Manga-Dec.2017

Monthly Manga Highlights: December 2017

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It’s the holiday season, and the publishers have been gearing up for some smash releases in manga.

January is also looking good, but the number of stellar titles has been really a treat this month. It was hard to narrow down the list, but here are our top picks for December!

Yowamushi Pedal is coming out with volume 7, collecting volumes 13 and 14 of the Japanese issues. While the art style isn’t for everyone, Watanabe Wataru’s depiction of movement and his careful rendition of character growth nets this series are one of top sports manga in Japan. The focus is on the battle between the aces, specifically with Imaizumi and Arakita, and their fight to get their captains towards the finish line. Of course, not everything will go as planned.

Cardcaptor Sakura has returned after 16 years, with the first volume of the Clear Card arc. This was the childhood favorite of many, and Sakura Kinomoto is back once again on another adventure. She’s in middle school now and reunites with Syaoran, but after she has a mysterious dream, she realizes that all the Clow Cards have gone transparent.
Junji Ito is coming out with another short story collection called Shiver. Ito is one of the top horror mangakas currently working, and his stories always border on grotesque and absurd. The character’s facial expressions and relentless monsters are always exciting, which is reflective in Ito’s detailed inking in every panel. Fans of horror are sure to find this latest collection a wild ride as always!
To Your Eternity releases its second volume, which focuses more on March, the new being, and their journey into Yanome. It is written Yoshitoki Oima, best known for her work on the smash hit A Silent Voice, so it is sure to be just as masterful. While the story this time is more in the realm of fantasy rather than rooted in reality, it focuses on very gentle and human relationships, which directly mirrors the unknown being and their path to becoming human.
The Promised Neverland is a real treasure to hit the shelves. Posuka Demizu’s art is detailed and vibrant, as further shown in her artbook, and now her ever-popular serialization with Kaiu Shirai has been translated. Promised Neverland has a dark focus despite the cover, and features the story of several orphans who realize they are set to be sacrificed to demonic creatures, and their plots of escape.
Land of Lustrous has recently gained a lot of popularity following the release of the anime this season, which combines tasteful CGI with the natural iridescence of the cast. The last volume ended in tragedy, with Antarcticite’s death and Phos’ forced transformation into someone less chipper and more efficient. They struggle with their newfound powers, and most importantly, with their fellow gems.
Golden Kamuy is a rarity, being one of few manga to depict in detail the culture of the Ainu people. When Sugimoto and Asirpa aren’t hunting people down, they are hunting for food, and preparing it in accordance to Ainu beliefs. Volume three hits the shelves this month, with the duo finding complications in the “Escape King” Shiraishi, and the former vice-commander of the famous Shinsengumi, Hijikata.
Those are our top picks, and if you read any of them, let us know what you think!

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