Manga Like Piece

Seon Jin finds no refuge anywhere. At school, he suffers constant bullying because of his unnervingly quiet demeanor and weak physique. Yet this is not the root of his overwhelming horror—what he dreads even more is his own father. To the outside world, Jin's father is a thriving businessman, a charitable volunteer, and an affectionate parent. But this is only a disguise. In truth, he is a twisted serial killer, and Jin is his reluctant accomplice. For years, they have kept up this pretense without the police ever catching on. When his father sets his sights on the attractive transfer student Yoon Kyun, Jin must decide—stay the coward who delivers her to the same doom as the previous victims, or become the bastard son who stands up to his monstrous parent.

Kazuki Hoshino treasures his mundane routine above anything else. He spends his school days carefree with his friends, until that uneventful bliss is shattered when the aloof beauty Aya Otonashi transfers into his class and immediately delivers a cold, dramatic statement to him: "I've come to break you. This is my 13,118th transfer. After so many times, it's starting to grate on me, so this time I'm spicing things up with a proper declaration of war." With those puzzling words, the ordinary days Kazuki loved so much become a cycle of turmoil and fear—Aya's sudden appearance signals the unraveling of unseen mysteries surrounding his seemingly normal friends, including the discovery of strange devices known as "boxes."

A rumor persists that a magician lives inside a tent at an abandoned theme park, and some even insist his tricks are genuine. Yet before every performance, he poses the same question: "Do you believe in magic?" For Yoon Ah-ee, magic feels like a distant dream. Stuck in crushing poverty, she spends every waking hour studying, working, and looking after her younger sister while their parents are absent. She has lost all faith in magic's wonders, just like her skeptical classmate Na Il-Deung, who was raised to see a good education as the only sensible path in life. When Ah-ee accidentally wanders into the abandoned theme park and crosses paths with the magician, her existence is forever altered. Annarasumanara unfolds as a philosophical, heartfelt, and thought-provoking story about what it truly means to grow into the person you wish to become.

Koyomi Araragi is well acquainted with the unnatural. Over spring break of his third year in high school, he becomes a vampire after a fateful run-in with the vampire Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. Plunged into a world of aberrations, Araragi one day catches classmate Hitomi Senjougahara as she tumbles down the school stairs—but something feels off. When Senjougahara confronts him, he discovers her weight was taken by a mythical crab. Despite her blunt threats, Araragi persuades her to let him assist. Seeking a remedy for this abnormal issue, the pair visit the enigmatic Meme Oshino, the wanderer who once freed Araragi from his own vampirism. Bakemonogatari is a story about the monsters lurking inside everyone, but just how deep do they hide within the people Araragi encounters?

Most people are said to be born with a special ability called an "Iris," which manifests as visual cues—ranging from detecting lies to predicting danger. High school student Tooru Mizushima, however, is one of the rare individuals without an Iris. Labeled an "Iris Zero," he faces constant bullying and thus tries to keep a low profile. But when the popular schoolgirl Koyuki Sasamori bursts into his life, his policy of minimal exposure is completely upended. Koyuki's Iris allows her to see the most suitable person for any given task—and she identifies Tooru as the best candidate to help her find the next student council president. Tooru wants nothing to do with such a public endeavor, yet Koyuki's cheerful persistence eventually wins him over. As he becomes involved with more people and applies his exceptional deductive reasoning to solve various mysteries, Tooru's lonely existence as an Iris Zero slowly begins to change.

The last thing Natsu Iwashimizu remembers about her family is sharing her favorite dishes with them. But when she wakes from that dream, she finds herself aboard a sinking ship, rescued by three strangers: Arashi Aota, a kind-hearted person with a quick temper; Semimaru Asai, who enjoys mocking Natsu's timid personality; and Botan Saotome, a capable woman who seems to understand what is happening. After escaping, the four sail to an uninhabited island. Unknown to them, this mysterious island is actually Japan. A meteorite struck Earth, wiping out humanity and drastically altering the environment. To restart the population, the government launched the "7 Seeds" project, dividing people into five teams—Spring, Summer A, Summer B, Autumn, and Winter—each composed of seven healthy young individuals and a guide. Natsu and her companions are part of Summer B, a group labeled as societal misfits. To secure more resources, the group must locate one of seven government-built shelters. In a hostile, unfamiliar world without loved ones to rely on, the four must learn to cooperate if they want to survive.

Mashiro Ichijou is a popular and attractive high school student who has always lived as a boy. But beneath the surface, no one knows that he resents the fact that his body is half female. He has hidden his femininity from everyone around him, all while struggling with his own insecurity about who he truly is. One day, a nurse he has never seen before asks Mashiro to follow her to the school infirmary located in the basement—a room that never existed before that moment. What he does not realize is that the instant he steps into that mysterious office, he will never be able to return to the person he once was. As Mashiro searches for his true identity, he must confront the turmoil inside his own heart while shielding himself from the watchful eyes of his classmates. Gradually, the ugly truth of the world is revealed: a world filled with lies and deception, engulfed in nightmares that unfold in broad daylight.

