Cowboy Bebop, Vol. 1


Yutaka Nanten - 1999
    Spinning off from the anime story line seen on Cartoon Network, the manga series hooks readers with the same combination of sci-fi action, crazy comedy, and a twist of old-school hipster cool. This black-and-white miniseries, released in the 100% Authentic Manga format, is perfect for fans of the Cowboy Bebop anime.

Bizenghast, Volume 1


M. Alice LeGrow - 2005
    One thing becomes painfully clear: The residents of Bizenghast are just dying to come home.A finalist in TOKYOPOP's Rising Stars of Manga competition, Marty Legrow has crafted an unforgettable Gothic drama that will leave readers haunted long after the last page is turned.Description from back cover

Gin Tama, Vol. 1


Hideaki Sorachi - 2004
    In his days, Gintoki is joined by Shinpachi Shimura, a teenager son of a samurai who wants to learn about him, and Kagura, an alien girl who went to Earth to earn money for her poor family, but is unable to return home and threatens Gintoki to let her live with him. While Kagura and Shinpachi live with Gintoki, they meet a terrorist named Kotaro Katsura who participated alongside Gintoki in the war between samurais and aliens, and lost. Odd Jobs is forced to help Katsura escape from the Shinsengumi, a police force working for the Bakufu, after they accidentally perform a terrorist attack. The volume ends with a one-shot from Sorachi named "Dandelion", which explores the work of a pair of exorcists.

Dororo, Vol. 1


Osamu Tezuka - 1968
    Knowing the child to be deficient, Kagemitsu orders the newborn thrown into the river.The baby survives. Callling himself Hyakkimaru, ge searches the world for the 48 demons. Each time he eliminates one, he retrieves one of his missing parts. Hyakkimaru meets a boy thief named Dororo, and together they travel the countryside, confronting mosters and ghosts again and again. This the first in a 3 - volume series. Tezuka's manga and animated films had a tremendous impact on the shaping of the psychology of Japan's postwar youth. His work changed the concept of Japanese comics, transforming it into an art form and incorporating a variety of new styles in creating "story comics."

Naruto, Vol. 1: Uzumaki Naruto


Masashi Kishimoto - 1999
    His wild antics amuse his teammates, but Naruto is completely serious about one thing: becoming the world's greatest ninja! UZUMAKI NARUTO Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace, and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!

Spirited Away, Volume 1


Hayao Miyazaki - 2002
    Dad takes a wrong turn, though, and they become lost in a forest. Eventually they find their way to a strange abandoned amusement park. Chihiro wanders off. As night falls, Chihiro finds out she's in a world of ghosts, demons, and strange gods. A mysterious boy, Haku, tells her that to survive Chihiro must find work. She must go down to the boiler room and seek out an old man named Kamaji...

Blood+, Vol. 01


Asuka Katsura - 2005
    Horrible nightmares are the only hints at the violent life she once led, but her past is about to catch up with her and awaken the merciless warrior within. Chiropterans -- powerful shape-changing creatures who need and crave blood -- threaten humanity once more, and a mysterious organization called the Red Shield needs Saya's deadly sword skills and mysterious powers to aid in the fight against these beasts. As her submerged abilities begin to reawaken and as she seeks to regain her memories, Chiropteran warriors are guided by a mysterious leader to threaten Saya and her loved ones. Asuka Katsura's manga series successfully expands upon the original Production I.G./Aniplex feature, delivering moments of jarring violence and thrilling action in a tale that spans several centuries.

Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 1


Rei Toma - 2009
    While Caesar is pleasing to the eye, he is also selfish and possessive, telling Nakaba outright: “You are my property.” With only her attendant Loki at her side, Nakaba must find a way to cope with her hostile surroundings, her fake marriage...and a mysterious power!

Battle Royale, Vol. 01


Koushun Takami - 2000
    As part of a ruthless program by the totalitarian government, ninth-grade students are taken to a small isolated island with a map, food, and various weapons. Forced to wear special collars that explode when they break a rule, they must fight each other for three days until only one "winner" remains. The elimination contest becomes the ultimate in must-see reality television. A Japanese pulp classic available in English for the first time, Battle Royale is a potent allegory of what it means to be young and survive in today's dog-eat-dog world. The first novel by small-town journalist Koushun Takami, it went on to become an even more notorious film by 70-year-old director Kinji Fukusaku.

