During one summer in her teens, Erika's mother pressured her into going to a local overnight camp. Despite her reservations, Erika ended up meeting a girl named Emi... and Emi didn't let Erika's anti-social front prevent them from forming a special bond.Now in their 30s, Erika and Emi reminisce about that fateful summer and consider what could have been.
Born with a failing heart, Kamo has fought death his whole life, but to no avail. As his body weakens and he readies to draw his final breath, he's visited by a powerful spirit named Crimson who offers him a deal: defeat and capture the souls of twelve spirits in exchange for a new heart. It seems too good to be true... and maybe it is.
A pact with the spirit world... what could possibly go wrong?
When Kat's dad gets a job as a science teacher at a posh private school, things seem perfect -- that is, until Kat's rich, popular classmates shove her to the bottom of the social heap just for being smart. And bad turns to worse when an anonymous student blackmails Kat's dad to give the class better grades! Can Kat and her new friend, the rebellious computer nerd Mouse, find the real culprits before Kat's dad loses his job?
When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? In King City, that's where! Joe is a young man with no home, no purpose, and almost no friends... though he does have a very special cat. With a simple injection, Joe's cat can be anything: a weapon, a tool, or even a cuddly companion. But what - if anything - can transform Joe? Whatever it is, it can probably be found in King City, an outrageous semi-futuristic city full of spy gangs, alien porn, and reasonably priced diners. A word of caution: Avoid the meatloaf.
Yuzu is a brand new employee at Konohanatei, the hot-springs inn that sits on the crossroads between worlds. A simple, clumsy but charmingly earnest girl, Yuzu must now figure out her new life working alongside all the other fox-spirits who run the inn under one cardinal rule - at Konohanatei, every guest is a god!
Konohana Kitan follows Yuzu's day to day life working at the inn, meeting the other employees and ever-eclectic guests, and learning to appreciate the beauty of the world around her.
Join Aki and Haru as they tackle one of the most perilous tasks two college roommates can face - feeding themselves! Easygoing Aki has mastered the art of affordable home-cooking to keep his good friend Haru upbeat and motivated throughout the school year. From homemade ramen to fried chicken to plum liqueur, each season offers a whole new menu! Chewing their way through life's ups and downs, the boys and their friends share in the simple joys of food and youth. Take a hearty bite out of this sweet and refreshing slice of life story!
Meet Timmy McAllister, a normal kid who lives in the 100% pure vanilla town of Cherry Creek, Indiana (pop. 23,745) where everyone and everything is - normal. Normal, that is, until the day Timmy orders his very own ninja! As a little kid, who needs imaginary friends, or even man's best friend, when you can have your very own ninja? Timmy, and the town of Cherry Creek, may never be the same...
She loves meat and fried foods, and eats only karaage bento. Wearing exclusively clothes with weird characters printed on them, her fashion sense is practically non-existent. No confidence in her own looks. Extreme social anxiety. She speaks with a country drawl, and even her name is unusual.
But then Mame (born in Tottori prefecture) was discovered by an intimidating, bespectacled rookie manager, and now begins the arduous task of getting her ready for auditions! The road to Top Model looks awfully steep from here.
Welcome to the Magic Ocean, a blissful paradise where wishes come true and children live happily forever!
Seoltang awakens in a strange new world, accompanied by a tortoise who walks on golden sand and seems determined to find the exit. But why would anyone want to leave the Magic Ocean? The pair journey through mysterious waters, where forgetful children frolic in blissful oblivion, watched over by enigmatic imaginary friends.
Real or fake, friend or foe, right or wrong, life or death - Seoltang and her tortoise must confront the sinister truth of this strange place and its inhabitants and find a way to escape!
A bittersweet tale of self-destruction, pain, sadness, and healing from depression.
Aki is a shy, introverted teen trying to cope with the death of her older brother. Coupled with the daily pressures of being the most bullied kid in school, she keeps having mysterious blackouts. Entire days begin to be unaccounted for as Aki finds strange items in her closet. Adding to her bewilderment, the cutest boy in school is suddenly taking an interest in her. Aki wonders if her grip on reality is slowly slipping away, but something even more shocking might be behind this haunting tale...