At Mai Taniyama's school, there is an old, abandoned building that is supposedly cursed. Every time an attempt is made to demolish it, a string of mysterious deaths occurs, halting the project. Seeking to prove the building is haunted, Mai and her classmates try to summon a ghost by sharing spooky stories. No spirit appears, but they encounter Kazuya Shibuya, a 17-year-old transfer student. While her friends are taken by his good looks and polite demeanor, Mai remains suspicious of him. After an accident, Mai learns that Kazuya is actually the head of Shibuya Psychic Research, a group hired by the school principal to investigate the building's rumored paranormal activity. Because of her involvement, Mai must temporarily assist Kazuya to avoid paying for damages. Joined by other supernatural experts—former Buddhist monk Houshou Takigawa, self-proclaimed Shinto priestess Ayako Matsusaki, famous medium Masako Hara, and Catholic priest John Brown—Mai and Kazuya must solve the building's mystery before more innocent lives are lost.

Seven students are linked by mystical dreams of a former life on the moon, driving them to uncover the secrets of what they have erased from memory. While some truths are pursued and others are evaded, Alice must quickly recall the past if she hopes to rescue the delicate Rin from destroying herself. Only after confronting the serious missteps of their previous existence can they all let go and truly live in the now.

This anthology of one-shots by Dowman Sayman includes narratives of serial killers discovering romance, historical figures returning from the dead, an original spin on the 9/11 tragedy, yaoi fan-girl ghosts offering suggestions to the men she observes, and a variety of other subjects.

There is a strange rumor about the Urashima Tunnel: it grants any wish to those who enter, but at the cost of their lifespan. Kaoru Touno never took this silly urban legend seriously—until he happened upon a dark tunnel one night. He initially thought nothing of going inside, but the prospect of bringing back his sister Karen, who died in an accident five years ago because of his own carelessness, proved too tempting. Once he steps into the tunnel, Kaoru finds that the reality does not match the rumor; the tunnel's rules remain unclear, yet that does not stop him from testing its limits. Unbeknownst to Kaoru, his aloof classmate Anzu Hanashiro follows him on one of his trips. Though he is reluctant, she becomes fascinated by the tunnel and wants to join forces with him. Despite his mistrust of her motives, Kaoru accepts Anzu's offer and spends the summer alongside her, hoping to revive his sister.

The year is 1924, in the small European country of Sauville, nestled neatly beside the Alps. Kazuya Kujo is studying abroad at the prestigious Saint Marguerite Academy, where urban legends and horror stories are all the rage. Kazuya ignores most of them—but the tale of the "Queen Berry," a mysterious ghost ship, really unsettles him. Of course, his brilliant friend Victorique is far more interested in real mysteries, and she uses her unmatched logic to solve cases that even the town's famous detective cannot crack. Ironically, it is Victorique's inquisitive nature that leads the pair to board a ship matching the "Queen Berry"'s description exactly, a vessel that may hold the key to unraveling a sinister mystery. Kazuki Sakuraba's modern twist on Holmes and Watson—pairing Victorique, a fragile young girl with doll-like features, with her eager-to-please sidekick Kazuya—makes this international bestseller a must-read murder mystery.

Konoha Inoue lives his ordinary high school life while concealing a troubled past as a bestselling author who wrote under the alias of a fourteen-year-old girl. As a member of the literature club, he composes impromptu stories that serve as snacks for third-year student Tooko Amano—the club's only other member and a self-proclaimed "book girl" who literally devours written words. Konoha is dragged along as Tooko pursues bizarre, literature-themed cases to solve. One day, the book club receives a request from Chia Takeda, who asks for their help in writing love letters to her crush, Shuuji Kataoka. What seems like a simple plea for romantic guidance soon grows ominous when Konoha looks deeper into the situation.

Kimihiko Kimizuka has a knack for attracting trouble—whether it's stumbling onto a crime scene or accidentally witnessing a drug deal, chaos follows him everywhere. So when his otherwise ordinary flight suddenly declares a state of emergency requiring a detective on board, it's hardly surprising. His attempt to steer clear of trouble fails when a silver-haired beauty codenamed Siesta drags him into the case as her assistant. That incident kicked off a globe-trotting adventure beyond anything he could have imagined. Risking their lives, the duo took down criminal organizations, averted disasters, and saved countless people. But their epic journey came to an abrupt end three years later with Siesta's untimely death. Determined to live a normal high school life, Kimizuka keeps a low profile for a year. But fate has other plans: a girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to Siesta crashes into his life, threatening to shatter his peaceful days.

Pamela is a tarot card reader who offers assistance to supernatural beings navigating the human world. She aids anyone who comes to her, whether it’s a cat stricken with love, a vampire who spends his immortal life fleeing from his one true love, an unattractive waitress seeking the man of her dreams, or a magician who crafts a humanoid doll to serve the woman he loves. Despite her kindhearted nature, Pamela harbors a profound secret she must confront before she can pass into the next life.

