One day, Doppo, the high school protagonist, suddenly heard a voice from his phone saying "The game has begun" and that the "chosen challengers" have been taken to another world. If they complete their mission, they can return to their original world. However, this new world is filled with terrifying monsters... Can they survive and return to their original world?! The survival game for humanity's salvation on the line has begun...!
Dear Citizen, We appreciate your loyalty, especially during these troubled times when people seem unmotivated and apathetic. You may be wondering why nothing is being done to stop this decline. Rest assured, we are taking measures to address the issue. Starting immediately, we will randomly select a citizen each day and they will be notified of their demise within 24 hours. This will serve as a reminder of how precious life is and the importance of being a productive member of society. Thank you for your attention and cooperation. Congratulations, you have been randomly selected by the government to participate in this reminder. Note: This piece was nominated for the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2009.
Sex is an intimate and exposed act that often necessitates an immense amount of faith. Misuzu grappled with this vulnerability, dejectedly abandoning both intimate relationships and dating entirely after being informed that she lacked proficiency in bed. Despite this, Misuzu eventually summoned the bravery to re-enter the world of romance when her coworker Mikage-san propositioned her years later. Sadly, she soon discovers that Mikage-san too struggles with sexual hang-ups. Will they be able to disregard their anxieties and cooperate to construct a resilient, gratifying bond?
This is a requiem for those who are lost, wandering, and anguished in their lives after reaching 50. Amidst Japan's start of a new era, the protagonist of this story is Shiosawa. Once an editor for a prominent manga publisher, he has since retired early and finds himself questioning the significance of manga in his life. Is it merely a profession to him, a means of self-expression, or a source of companionship?
On a rainy day almost a month ago, Kumo Shirasagi disappeared without a trace. In hopes of finding her, a group of six classmates convenes to search the Bird Forest, an abandoned amusement park on a remote hill in the countryside. Among these students is Gin Kurobe, a boy whose reasons for coming are as mysterious as his habit of muttering under his breath. The group's search takes them to the foreboding structure looming over the park known as the Birdcage Castle. In an instant, they are knocked unconscious—and when they awaken, they find metal collars around their necks, each connected to another person. The game they unwittingly entered is simple: they cannot turn back from any chosen path, and they must always move in pairs. The punishment for breaking either of these rules is certain death. With their lives on the line, Gin and his classmates must ascend through the bloody castle, battling the mind games thrown at them while searching for Kumo.
Susumu Nakoshi is a middle-aged man who spends his days between a lavish first-class hotel and a park full of homeless people. One day, an eccentric young man approaches Nakoshi in search of subjects willing to partake in trepanation—the procedure of drilling a hole in the skull. This mysterious person claims that Nakoshi is the perfect man for the experiment. Initially rejecting the offer, he doubles back on his decision after his car gets towed off. Nakoshi agrees to let Manabu Ito, a 22-year-old medical student, drill a hole in his skull in exchange for 700,000 yen. The procedure bears no results at first, with Nakoshi showing no abnormalities. This normalcy comes to an abrupt end, however, when Nakoshi begins seeing the homunculus in every person. With his perception distorted, how will Nakoshi face these homunculi?
In their shared classroom, Rin Sakura was the target of bullying while Yuuya Komine, a studious and conflict-avoidant student, kept to himself. They had never spoken until one moment when Yuuya succumbed to peer pressure and told Rin to kill herself. In response, Rin leapt from the window but survived the fall, blaming Yuuya for her actions. Overcome with guilt, Yuuya desperately apologizes to Rin and pledges to do whatever she wants. Surprisingly, Rin requests something unexpected: his love.
Oboreru Knife tells the story of Natsume, a sixth-grade girl who has to move from Tokyo to a decidedly different town in the countryside. Upon meeting a boy named Kouichirou there, "something" stirs inside her. The story depicts a "teen heart on the brink of ruin."
Cat Eyed Boy is a half-human, half-monster child whose mostly human appearance bans him from the demon world. He lives hidden in the shadows of the human world, hated by humans and demons alike. Wherever he goes, awful events occur as the humans and demons interact. In stories of revenge and retribution full of disturbing images, Cat Eyed Boy acts as a trickster, saving the innocent and helping the wicked receive the punishment that fate metes out.
After breaking the chains of fate and achieving the ultimate world, Rika Furude and her comrades can finally enjoy ordinary lives in Hinamizawa's mountain village. Rika believes her hardships and heartaches are over until she is involved in an accident that proves her wrong. Upon waking up, Rika realizes she's in a different world than the one she knows. This new reality contrasts her original world, with her once loyal friend Satoko Houjou becoming cold towards her, her longtime friend Keiichi Maebara never moving to Hinamizawa, and her parents still alive. Though this world may not be perfect, it still appeals to Rika, leaving her with a tough decision: stay in this new world or return to the world that she struggled to improve.
Haru and Gaku, two friends, conspire to amass an amount of money that would grant them the power to obtain any material possession they desire, a sum of one trillion dollars.
At 25 years old, Shizuka Yamauchi works as a housekeeper while Makiko Mitarai, who is 46 years old, is an amateur model and impeccable homemaker. Despite their unfamiliarity, the two have a history that Shizuka seeks to rectify in order to vindicate her mother. However, Makiko harbors her own secrets, and Shizuka must be cautious in her pursuit of the truth to avoid being harmed.