Manga Like DOLL

As the 20th century draws to a close, people worldwide grow uneasy, sensing that the world is shifting—and likely not for the better. Kenji Endou, an ordinary convenience store manager just trying to get by, learns that an old friend nicknamed "Donkey" has suddenly died by suicide. At the same time, a new cult led by a figure called "Friend" is gaining notoriety. Kenji begins to feel that something is deeply wrong. With a few crucial clues left by his deceased friend, he realizes this cult is far more than he ever imagined—not only is this mysterious organization directly targeting him and his childhood friends, but the entire world faces a grave threat that only the friends have the key to stop. Kenji's simple life of barely scraping by is turned upside down when he reunites with his childhood friends. Together they must uncover the truth of how their past connects to the cult, as the turn of the century could mean the possible end of the world.

High school student Kei Kurono has grown distant and cynical, alienated from others due to the cruelty he sees in the world. One day, while waiting for the subway to school, his classmate Masaru Katou jumps onto the tracks to save a drunk man who has fallen. Acting on a rare impulse to help someone, Kei follows Katou into danger. Though they manage to rescue the man, both boys are struck and killed by the oncoming train. Kei awakens beside Katou in a strange apartment filled with unfamiliar people, dominated by a large black sphere with a glassy surface. He learns that everyone in the room has also recently died. Words appear on the black ball, ordering them to eliminate a bizarre creature. The sphere provides Kei and the others with powered suits and strange guns before sending them out to complete this deadly task. Though the mission proves far more dangerous than he anticipated, Kei survives. He and the other survivors are teleported back to the apartment, where the black sphere—named "Gantz" by a fellow survivor—awards them points based on their actions in combat. Despite having died earlier that day, Kei is allowed to resume his normal life, but with a condition: he can be pulled away at any moment and summoned back to the apartment, where Gantz will assign him and other recently deceased individuals new assassination targets. Katou dreads the inevitable call back to Gantz, but Kei finds purpose in carrying out these missions. Thriving in the heat of battle and gradually learning to value himself and his comrades, Kei faces increasingly dangerous monsters that start to spill over into his everyday life beyond Gantz.

The Abyss is a chasm of unfathomable depth—one girl and a robot brave its perils to uncover the truth. The town of Orth is unique, built around the rim of the vast Abyss, a marvel that has never been fully explored. Those who descend too far never return, but those daring enough to journey into its territories are called "Cave Raiders" and are revered as legends. In this town lives a young girl named Riko, the daughter of one of the most renowned Cave Raiders of all time, who vanished on an expedition years ago. One day, Riko's life changes when she encounters a strange robot named Reg, who appears to come from within the Abyss. Taking this as a sign from her mother, who is trapped at the bottom of the Abyss, Riko ventures into its depths alongside Reg, prepared to face all the dangers that lie within.

In a vast steel maze filled with terrifying monsters, humanity has retreated into small, isolated communities, living in constant dread of extinction. This dystopian setting is traversed only by a mysterious young man named Killy. Armed with superhuman abilities and a rare Graviton Beam Emitter, Killy battles savage creatures and other malevolent forces as he desperately hunts for a human possessing the Net Terminal Gene—genetic code that could fix the broken world. The grim tale of Blame! follows Killy through encounters with new people, more violence, and his gradual approach to finding the Net Terminal Gene. Along the way, the true nature of this world is slowly revealed.

One morning, Naho Takamiya finds a letter in her mailbox that claims to be from her future self, ten years from now. The letter details a sequence of events predicted to occur that day. Initially, Naho dismisses it as a joke, but when a transfer student named Kakeru Naruse actually arrives in her class later that day as the letter foretold, she is compelled to accept its truth. As Naho reads further, her future self lists several regrets and urges her to make better choices now. These regrets all seem to revolve around Kakeru, and with the weight of knowing that he will not be present with her and their friends in the future, can Naho make the perfect decisions to change what appears to be destiny? Also includes the Haru-iro Astronaut (Spring-Colored Astronaut) series.

In 1999, a meteorite struck Antarctica, causing the continent's ice sheet to melt and global sea levels to rise dramatically. This event altered the world's climate and wiped out more than half of humanity. By 2015, mysterious beings known as Angels—monsters of unknown origin—are laying waste to the remnants of civilization. In the fortress city of Tokyo-3, 14-year-old Shinji Ikari is fated to stop the Angels' attacks. Summoned by his father's covert group NERV, Shinji becomes the pilot of an Evangelion, a gigantic bio-organic robot built specifically to fight the Angels. Burdened with the fate of the world, Shinji must find the bravery and will to defend the future—and himself. Yet as battles between Evangelions and Angels grow frequent, the terrible reality of the world gradually comes to light.

