May brings some new volumes of ongoing series, including Wotakoi, one of the series we identified as having highest sales per volume (see “Most Efficient Manga for Retailer Shelves”), as well as Mob Psycho 100, One Piece, and Edens Zero. New series debuting in May include the post-apocalyptic food-truck comedy Crazy Food Truck (Viz) and The Duke of Death and His Maid (Seven Seas), the manga that inspred the anime. Also debuting from Seven Seas: Tokyo Revengers, which Kodansha has licensed digitally, and Colorless, a gritty, stylish thriller with a noir-punk feel to it. As always, there are plenty of good choices, but here are our top three picks for the month.
Death Note Short Stories
Publisher: Viz
Release Date: May 11, 2022
Price: $14.99
Creators: Tsugumi Ohba (writer), Takahiro Obata (artist)
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781974730735
Age Rating: Teen Plus
What It’s About: This is a collection of stories based on the central concept of the original Death Note series: A bored Shinigami (demon of death) drops his notebook for humans to find; the owner of the notebook can kill anyone, anywhere, by writing their name in the book, but of course, it’s not that simple.
Why It’s a Pick Hit: The great thing about the Death Note is that there are so many different stories that can be written about it. The original Death Note series was not only a huge hit when it came out, in the late 2000s, but has continued to sell consistently ever since, boosted by numerous live-action and anime adaptations.
The Men Who Created Gundam
Publisher: Denpa
Release Date: May 25, 2022
Price: $21.95
Creator: Hideki Owada
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9781634429740
Age Rating: 14+
What It’s About: This manga is a lighthearted depiction of anime director Yoshiyuki Tomino and artist Yoshikazu Yasuhiko creating the Gundam franchise, working both with and against each other. Denpa announced this license at AnimeNYC in 2019 (see “AnimeNYC: Denpa to Publish History of ‘Gundam,’ Moto Hagio Cat Manga”); they will publish the two-volume series in a single omnibus edition.
Why It’s a Pick Hit: Gundam is an enduringly popular franchise, so much so that it was a big part of that year’s AnimeNYC, with Tomino himself making an appearance. This book offers an inside look into its creation and will be of obvious interest to Gundam fans but also to those interested in the history and business of anime.
Summertime Rendering, vol. 1
Publisher: Udon
Release Date: May 18
Price: $19.99 paperback/$24.99 hardcover
Creators: Yasuki Tanaka
Format: 352 pgs.; hardcover or paperback
ISBN: 978-1772942385 (hardcover); 978-1772942323 (paperback)
Age Rating: 16+
What It’s About: A supernatural mystery with time-travel elements and a teenage cast, set on a remote island.
Why It’s a Pick Hit: This is one of those stories that pulls you in from page one, with compelling characters and an intriguing mystery. It has a similar feel to Kei Sanbe’s Erased, but with the added charm of a rural island setting, and Tanaka’s clear-lined, lightly detailed art seals the deal.
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Source: ICV2
