the widening gap between them, or will it tear their family apart?
The reality of this world, as seen through the eyes of an author that has spent years illustrating the women and their lives.
"This book brilliantly captures the anxieties held by people of today. Sara embodies the joyful anticipation of a mother-to-be, until an international story breaks and expands her list of hopes and fears in the information-flooded world. A modern audience can relate to her distrust in the times, and Sara's anguish is universal in its resonance. The work devotes numerous techniques to express its intentions but remains accessible. Colored pencils bring the story to life, at different times injecting turbulence and warmth. Through a small but striking backlist, the artist has secured a singular presence in the industry. What does it mean to be wise and brave? How do we resist and reverse the cruelties of the world? The artist plumbs this fathomless question and offers a powerful response." - Kazuko Kawahara, Japan Media Arts Festival
"A story that exposes its whole heart on the page, Miki Yamamoto's A Smart and Courageous Child perfectly encapsulates the nearly unbearable hope and angst of being a new, expectant parent. It is no exaggeration to say this comic made me cry with recognition and remembrance of this fragile time before my own children's births. Raw and relatable to any parent, A Smart and Courageous Child uses simplistic illustrations to tell a universal story. Drawn only with black, red, yellow, and slate-blue colored pencils, it captures a muted snow globe of a world-the strange liminal space that new parents occupy, seemingly insulated from everything else." - Lauren Orsini, Anime News Network
"It may just be the timing, but this ended up being a very comforting book to read in a dark time, and I hope that enough people read it. Not only because its a great book. Not only because hopefully it will result in more of Miki Yamamoto's works being translated. But because I feel this is a book we need right now, to remind us that life is worth living outside of the doomscrolling, and it reminds us of this in the most human way possible." - Kevin T. Rodriguez, Fandom Post
"Such stylistic choice contributes to making A Smart and Courageous Child a heartwarming reading, where mutual trust and care are presented as a potential solution to the issue of a world saturated with bad news and skepticism. [...] Powerful and moving in its apparent simplicity, A Smart and Courageous Child sure deserves the popularity enjoyed upon receiving the 24th Manga Division Excellence Award at the 2020 Japan Media Arts Festival, whose commission did not fail to notice how behind Miki Yamamoto's gentle visuals lies a much-needed call for change. A change towards an age where kindness and adaptability are the antidote to horror." - Giovanni Stigliano, Asian Movie Pulse
"If you've ever felt any anxiety about something you can't control, you will empathize with Sara and how she can't cope with these new fears that have sprung up out of what feels like nowhere, the loss of control that she can't help but feel. The art is deceptively simple, using what looks like colored pencils to create a sense of a picture book, which of course, as one character says, is for not just children, but parents as well." - Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network
Sawako Honna, 42, single; she works hard at a film promotion company. One night, all of a sudden, her heart palpitates, and her body goes cold... Could it be that she's going through menopause!?
Not as hard-working as in your 20s. Not as flippant as in your 30s. The mental and physical changes, and the obstacles you face in your 40s. Sudden illness, menopause, fatigue you can't get rid of, changes in working patterns, money worries, life plans for the future...
"What will happen to me tomorrow?"
23rd Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence Award winner. Nominated for the 2020 Manga Taisho Award.
Dani's bright future as an elite tennis player comes to a sudden stop when, during a match, she has a heart attack. Her newly discovered condition affects not only her health, but also her relationship with her mother, as well as her career.
Wanting to get away from everything, she leaves behind the big city - and all her problems - and goes with her cousin to a little coastal village. There she meets Blanca, a girl full of life and in love with astronomy. Blanca reminds Dani that life can be beautiful, and that she can shine again like stars do.
Why I Adopted My Husband is a profound exploration of love, societal expectations, and individuals' lengths to solidify their bonds. Yagi's storytelling prowess and the manga's impactful message position it as a must-read, shedding light on the challenges LGBTQ couples navigate in Japan. As a gay couple living in Japan (where gay marriage is not yet legal), Yuta and Kyota have found a unique loophole in order for the government to recognize their union: Kyota adopted Yuta.
This nonfiction manga depicts how the two men met and fell in love, their life together for the last twenty years, their struggle to communicate their relationship to their families, their anxieties about the future, and their determination to live happily and carefree as any other married couple, while they strive for independence and equal rights in a changing cultural landscape.
"If you know nothing about what homosexuality or LGBTQ people, Why I Adopted My Husband is a perfect introduction and learning tool. It also teaches you about Japanese culture, how many family traditions are ingrained into law, and how that's both a comfort to people and can hinder LGBTQ people who want to live their lives. It's cute and funny and gets the points across with a spoonful of sugar instead of a hammer." - Adi Tantimedh, Bleeding Cool
"Why I Adopted My Husband is a profound exploration of love, societal expectations, and individuals' lengths to solidify their bonds. Yagi's storytelling prowess and the manga's impactful message position it as a must-read, shedding light on the challenges LGBTQ couples navigate in Japan." - Travis Hayward, Geek Therapy
"There are tips on how a gay couple can go the adoption route, like information on contracts. It even includes a section showing how to fill out the paperwork. This part doesn't pertain to American readers, but the manga is still worth reading because of its well-told story, its look into the realities of gay couples in Japan, and how the characters are relatable - because even if someone isn't in Yuta and [Kyota]'s shoes, the parts about feeling left out would be something everyone can relate to on some level. The fact that both men are otaku (and there are plenty of references to otaku culture) makes telling the story in manga format all the better." - Katie Kimura, Otaku USA
Shuuko, Eika, Misaki, and Shio are roommates and friends making their way in the busy world of Tokyo, Japan!