A quirky and unexpected manga series exploring themes of grief and friendship in a heart-warming, light-hearted fantasy setting with plenty of humor, Merry Witches Life is a story about three women determined to learn magic and be the agents of their own happiness! Zoe, Shishka, and Eliza have very little in common. Zoe is a failed witch from a mysterious magical island, Shishka is Zoe's best friend from long ago, and Eliza is... well, a scarab beetle. However, the three of them do share something important: they are all widows, and none of them are willing to give up on their beloveds! From spells that go hilariously wrong, to uncovering the secrets of their new country home, this story of romance and friendship is truly magical.
Mutupo - the totem - is an animal or object deemed sacred by a clan or tribe. For centuries, Zimbabweans would stay in touch with their ancestry and the practices surrounding their culture by embracing Mutupo.
There are some who have the ability to use their totem animal's attributes as a superpower to augment their physiology. Using Mutupo is not only rare - it's also highly illegal. Join Shingai on his journey of self-discovery as he finds himself coming up against other Mutupo users... and the police who oppose them.
"The world building is rather impressive and is perhaps even just as good as what Ryan Coogler crafted when realising Wakanda in Black Panther." - Ed Sum, Otaku no Culture
As a child, Ameya had always considered his cat more a sibling than a pet. As the years went by, their bond grew ever tighter. But the day his feline "brother" died was the day Ameya withdrew from the world. Several years later, Ameya encounters a drenched stray cat in the park. Little does he know what fate has in store for him...
In this world, monsters consume a person's lifespan in exchange for granting their every wish. However, Nea's mysterious "apothecary" monster seems uninterested in consuming hers.
After wandering into the land of Weem, Nea is offered the illustrious position of Songbearer, and forms a contract with Dino - a monster as beautiful as he is powerful. While Nea adjusts to her role (and Dino's peculiar brand of companionship) she is tasked with the search for the Grimmdoll Chain: an artifact in possession of the elusive Masked Monster. If not her lifespan, what will Dino require of her in exchange for her wishes...?
Akari is an average 25-year-old office worker who harbors a secret she hides from her colleagues: she's so obsessed with the pretty-boy idol Ren-Ren that it's ruining her financially!
When her lunch is stolen by a pigeon, a kind stranger offers his homemade bento in its place, and after graciously accepting, Akari tells him the reason she's so destitute. It's the first time she's revealed her secret otaku lifestyle to anyone. Of course, she assumes she'll never see this stranger again... until he shows up as the newest employee at her office! Can Akari trust him to keep her tragic and embarrassing secret from their coworkers?
Finney Bleak lives in a world of horror-literally. His family members are ghosts, his classmates are monsters, and Finney is the most normal kid in school. But within the halls of Mephisto Prep, normal is the new weird and Finney dangles from the lowest rung of the social evolutionary ladder. Then along comes Jenny. Smart. Beautiful. And totally into Finney. Only problem is, she's kind of dead. Just how far will Finney go to be with his true love? Let's just say not even Death can stand in his way!
Five years ago, a young witch named Cierra broke the one unforgivable law of the witch society: she attempted to create her own magic. Her unlawful tampering burnt down a research room and injured the Mayor's daughter, Cierra's best friend. As punishment, she was exiled to the Wilderness, a barren wasteland crawling with the witch-devouring Fairies and the bloodthirsty Forsaken. After surviving for five ruthless years, her exile has now ended, and she has been ushered back to civilization, only to discover that the world around her has changed dramatically.
Miroku Osaki is 36 years old, unemployed, and unhappy. Having been bullied in his childhood and even into his adult life, he became a shut-in after being unfairly laid off. For a long time, the only thing that brought him joy was online gaming. Then, he tried the popular "Let's Try Dancing!" karaoke style. It was addicting... and transformative! Inspired by his new hobby, Miroku decides to turn his life around. He begins singing karaoke and going to the gym, where he meets Yoichi, the director of an entertainment company who encourages Miroku to pursue his dreams. Miroku only wanted to be good at the game he loves, but when he accidentally uploads a clip of himself singing and dancing, it goes viral! Can he really become an idol, even at his age? Suddenly, it doesn't seem so impossible!
Amanda is a lonely little girl. Her mother means well, but doesn't have a lot of time for a 9-year-old and, after plenty of begging from Amanda, agrees to let her have a pet. Amanda chooses a ferret (and names her Peach) because ferrets aren't ordinary and, darn it, neither is she! But her mom sets up Two Big Rules: 1) Amanda has to care for Peach, and 2) Peach can't ever bite Amanda. It seems like Amanda finally has the friend she's needed... but Peach sees Amanda's hands as five-serpent monsters - and bites in what she thinks of as self-defense! What will little, lonely Amanda do now if her mom finds out her new best pet is actually a biter?!
