The Best New Manga of February 2018

Again!!, Vol. 1, by Mitsurou Kubo
For many people, the biggest selling point of this series will be that it is written by one of the creators of the hugely popular anime Yuri On Ice. For others, it may be that this is one of the rare—if not the only—ouendan manga to make it into English translation. (Ouendan is a uniquely Japanese take on the cheering squad.) If neither of these things appeals to you, you should still pick it up, because it’s really well done. The lead character, Kinichiro Imamura, has managed to make it through three years of high school without making any friends, taking part in any activities, or basically doing anything at all. Because of his looks, especially his bleached blond hair, everyone thinks he’s some sort of hoodlum, but he’s really kind of a nebbish. Then, on graduation day, he and a classmate both fall down a flight of stairs and are somehow transported back to the first day of school. That means they get to do things differently this time—including, in Imamura’s case, getting involved with the ouendan squad, which consists of just one girl and is in danger of disappearing altogether. This is a fairly standard formula, but Again!! rises above it with interesting characters and excellent storytelling, so no matter what the reason is for picking this up, it’s hard to put down.

Silver Spoon, Vol. 1, by Hiromu Arakawa
From the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist comes something completely different-and yet a little bit the same. Silver Spoon is a slice-of-rural-life comedy about a high school student who escapes from his overbearing father by enrolling in an agricultural school in Hokkaido. Of course, it’s not what he expects at all, and there’s plenty of humor to be found whenever a city boy winds up in the country. In the end, though, Arakawa says that, just as Fullmetal Alchemist was about growing up, not alchemy, Silver Spoon is about more than just cows and pigs-it’s about a young man coming into his own.

Battle Angel Alita Deluxe Edition, Vol. 2, by Yukito Kishiro
Kodansha Comics brings back the second volume of Yukito Kishiro’s cyberpunk manga in a deluxe omnibus edition that includes volumes 3 and 4 of the original series (which was published by Viz waaaay back in the day). Alita is sort of a cyborg Robin Hood, stalking those who take advantage of the weak and deploying her Panzer Kunst martial art skills to restore justice. This deluxe hardcover features a new translation and a larger trim size that lets the story really breathe, as well as loading 400 pages of story into a single volume.

The Promised Neverland, Vol. 2, by Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu
Volume 1 of this series came out in December, and if you haven’t read it, go do that now, because I’m about to drop a big ol’ spoiler. If you have already read it, you know that the happy orphanage depicted in the opening pages is actually a farm that raises cute little children to be tasty meals for horrible monsters. In that first volume, a couple of the orphans found out this terrible secret and started to plot their escape into the unknown territory beyond the orphanage walls. This brought them into a battle of wits against Mom, their apparently kindly caregiver, whose calm demeanor and serene smile mask her evil heart. In this volume, other characters start to reveal their hidden sides, and soon the reader is questioning everything they learned in volume 1. What started out as a fairy tale nightmare has become a story of intrigue and strategy, with unexpected revelations and head-spinning double-crosses that test the bounds of logic.

Kemono Friends, by Fly and the Kemono Friends Project
This one-shot manga is set in Japari Park, a sort of zoo that is home to Friends, who are sort of animal-human hybrids. The lead character, Nana, is just starting out as a trainer, and she’s put in charge of a docile cat girl and an independent-minded fox girl. This lighthearted slice-of-life story is not a 4-koma manga, but it kind of feels like one, and if you’re a fan, there’s a Kemono Friends anime as well.

Tales of Wedding Rings, Vol. 1, by Maybe
Hime and Sato first met when he was a little boy and she appeared in a glowing light with an older man she called her grandfather. They have been neighbors ever since, and ten years after they met, Sato is trying to work up the courage to tell Hime he loves her. When she announces she’s leaving-and disappears into the same portal of light she arrived in ten years earlier-he follows her into her world and sees her about to marry another man. Just before the vows are taken, though, a monster attacks—and in the confusion, Hime slips the ring onto Sato’s finger, making him the Ring King and giving him the power to save their land. The hitch: He has to marry four other princesses in order to obtain their rings and the powers they carry. Tales of Wedding Rings is a fantasy adventure story with a heavy dose of fanservice, especially once the newlyweds start contemplating the finer details of married life.

Tokyo Ghoul: re, Vol. 3, by Sui Ishida
Sui Ishida’s ghoul saga continues with the members of the Commission on Counter Ghoul doing battle against the Aogiri Tree-and there’s plenty of insider drama as well, as Inspector Toru Mutsuki is stuck behind enemy lines and depending on former Quinx squad leader Kuki Urie, who puts his own interests first, to aid him. This series picked up nicely where Tokyo Ghoul left off, with an action-packed storyline and interesting characters, the same mix that made the original series such a success.

My Hero Academia, Vol. 11, by Kohei Horikoshi
The craziness continues at the school for superheroes: Bakugo, Midoriya’s old nemesis, was abducted several volumes ago, and the students have banded together on a mission to retrieve him. Since they’re a motley assortment with very limited powers, the whole thing looks dodgy, and several of the senior superheroes-including All Might-get drawn in. The students may never graduate, but this series continues to get good grades for its mix of comedy, action, and shonen-style earnestness.
What new manga are you reading in February?