Staff Picks
Manga Debuts of 2021
- Thomas M.
- Friday, December 03, 2021
Collection
A lot of manga series kicked off in 2021. Pick up a new favorite across many different genres for teens and up.
A School Frozen in Time. Vol. 01
Published in 2021
"On a snowy school day like any other, classmates and childhood friends Hiroshi and Mizuki arrive at school to find the campus eerily empty. Before long, they find themselves trapped inside with six other friends, and even stranger, all the clocks have stopped at a very specific moment--the exact time when a former classmate jumped off the school roof to their death three months earlier. It turns out that this departed friend is their way out of their current predicament and may even be among their group... but no one can remember who it was that took their life on that sad day. The students must face themselves and their past memories to piece together the identity of this suicide victim or risk a similar fate--with their lives lost and forgotten inside these frigid school walls."--Provided by publisher.
My Summer of You. Vol. 01
The Summer of You
Published in 2021
A wistful summer blossoms between two high-school boys finding themselves and each other through a shared love of movies in this moving, dramatic, two-volume BL romance series, perfect for fans of Seven Days, Given, or I Hear the Sunspot. Chiharu Saeki and Wataru Toda are two high school students who share a common hobby: They love to watch movies. After they meet, they become fast friends, until one day, when Chiharu confesses his love for Wataru. Wataru says that Chiharu's confession doesn't bother him, and the boys continue throughout their summer, going to pilgrimages to see film spots from their favorite movies. But the more time he spends with Chiharu, Wataru realizes that he may not only be as unaffected by Chiharu's confession as he claimed to be, but those feelings may also be mutual...
Boys Run the Riot. Vol. 01
Published in 2021
"High schooler Ryo knows he's transgender, but he doesn't have anyone to confide in about the confusion he feels. He can't tell his best friend, who he's secretly got a crush on, and he can't tell his mom, who's constantly asking why Ryo 'dresses like a boy.' He certainly can't tell Jin, the new transfer student who looks like just another bully... The only time Ryo feels at ease is when he's wearing his favorite clothes. Then, and only then, the world melts away, and he can be his true self. One day, while out shopping, Ryo sees someone he didn't expect: Jin. The kid who looked so tough in class has the same taste in fashion as him! At last, Ryo has someone he can open up to--and the journey ahead might finally give him a way to express himself to the world."--Provided by publisher.
Sasaki and Miyano. Vol. 01
Published in 2021
It all started like a typical old-school boys love plotline: bad-boy senior meets adorably awkward underclassman, one of them falls in love, and so on and so forth. But although Miyano is a self-proclaimed BL expert, he hasn't quite realized that . . . he's in one himself. Which means it's up to Sasaki to make sure their story has a happily ever after!
Dai Dark. Volume 01
Published in 2021
"Zaha Sanko's body has great and terrible powers-they say that possessing his bones will grant you any wish, even the desire to become ruler of the universe. But Sanko is still a teenage dude with his own life, and he isn't about to let every monstrous lowlife in the galaxy rip him limb from limb. He and his skeletal buddy Avakian will use their dark powers to fend off any murder attempts while they search space for whomever put this curse on Sanko's bones...because killing them might end the madness. (And then Sanko can celebrate with his favorite spaghetti.)" -- Provided by publisher.
Otaku Elf. Vol. 01
Published in 2021
"Koganei Koito works as the teenage shrine maiden at the Takamimi Shrine, catering to the whims of its resident: a centuries-old elf who loves video games as much as she hates going outside! Line up your offerings for the otaku elf--some energy drinks, chips and video games will do nicely--and watch her new friends scramble to keep up!"--Provided by publisher.
Berserk of Gluttony. 01
Published in 2021
"Fate Graphite is one of the forsaken. Cursed with the skill 'Gluttony,' he is ever starving, never sated...until the day he kills a dying thief and devours the man's strength-and his soul. The true hunger of Fate's Gluttony has awakened, and if he can learn to control his power, he will at last be the master of his own destiny"-- Provided by publisher.
Star-crossed! Vol. 01
Published in 2021
A series of mixups leads to God misplacing the souls of Azusa and the handsome idol singer she adores--in each other's bodies!
Days on Fes. Vol. 1
Published in 2021
"Kanade Sora has never been to a music festival before. But when her friend Otoha lures her along with the promise that her favorite band will be playing, she finds herself having more fun than she ever imagined. And if one small show is enough to hook her, what might a huge overnight event at a major venue be like? As Kanade dives into a whole new world of rocking out, will her life ever be the same?!"-- Provided by publisher.
A Sign of Affection. Vol. 01
Published in 2021
"Yuki, who’s always been deaf, is used to communicating with sign language and her phone. But she’s not used to English, so when a tourist from overseas asks for directions, she nearly panics…until a handsome stranger steps in to help. His name is Itsuomi, and it turns out he’s a friend of a friend. A charismatic globetrotter, Itsuomi speaks three languages, but he’s never had a deaf friend. The two feel drawn to each other and plan a date on a romantic winter’s night…but Yuki’s friend is afraid that she might be setting herself up to get hurt. Could this be something real? Or will these feelings melt away with the snow?"--Amazon.com.
A Journal of My Father
Published in 2021
"The book opens with some childhood thoughts of Yoichi Yamashita spurred by a call informing him of his father's death. So, he journeys back to his hometown after an absence of well over a decade during which time he has not seen his father. But as the relatives gather for the funeral and the stories start to flow, Yoichi's childhood starts to resurface. The Spring afternoons playing on the floor of his father's barber shop, the fire that ravaged the city and his family home, his parents' divorce and a new 'mother'. Through confidences and memories shared with those who knew him best, Yoichi rediscovers the man he had long considered an absent and rather cold father."--Provided by publisher.
Doughnuts Under a Crescent Moon. 01
Published in 2021
"When self-doubting Uno Hinako starts to think she might be alone forever, a new normal presents itself in the form of her relationship with Asahi Sato, a level-headed woman who works at her company"-- Provided by publisher.
Adachi and Shimamura. Vol. 01
Published in 2021
"The second floor of the gym. That's our spot. Class is in session right now, but they don't hold class in a place like this. This is where Shimamura and I became friends. What is this feeling? Yesterday, I dreamed of kissing her. I'm not like that, and I'm sure Shimamura isn't either. But...when Shimamura thinks of the word friend, I want to be the first thing that comes to her mind. That's all".--Publisher.