After Kenji Endo and his childhood friends end their struggle against the cult leader "Friend," two questions stay unanswered—Friend's real name and whether his final warning about an "anti-photon bomb" was genuine. To find out, Kenji works with the United Nations to use a virtual reality program built from Friend's childhood memories in this finale to a journey that extends over many decades.

When you gaze upward, what do you see? A blue sky? Freedom? A hopeful tomorrow? The residents of Tokyo see none of that. Instead, a mysterious alien mothership hangs overhead, dominating the city’s horizon. Three years ago, they arrived. The appearance of the “Invaders” ignited the greatest conflict humanity had ever experienced—one that could wipe out the world. The Japanese government hurried to counter the Invaders. Weapons were churned out in vast numbers, stirring up debate and anti-war movements. On that day, everything shifted. Yet, nothing really shifted. Kadode Koyama and Ouran Nakagawa spend their final days just as they always have: heading to school, hanging out with friends, and doing what any carefree high school girl would do. As they mature, they start to understand what it truly means to be an adult in a world where adults seem like demons who only mislead and ruin. They come to see that the actual danger to humanity is not the Invaders, but humanity itself.

During a global pandemic that kills 15% of the population and leaves many others debilitated, a secret faction called Propater overthrows the UN and takes control over most of the world. A boy and a girl, raised in an abandoned virology research center and immune to the virus, are attacked by Propater and manage to flee. Two decades later, the boy has become the most powerful drug lord in South America. He covertly supports his son as the son avoids Propater and eventually, with aid from Nomad mercenaries—some of whom are former Propater agents—fights back against the organization. As the story unfolds, focus shifts from the main protagonist to numerous subplots involving terrorism, human enhancement, the struggles of developing nations, and the power struggles between drug cartels and Propater. Heavily inspired by Gnostic mythology, all major characters are named after Gnostic deities and fill analogous roles.

Ichirou Inuyashiki is an aging man worn down by life’s struggles, leaving him frail and powerless. He has no friends, little affection from his family, and has been diagnosed with cancer, yet he resolves to make the most of his remaining time by adopting a dog. One night while walking the dog, the weight of his hopeless reality finally crashes down, and he breaks down crying in a park. That despair is cut short when he encounters an extraterrestrial object, which transforms him into a healthy but mechanical being. Disturbed by his new body and inability to shed tears, Inuyashiki begins to fear he has lost his humanity. Then, one night, he saves a homeless man from death. Seeing the man’s joy and gratitude moves Inuyashiki to tears—proving he is still human. From that moment, he decides to use his newfound power to help those in need. But his relief is fleeting: he soon discovers a new threat that revels in its own power through horrific acts. Inuyashiki’s mission shifts from a small-time neighborhood savior to a guardian standing against a growing monster.

Yuri remains haunted by a spaceflight accident that took the life of his beloved wife. Six years later, he serves on a debris cleanup crew aboard the vessel Toy Box, tasked with clearing space junk from orbital flight paths. The team includes Hachimaki, a hotshot debris man with a sailor's love for the orbital ocean; Fee, a chain-smoking tomboy beauty with a biting personality; and Pops, a veteran orbital mechanic whose fatherly presence eases the strain of the work.

Kind-hearted Akira Fudou has always been easily taken advantage of. When he meets his childhood friend Ryou Asuka again by chance, Ryou reveals the terrifying truth behind his father's research: demons are real and intend to reclaim the earth. Wanting to help his friend protect humanity, Akira agrees to go to the Black Sabbath, a debauched and corrupt party, in order to attempt fusion with a demon. A brush with death leads him to merge with Amon, a demon feared even among his own kind. This union creates Devilman, a being that combines Amon's raw power with Akira's compassionate soul. After fusing with Amon, Akira uses his newfound abilities to battle the demons, desperate to prevent the collapse of all human civilization.

A squid-like being called a Happian departs his home planet aiming to spread joy throughout the universe. After landing on Earth, he quickly risks being captured by the local inhabitants. Luckily, a solemn little girl named Shizuka Kuze finds him, feeds him, and gives him the name Takopii. Feeling grateful, Takopii resolves to do whatever it takes to make her smile. Achieving this goal proves far from simple, however. Shizuka endures bullying from her classmates, has no father, and her mother is rarely home—though the innocent Takopii fails to grasp the full weight of these hardships. Still, Shizuka does find happiness in her dog Chappy. The bond between Shizuka and Chappy only strengthens Takopii’s determination to bring a smile to her face. Although Takopii’s efforts to cheer Shizuka up often lead to unforeseen consequences, he remains determined to take matters into his own tentacles, test his understanding of humans, and fulfill his mission of spreading happiness.