Ai is the only royal princess of Ai-Land, a magical kingdom caught in the midst of a horrific revolution. When Princess Ai makes a hasty escape from her war-torn land, she finds herself in modern-day Tokyo. Confused and in shock, Ai wanders the streets in this strange new land to unravel the secrets that could tear her and her kingdom apart...
Princess Ai of Ai-Land: The Comic Strip Collection features story by D. J. Milky and art by Pauro Izaki. Long before her adventures in the original manga trilogy, Princess Ai had to cope with the pressure of becoming a teen! Take a madcap journey with the young Ai as she navigates a ruthless teenage landscape of majestic pageants, home school study halls, crash diets and volunteer service. But just give our young Princess Ai a guitar, and she'll be sure to rock the party! She's got an overprotective king for a dad, a hyperactive Dougen for a pet and a tutor who's also her best friend - and a great role model until she turns into the Groupie from Hell at their first rock concert... For the first time ever, gathered here - uncut and in full color - is the entire first year of the Princess Ai of Ai-Land Sunday comic strip feature. This collection also includes daily color strips that have never before been seen in print!
The princess of all things rock and roll is mixing it up with all your favorite TOKYOPOP original characters. Be she rocking out all night long with Ein from A Midnight Opera, serenading the Rhysmyth prom crowd, or feeling the mystery beat at The Tarot Cafe, Ai is traveling the TOKYOPOP universe with the winds of rock beneath her wings!
This anthology includes four new manga stories, 30 pages from the upcoming novel, and a sneak peak from the upcoming Princess Ai manga series: The Prism of Midnight Dawn! Each story is bookended by fan and professional art as well as poetry from original Princess Ai author D.J Milky.
A year has passed since Princess Ai returned to troubled and war-torn Ai-Land, flanked by the now-loyal Furies. Ai led the Second Revolution to a successful conclusion and took the throne of Ai-Land, co-ruling with her half-brother, the radical Angel leader, Nora. But all is not well in paradise, as Ai struggles with loneliness, isolation, and the pressures of rule. And back on The Other Side, things are not as they should be, either. Mysterious forces have gathered and threaten to push both worlds to the brink of destruction...
Welcome to America's newest and most popular sport: Rhysmith! Featuring one-on-one dance battles atop a hi-tech glass court grid, when the music hits, you and your opponent dance across a digital minefield for the glory of being the most stylish Rhysmither! High school student Elena is looking for a little something extra to beef up her college applications. When she is thrust into the fast-paced world of Rhysmith, she begins to get her groove on. But is Elena truly ready for the rivalry...and romance?
When Megan Amano dreams, she travels to a place called Meridian University. Traditionally, spirits travel to the University to be educated before they are reborn into the world of the living. Megan, however, is still alive and attends college in Santa Monica, California by day and Meridian University at night. One night, Megan peers through the the shutter of her camera lens and discovers a mystery so deep that she begins to question her own existence and begins her search for answers.
Cool and collected second-year Yamada is in love with his childhood friend, Seno. His classmates Akama and Toda are also starting to think about romance, though neither of them realizes yet that they might actually feel the same way about each other...
High school love in the spring of adolescence blooms with earnest, messy emotions.
"Love Jessica" - That's what Leah finds on the back of a love letter to her sister - but who is this Jessica? When more letters, flowers and gifts start popping up, Leah goes undercover to discover her sister's secret. What she doesn't expect is to find is love of her own, and in some very unexpected places!
It is said that there are some special animals occasionally born with great powers. Senzou the black fox is one of those... but instead of using his powers for good, he ab*sed his strength until the Sun Goddess imprisoned him for his bad behavior. Three hundred years later, he's finally been released, but only on one condition - he can't have any of his abilities back until he successfully helps a tanuki cub named Manpachi become an assistant to the gods. Unfortunately for Senzou, there's no cheating when it comes to completing his task! The magic beads around his neck make sure he can't wander too far from his charge or ignore his duties, and so... Senzou the once-great Fox Spirit must figure out how to be an actually-great babysitter to an innocent little tanuki or risk being stuck without his powers forever!
A messenger's duty is to care for and protect the god they've been assigned to. In order to complete these tasks, such messengers require wings.
