Best Supernatural Manga of 2001

For as long as he can remember, high school student Ichigo Kurosaki has been able to see the spirits of the dead, but that has not stopped him from leading an ordinary life. One day, Ichigo returns home to find an intruder in his room who introduces herself as Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper tasked with helping souls pass over. Suddenly, the two are jolted from their conversation when a Hollow—an evil spirit known for consuming souls—attacks. As Ichigo makes a brash attempt to stop the Hollow, Rukia steps in and shields him from a counterattack. Injured and unable to keep fighting, Rukia suggests a risky plan—transfer half of her Soul Reaper powers to Ichigo. He accepts and, to Rukia's surprise, ends up absorbing her powers entirely, allowing him to easily dispatch the Hollow. Now a Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo must take up Rukia's duties of exterminating Hollows and protecting spirits, both living and dead. Along with his friends Orihime Inoue and Yasutora Sado—who later discover spiritual abilities of their own—Ichigo soon learns that the consequences of becoming a Soul Reaper and dealing with the world of spirits are far greater than he ever imagined.

At the tender age of 12, Mitsuki Kouyama has a sarcoma in her throat. Though this rare cancer can be cured by removing her vocal cords, Mitsuki refuses because of her desire to become a pop singer and keep her childhood promise to Eichi Sakurai, her first love who left for America. Unable to both heal and keep her voice, she allows her health to deteriorate, as she accepts her tragic fate. One day, while escaping the home of her music-hating grandmother to attend an audition, Mitsuki meets two shinigami, Takuto Kira and Meroko Yui. Realizing that Mitsuki can see them, Takuto and Meroko reveal to her that she will die in a year. Moved by her plight, Takuto allows Mitsuki the chance to pursue her dream by giving her the ability to transform into a healthy sixteen-year-old girl. After being chosen for a contract with Seed Records, Mitsuki makes her debut under the stage name Full Moon and chooses to pursue her dream music career before her life's end.Included one-shot: Volume 2: Ginyuu Meika

Kiyomaro Takamine, genius middle schooler, is greeted one morning by Gash Bell, a boy with a mysterious red book. Tasked by his father to decipher it, Kiyomaro soon learns Gash is no ordinary boy. Able to shoot lightning from his mouth at the chant of a word, Gash is a demon child—one a part of a war that takes place every 1000 years to decide the Demon King. With Kiyomaro being the only one who can read Gash's book, the duty of partner is thrust on him in this exciting tale of friendship, determination, and melons...?

In Jushin, there once lived secret government agents called the amen osa (or angyō onshi in the Japanese version), who traveled the countryside in disguise. They were charged by the king with finding and punishing corrupt government officials, and bringing justice to the country's citizens.

Deep in the heart of 19th century London, a young nobleman named Cain walks the shadowy cobblestone streets of the aristocratic society into which he was born. Forced to become an earl upon the untimely death of his father, Cain assumes the role of head of the Hargreaves, a noble family with a dark past. With Riff, his faithful manservant, and Mary Weather, his 10-year-old half sister, Cain investigates the mysterious crimes that seem to follow him wherever he goes.Included one-shot: Volume 5: Nichiyoubi no Solomon Grundy

Ryousuke Akiba calls himself ES, a code name taken from a mysterious scientific experiment. Ryousuke will live to be at least two centuries old and possesses strange mental powers: He can enter people's minds, discover their darkest secrets, even rearrange their memories so that complete strangers will treat him like family. Ryousuke acts not out of malice but for survival—wandering Tokyo for reasons known only to him. No one recognizes him for what he is...until Dr. Mine Kujyou, a determined researcher, meets someone who challenges everything she knows about science—ES, possessor of the Eternal Sabbath gene. But is he the only one?

Ikuto Touhouin is a 14-year-old boy, who had a fight with his father and ran away from home. He later boards a ship overseas, but a huge storm hits and sinks the ship. After spending a week drifting in the ocean, he arrives in an island, with the only exception that all the people there act like people from the Meiji era, and that they are all actually females! The girls were unable to come into contact with other people, let alone males, as there were whirlpools surrounding the island, making it impossible to leave. Now that these love-starved women finally come into contact with a male, what will happen now?

The Itou Junji Kyoufu Manga Collection features themed one-shots from Junji Itou in Hontou ni Atta Kowai Hanashi mangazine. Volume 14. 1. Long Dream 2. The Story of the Mysterious Tunnel 3. The Bronze Statue 4. Drifting Spores 5. Blood Sickness of the White Sands Village

Asumi Kamogawa is a small, 14-year-old girl with a burning passion for the cosmos, especially the stars. Since her early childhood, she has been learning about space from a man she calls "Lion-san," a wise and friendly ghost wearing a giant lion head. Despite a rough family dynamic, Asumi decides to enroll in the Tokyo Space School. Asumi soon makes a group of friends at school: Shinnosuke Fuchuuya, Asumi's childhood friend with glasses and somewhat brutal honesty; Kei Oumi, a very friendly girl who was inspired by Neil Armstrong's pictures of the first lunar landing; Marika Ukita, an unsociable yet beautiful girl with some secrets of her own; and Shuu Suzuki, a bold yet intelligent boy with a very laidback outlook. Set in an alternate future where Japan's first man-made rocket crashed in 2010, Futatsu no Spica is a coming-of-age story revolving around these young high schoolers and their path toward the stars.

The background is in the distant future, a post-apocalyptic world after the destruction brought about by Armageddon. The war between humans (Terran) and vampires (Methuselah) continues, as a struggle between two factions: the Vatican and the New Human Empire. Yet, amidst the bloodshed and violence, many desire a peaceful co-existence between the two species. However, standing between them and this goal is the Rosenkreuz Orden, a group of vampire extremists who manipulate the two sides and pit them against each other. To combat them, the Vatican special operations group "AX," led by Cardinal Caterina, must use everything they have—even a vampire who preys on the blood of other vampires.

For those who suffer nightmares, help awaits at the Ginseikan Tea House, where patrons can order much more than just Darjeeling. Hiruko is a special kind of a private investigator. He's a dream eater. And he'll rid you of your darkest visions... for a price.