Nine years ago, the Empire of Giad unleashed an autonomous drone army known as the Legion to wage war on its neighbors. Facing these soulless machines, the Republic of San Magnolia—home to the silver-haired Alba race—evacuated its people into 85 districts and countered with supposedly unmanned Juggernaut drones. Despite years of conflict, the Republic claims zero casualties. Yet the blood-soaked battlefield tells a different story. The Colorata, a minority forced into the "nonexistent" 86th district, are treated as filth and ordered to pilot the Juggernauts as Processors under Republican Handlers. Vladilena Milizé, a republican soldier with a strong sense of justice, despises how her countrymen treat the 86. Assigned as handler for the Spearhead Squadron, she bonds with its eccentric members—especially their captain, Shinei Nouzen, a boy driven by pure purpose and resolve. But their path is strewn with death, and growing close to an 86 may lead Vladilena into despair.

A lone traveler emerges from the wasteland one day, bringing justice to the wicked and hope to the innocent—a warrior called Ken, who carries seven scars on his chest and guards the secret of a mysterious fighting style: Hokuto Shinken, the Divine Fist of the North Star.

Jin Kanzaki appears to be a common homeless child, but he harbors superhuman strength that he puts to use for the benefit of others—at least, that is what his grandfather hopes. To his grandfather's annoyance, Jin demands 10,000 yen for each good deed he performs. Yet Jin's quiet existence is abruptly upended when he comes across a player, a lethal being likely connected to a string of unexplained killings. As Jin tries to deal with the situation by forcing his way through every challenge, a band of enigmatic men desperately search for someone bearing a ring-shaped mark on their hand. While they pursue their inquiry, hidden truths about the world begin to surface—and it appears that Jin himself may hold the key to the mystery.

Tomoki Sakurai has spent his whole life waking up in tears from the same recurring dream: a mysterious angel he has never met vanishes into the sky, saying, "The sky has captured me." Then, one day, the dream changes—the angel descends from above, desperately pleading for his help. When Tomoki nods off in class, his childhood friend Sohara Mitsuki shakes him awake and notices his teary eyes. Worried, she insists he talk to Eishirou Sugata, their eccentric upperclassman who is obsessed with "The New Continent"—a bizarre flying phenomenon that no one can explain. As the anomaly is due to pass over their town, Sugata proposes the three meet at midnight to investigate Tomoki's dream and gather data on The New Continent. Only Tomoki shows up, and as he is about to leave, an angeloid falls from the sky, binds herself to him, and declares him her master. Soon after, Sohara forces Tomoki to join the New Continent Discovery Club, which has Sugata as its sole member. Together, the trio works to unravel the secrets of The New Continent, the angeloids, and the girl from his dreams—but what they uncover may be far more sinister than anyone anticipated.

Somewhere in Vladivostok, Russia, a transaction has been executed without issue. A looming threat emerges: a lethal virus that can kill within three hours of exposure has been acquired by a mysterious woman named Maya. At Mishiro Academy in Japan, Fujimaru Takagi appears to be an ordinary student. In reality, he was once renowned for exposing the crimes and corruption of powerful figures through his extraordinary hacking skills—the legendary "Falcon" who suddenly disappeared from cyberspace. Only the members of Third-I, a top-secret division of the Public Security Intelligence Agency led by Fujimaru's father, Ryunosuke, and his friend Otoya Kujou, are aware of his past. After a KGB agent is killed in Japan, the only lead is a memory chip discovered at the crime scene. Third-I enlists Fujimaru to decrypt the chip, which reveals a video of an event referred to as the "Christmas Massacre." As Fujimaru's father investigates the murder further, he uncovers details about the homicide and a cryptic code named "Bloody Monday"—only to be framed for the murder of his own superior. Now, the hacker Fujimaru must use his skills to assist Third-I in stopping the spread of terror and devastation across Japan, all while striving to prove his father's innocence.

A big brother should always be one step ahead of his younger brother—that belief has driven Mutta Nanba to give his best for his sibling, Hibito. So when the Nanba brothers saw something odd in the sky during the summer of 2006, Hibito vowed to become an astronaut and set foot on the Moon, and Mutta responded by declaring he would go to Mars. That was their pact. Fast forward to 2025: Hibito is working with NASA and on track to be the first Japanese person to land on the Moon, while Mutta has been let go from his job at an automotive development company. Struggling to find new work, Mutta gets a life-changing letter from JAXA—the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency—informing him that he has been accepted into the next round of astronaut selection. Seizing what feels like a second chance to honor the promise he made long ago, Mutta takes on the daunting challenge of reaching space.