Though they share an apartment and a friendship, each faces her own unique problems. Shuuko is feeling the pressure of those around her getting married and has no idea whether she'll truly be happy on her own for the rest of her life. Eika, a hardworking career woman, wants to prove herself to the judgmental men in her office. Romantic and idealistic Misaki is spurred into action when it turns out her "boyfriend" of two years didn't know she thought they were dating. Nurturing and good-spirited Shio struggles to set a work-life balance while paying her many bills.
Join these four roommates as they navigate the biggest question of their late twenties: What does happiness really mean?
"You Can't Live All On Your Own! engages with some prescient contemporary issues through the lens of slice-of-life comedy [and] it's the social factors of sexism and ageism that really loom large as the antagonist of the series. [...] With all those heavy themes, it might surprise you when I describe this first volume as "fun." [...] While it touches on some heavy themes like misogyny and ageism, You Can't Live All On Your Own! keeps its tone light, and the story addresses these issues through the lens of relatable comedy and upbeat slice-of-life antics." - Alex Henderson, Yatta Tachi
"This borderline slice-of-life story tackles many fears and dilemmas of young adults trying to figure it all out. [...] This title succeeds in creating four distinct female characters with their own unique voicing in addition to their personal struggles and situations they've been placed in. [...] Tsuno's illustrations are unique. There are lots of simple, clean lines with sparse and effective use of shading and screen tones. Characters are extremely expressive..." - Sara Smith, The Graphic Library
Cree is the lead singer for a punk band. When her bassist bails, she's in a tough spot - until she meets Izsak, bass player extraordinaire. He's the answer to all her prayers! But when a pair of mysterious figures begins to stalk the band, her world quickly spins from a dream to a nightmare. Between a dark past and a shadowy future, can the light of this romance survive?
Ryo, my husband of six months, has become distant lately. Every time I speak to him, he seems irritated and responds with sharp words. Our strained relationship has taken a significant mental toll on me, but thankfully, I can lean on my best friend Miku. She's someone truly precious whom I trust and can confide in about anything. One day,I decide to surprise Miku with a visit, only to find my husband's car parked outside her apartment. He'd told me he was heading out for golf with his boss early that morning, but it turns out he was lying. The truth? He's been sleeping with my best friend behind my back! And as if that weren't enough,he showers her with affection he never shows me while also trash-talking me. As I grapple with my disbelief, a dark resolve forms within me, urging me to get rid of both my husband and best friend.
Yoshiwara has been reborn in modern-day Tokyo.... In this new Yoshiwara, beloved actresses whose talents grace the screen by day spend their nights selling both their bodies and the idea of romance to their male clientele. Thrust into this world is the ingenue Asuka, who's been sold out by her foster parents to pay off their debts. While at first oblivious to the nature of Yoshiwara, she accidentally barges in on a "transaction" between a courtesan and her client. Confronted with her new reality of being bought and sold, she longs to make a break for it... but is there anyone around her she can trust...?!
*This volume compiles ch. 1-8 of "Worth a Billion: Modern-Day Courtesan"
She suddenly has to play family with the guy she despises for a million yen?! Ichiru and Tsukasa were raised at the same orphanage, and were constantly at each other's throats like cats and dogs. They even got into a big fight on the day they parted ways. Ten years later, Ichiru is down on her luck after getting fired from her job, kicked out of her company dorm, and left penniless on the street. As she sits on a park bench licking her wounds, she's spotted by none other than Tsukasa, who's shot up in height and stature over the last ten years. Somehow he's now a bigshot CEO, and by the looks of it... a single father?! To make matters even more bizarre, he practically forces Ichiru to raise his child with the promise of a million yen if she can do it! How is she supposed to co-parent a child with him, of all people...? The three of them are an unlikely family, but can they learn to make it work?
Even though she's gorgeous on the outside, Hana is a 26-year-old girl with a timid nature. Each time she fantasizes about having a bright future with the person she's with, she ends up being betrayed and having her heart severely broken. It's as if Hana's heart is a black hole that keeps attracting another "horrid" person who approaches Hana disguised as her "one true love".
From a lack of self-confidence, Hana is dependent on others and addicted to love. This is an omnibus love series that stylishly depicts the stories of a single girl falling deeper into hell as she's being taken advantage of by different men and women.
At the end of this torment, will Hana ever find real "happiness"...?
Mine-kun is Asexual. He doesn't like sexual intimacy in a relationship. He can kiss a girl, but it's not something he wants to do if he can help it. But Murai loves him so much that she's willing to overlook the fact that she can't hold his hand; that she can't cuddle up next to him when they watch movies together; that she can't fall in love with him the way that she hopes to be loved in return. In the eyes of those around them, is this even a relationship that's meant to last, or is it a train wreck just waiting to happen?
It all started as an accidental call. But it was actually a phone call from three years in the future!
Masaki had finally gotten her life back together after a devastating breakup with her boyfriend, who severely mistreated her. Then, one night, she received an accidental call on her supposedly broken phone. Why does it only work with him?! Although it started as a mistake, they began calling each other more and more. What started as something light and casual has grown into a bond of healing for Masaki. Now she wants to meet Kanzaki, but there's one big problem...
What in the world is going on? Could this be destiny? A stunning story of love filled with twists and turns, born from a paradox in time!