In a French town gripped by fear, Rose Dupre is tormented for being the daughter of a witch. Marie and Pierre initially dismiss such rumors. But when a series of mysterious deaths sweep through, the three children are no longer safe from suspicious eyes. Will Rose survive the curse of magic and mistrust? A vivid and expansive gothic story unfolds.

Narumi works as the assistant to Alice, a NEET teenage detective who never leaves her pajamas and runs her investigations from her bedroom. By leveraging a wide network of contacts and the internet, she cracks cases. Can Alice really solve mysteries while staying in her PJs?

Izaya Orihara revels in controlling all the information about Ikebukuro's key players, while Mikado Ryuugamine and Masaomi Kida remain at Anri Sonohara's side during her recovery. Yet Kida's smile appears forced. Furious over the circumstances that injured Anri and his own inability to act, Kida returns to the world he vowed never to re-enter after Izaya's interference—the Yellow Scarves gang. As the former leader of the Yellow Scarves, Kida knows many of his old comrades may now be part of the Dollars, but they are losing trust in the group's misguided direction. With the unwavering loyalty of the Yellow Scarves behind him, Kida swears to rid Ikebukuro's streets of all wrongdoers, especially those supporting the recently encountered criminal, the Slasher. However, his ambitions and resolve are tested, as Izaya is not the only powerful figure standing in his way.

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.

Kenzou Tenma, a celebrated Japanese neurosurgeon working in postwar Germany, is forced to decide between saving Johan Liebert, a dying orphan boy, or the mayor of Düsseldorf. He ultimately chooses to risk his reputation by operating on Johan, allowing the mayor to die. As a result, hospital director Heinemann strips Tenma of his position, and Heinemann's daughter Eva calls off their engagement. Disgraced and abandoned by his peers, Tenma watches his career prospects vanish—until Heinemann is mysteriously murdered, giving him a second chance. Nine years later, Tenma is head of the surgical department and nearly the director himself. At first everything seems promising, but he soon gets caught up in a series of brutal murders across Germany. The perpetrator is a monster—the very same one Tenma saved that fateful day nine years earlier.

Twenty-Fifth Bam lived in solitude for his entire life until he met Rachel. But now, Rachel has made up her mind to climb the Tower, and she is prepared to leave Bam behind to achieve that goal. After Rachel vanishes behind a curtain of light, Bam chases after her, determined to ascend the Tower in the hope of reuniting with her. However, the Tower is a perilous realm filled with ancient mysteries, terrifying monsters, and malicious people. Each floor is overseen by an Administrator who subjects the daring challengers to grueling trials that test their every limit. When he confronts Headon, the Administrator of the first floor, Bam discovers that he is an "Irregular"—someone who was not chosen by the Tower but managed to enter it on his own, an extremely uncommon occurrence within the Tower. Despite this revelation, his course remains clear. Whether it is wealth, power, glory, or even being reunited with Rachel, every desire can be fulfilled at the pinnacle of the Tower.

Moritaka Mashiro is a skilled artist in middle school but feels uncertain about his future, assuming he'll just lead an ordinary life. After spotting one of his drawings in class, aspiring writer Akito Takagi insists they create a manga together. Mashiro hesitates—his uncle, a mangaka, died from overwork only a few years earlier. However, learning that his crush Miho Azuki aims to become a voice actress, Mashiro becomes determined to produce a manga that can be adapted into an anime for her to star in. Azuki, who returns his feelings, agrees to marry him once they both achieve their dreams. Bakuman. follows Mashiro and Takagi's triumphs and struggles as they try to get serialized in Weekly Shounen Jump and become famous mangakas. Will their gamble succeed, or will they join the countless failures?

Takao Kasuga is an awkward middle school student with a passion for reading, particularly Charles Baudelaire's Les Fleurs du Mal. He harbors a crush on his class's idol, the sweet-natured Nanako Saeki. In sharp contrast, Sawa Nakamura is a rude, unpleasant girl who couldn't care less about school. One day, Takao forgets to bring his book home. He returns to school to fetch it, but freezes when he spots Nanako's freshly worn gym clothes lying on the floor. A strange desire overcomes him, and like a twisted pervert, he steals them. Burdened by guilt over his crime, Takao tries his best to carry on as usual. However, Sawa—who witnessed the theft—has other intentions for him...

When the burdens of adulthood and the harsh reality of workplace harassment shatter childhood aspirations, many might long to go back to their carefree younger years for a second chance at making better choices. Stunned by the proposal laid before him, 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki seeks to change his fate through an extraordinary opportunity. After returning from his part-time job, Arata is convinced by Ryou Yoake, a staff member of the ReLife Research Institute, to join an experiment designed to help him overcome his struggles and re-enter the corporate world. As part of the ReLife program, Arata's body is transformed to look like a 17-year-old, and his only task is to live through high school again for one year. Awaiting him at the end of the experiment is a job offer—the very thing he has been unable to obtain since leaving his first company. With few alternatives, he agrees to proceed. Yet, due to his adult habits and the long gap since his last formal education, Arata finds himself facing an unexpectedly tough challenge—just getting through an ordinary day of high school.