Saiyuki, Vol. 1


Kazuya Minekura - 1997
    The foundations of civilization and religion were raised and reinforced in this land of Togenkyo, the paradise known as Shangri-la.But now, a great evil threatens harmony in this great land. Far to the West, in India, someone is attempting to resurrect the youkai lord Gyumaoh by mixing human science with youkai magic. This forbidden practice has created a Minus Wave of negative energy that is spreading across Shangri-la, poisoning the souls of the youkai and turning them into mindless monsters. The only hope lies in four legendary heroes: Genjyo Sanzo, a high priest with low morals; Son Goku, the hungry and mischievous Monkey King, just released from 500 years imprisonment; Sha Gojyo, a water sprite with an addiction for good smokes and bad women; Cho Hakkai, the legendary demon slayer, and his transforming dragon Hakuryu. To save Shangri-la, these unlikely companions, united by fate, must travel together ... INTO THE WEST! Having been assigned by the human elders the mission of stopping a mystical plague that has afflicted the Youkai with madness, Genjyo Sanzo assembles his team of Youkai warriors, desperately hoping that the disease will not affect them. He sets up qualifying tests that will help him determine the loyalty and worth of Cho Hakkai, Son Goku and Sha Gojyo. The team then journeys west to rid the land of madness.

Gantz/1


Hiroya Oku - 2000
    What a waste! And yet somehow they're still . . . alive? Or semi-alive? Maybe it's reanimated . . . by some kind of alien orb with a nasty message . . . "Your lives are over. What you do with your new lives is up to me!" And what this orb called "Gantz" intends to do with their lives is make them play games of death, hunting all kinds of odd aliens, along with a bunch of other ordinary citizens who've recently met a tragic semi-end. The missions they embark upon are often dangerous. Many die-and die again.This dark and action-packed manga deals with the moral conflicts of violence, teenage sexual confusion and angst, and our fascination with death.Hang on to your gear and keep playing the game, whatever you do; Gantz is unrelenting.* Gantz has been one of the most popular adult anime in recent years with over 175,000 copies sold!* Dark Horse makes Gantz available in English for the first time with its U.S. debut.* Gantz has been running weekly in the Japanese magazine Young Jump, which has a circulation of over 1 million.Each volume comes shrink-wrapped and carries an 18+ content advisory.

.hack// Legend of the Twilight, Vol. 1


Tatsuya Hamazaki - 2003
    Twins Rena and Shugo are two middle-school students who enter 'The World' as level one game characters. When Shugo's character dies, he is transported to another level where he is entrusted to bear the Twilight Bracelet by the mysterious Aura. Shugo must find out who Aura is and why she gave him this powerful weapon to protect his sister from the peculiar characters in 'The World'.

Yu-Gi-Oh!, Vol. 1: The Millenium Puzzle


Kazuki Takahashi - 1997
    until he solved the Millennium Puzzle, a mysterious Egyptian artifact! Possessed by the puzzle, Yugi becomes Yu-Gi-Oh, the King of Games, and challenges evildoers to the Shadow Games... weird games with high stakes and high risks! These graphic novels contain new stories not seen in the anime, including the origin of Yugi and his friends!

Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Vol. 1


Magica Quartet - 2011
    Madoka had always thought magic was stuff of fantasy… until she sees the transfer student fighting with the very cat being from her dream! And just like in Madoka's dream, the cat gives her a choice. Will Madoka become a magical girl in exchange for he dearest desires? What will be the cost of having her wish come true?

Hunter x Hunter, Vol. 01


Yoshihiro Togashi - 1998
    But such pursuits require a license, and less than one in a hundred thousand can pass the grueling qualification exam. Those who do pass gain access to restricted areas, amazing stores of information, and the right to call themselves Hunters.THE DAY OF DEPARTUREGon might be a country boy, but he has high aspirations. Despite his Aunt Mito's protests, Gon decides to follow in his father's footsteps and become a legendary Hunter. The Hunter hopefuls begin their journey by storm-tossed ship, where Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika, the only other applicants who aren't devastated by bouts of seasickness.Having survived the terrors of the high seas, Gon and his companions now have to prove their worth in a variety of tests in order to find the elusive Exam Hall. And once they get there, will they ever leave alive...?