During the first day of high school, the cynical yet otherwise ordinary boy known as Kyon finishes introducing himself to Class 1-5. But when the girl seated behind him rises to speak, her opening words stun everyone in the room. Announcing that she has no interest in ordinary humans and is seeking the supernatural, Haruhi Suzumiya makes an unforgettable first impression. Despite his classmates' warnings, Kyon's curiosity gets the better of him and he tries to befriend Haruhi. As the eccentric girl gradually opens up to him, he discovers she is completely serious. One conversation between them sparks a dangerous idea in Haruhi's mind: because she finds the school's clubs boring, she should create her own. Thus, the SOS Brigade is formed, and Kyon is quickly swept into a life of absurdity. Taking over the Literary Club's room, Haruhi quickly recruits three new members: the stoic Yuki Nagato, the timid Mikuru Asahina, and the supposedly mysterious transfer student Itsuki Koizumi. With this group assembled, Haruhi drags the team on adventures in search of excitement and the supernatural, much to Kyon's dismay. However, he soon learns that there is more to these recruits than meets the eye—and that what Haruhi wishes for may be far closer than she realizes.

Riiko Izawa, a high school student, has experienced a string of failed crushes. Every time she gathers the nerve to confess to a boy, she is immediately turned down. Feeling disheartened after another rejection, she wanders into a park and finds a lost phone, which she returns to its owner. The owner, Gaku Namikiri, is an odd traveling salesman who insists on giving Riiko a product from his company as a thank-you. She jokingly says all she wants is a boyfriend. Undeterred, he tells her to check out a website that sells "lover figures," which she thinks are just dolls. Though suspicious of the company's reputation, Riiko is captivated by the "Nightly Series 01" model's face and signs up for a three-day free trial. To her astonishment, a life-sized naked boy is delivered to her the next day. Following the instructions, she activates the highly realistic robot with a kiss. Over the next three days, Night Tenjou proves to be the perfect boyfriend. But then Gaku returns, explaining that she missed the cancellation deadline for the trial, leaving her with a debt of 100 million yen. Alternatively, she can keep Night and serve as a beta tester, allowing the company to gather data to enhance future models. With no money and already developing feelings for the artificial intelligence-driven Night, what can Riiko do?

Fifteen middle school students are enjoying a summer camp by the sea when one of them leads the group into a cave that will forever change their lives. Inside, they find several computers and a man named Kokopelli, who offers them a game: pilot a giant robot to defeat enemies attacking Earth. The children agree, signing a contract by touching a shield-like object, and Kokopelli transports them to the cockpit of the Zearth—the mecha they must control. When an enemy mecha rises from the sea, Kokopelli demonstrates how to mentally pilot the Zearth, and they defeat it. The children are thrilled at the idea of protecting the planet, but not everything is as it seems. The Zearth is powered by life energy, and after each battle, the pilots die. Having signed their lives away, the children must now use their remaining time on Earth to defend it.

A millennium in the future, the Gauna, a powerful alien race, have wiped out Earth. Humanity escaped into space, but the enormous starships they now inhabit remain under constant assault from these bizarre creatures. To fight back, they deploy mobile weapon units called Gardes, which can destroy the Gauna's cores and prevent the monsters from regenerating their protective placental shell. On the vessel Sidonia, a boy named Nagate Tanikaze emerges from its depths for the first time in his life. Having spent countless hours on pilot simulators during his isolation deep within the ship, he quickly proves invaluable to humanity's defense forces. When granted the chance to pilot the legendary Garde Tsugumori, he battles to save Sidonia from a grim fate.

Haruka Touyama is a twelve-year-old girl who possesses extraordinary precognitive abilities. Her uncanny accuracy in foreseeing future events has made her a prime target for numerous greedy corporations seeking to exploit her power for profit. After being taken from her family, Haruka uses her gift to locate someone who can aid her escape from her captors, and her instincts settle on a blind man navigating the bustling streets of Tokyo. Though this might seem like an unusual choice, Haruka's abilities have never steered her wrong. Despite his lack of sight, her chosen protector's combat prowess becomes clear when he unsheathes a sword concealed within his walking stick and swiftly dispatches a group of corporate thugs. Realizing she will always be hunted, Haruka begs the mysterious swordsman to safeguard her—"until death do us part."