Shin, however, can't fly. His tiny, useless wings make him the target of ridicule and scorn among the other messengers and have kept him from being able to serve a god... until now. Determined to prove himself as a capable messenger despite his flightlessness, Shin accepts his assignment to a mysterious being on one of the nearby mountains. At first, it seems an easy task to keep his charge safe and happy - especially when the deity in question is just a cute, fluffy ball of fur. But things aren't always what they seem.
Recently, messengers flying over the strange god's mountain have been disappearing. Even as suspicion mounts against his deity, Shin just can't bring himself to think that such a gentle god could have a dark side. It's strange, but for some reason... the mysterious, fluffy being feels so familiar to him.
Lady Wisteria's greatest wish is to be worthy of the man she loves, Lord Bright. But when Wisteria's little sister, Rosalie, is selected to enter the Predawn Realm as its guardian, never to return, Bright begs Wisteria to take Rosalie's place! After all, Wisteria is skilled with magic, and resistant to the sinister miasma that threatens the mortal world. Heartbroken, Wisteria enters the Predawn Realm, accompanied by the sacred sword, Sartis. More than twenty years later, a stranger with a familiar face appears, demanding the sword and challenging Wisteria. Who is he, and why does he resemble Lord Bright...?
Meet Pamela, a tarot card reader who helps supernatural beings living in the human world. She'll help anyone, whether they're a love-stricken cat, a vampire spending eternal life running from his one true love, an unattractive waitress looking for the man of her dreams, or even a magician who creates a humanoid doll to serve the woman he loves. Although she is good-natured, there is a deep dark secret that she must deal with before she can move on to the next life.
One day, a large number of people suddenly disappeared in the royal capital. When young King Castio goes out to investigate this occurrence, he comes across the culprit... but the criminal puts a spell on him! To help him out, the king calls the wizard O'Feuille to his castle, along with Prince Volks and his loyal retainer Nios. Together, they're determined to solve this strange, fluffy mystery full of cats, swords and magic!
When her country of Lidea loses the war, Princess Tinalia must wed the enemy prince, Keith. The arrangement isn't as dire as it sounds, though: after all, Tinalia has been in love with Keith for years!
Unfortunately for her, Keith doesn't remember they already know each other. The circumstances of their first meeting were unfortunate, as their countries were at war, and Lidea committed too many atrocities against his people to forgive. Thus, Tinalia finds herself the hated bride of the crown prince, treated coldly and scornfully by everyone around her... even though she continues to love him with all her heart.
Meet Sama, a 10-year-old boy who is so sad that tears have literally stained his cheeks. Sama's father has had a heart attack, and doctors give him a month to live. With his teddy bear in tow, Sama crawls under his bed and finds a magical portal to a strange realm called Undertown. What is this dark new world? To find out, Sama begins a journey through the depths of Undertown, where he searches for The Sugar Stone, a magical object that might be able to save his dad! This is volume 1 of the Undertown manga series.
The forces of evil have come back to rip peace from the twice-peaceful Kingdom of Dikay! The land's only hope lies in the one man, who many years ago vanquished the evil tyranny: Van Von Hunter, Hunter of Evil... Stuff! Together with his loyal memory-challenged sidekick, he faces off against the deposed, former ruler of Dikay, who has come back to reclaim his throne!
In a world where musicians have enhanced powers and abilities, live shows are a battle not just for new fans, but also survival. ShaoDow is an ambitious young artist fighting his way to the top of the music world, but when he gatecrashes a concert, he finds himself embroiled in a rap battle with the enigmatic Homicyde. His debut on stage quickly transforms into a baptism by fire as he strives to discover the secrets behind the mysterious energy known as The Vibe and unlock the power of the Sound Blade.
Outgoing and popular Kazu and shy and serious Moto grew up together as childhood best friends. But something changes during junior high, and the familiar, easy rhythm of their friendship begins to break apart as Kazu starts nursing deeper feelings for his oblivious friend. When Kazu's troubled home life and Moto's budding romantic forays create a clash of misunderstandings, secrets, and hurt feelings, will their relationship be able to survive these growing pains?
Welcome Back, Aureole is a bittersweet yet tender exploration of the maturation of young love. Two boys growing up side by side... their stars drift apart and come together again.
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
Every night, 16-year-old Kureha has a strange dream involving lilies, storms, and... her classmate Ginko as a bear?!
At school, Kureha's unassuming personality and looks render her practically invisible. Sometimes, it feels like no one notices her at all... until cute and energetic Ginko asks Kureha to talk privately one day during lunch. Maybe she really is a bear... or maybe she's just got a crush on Kureha!