Book picks similar to
No. 5, Vol. 1 by Taiyo Matsumoto


manga
graphic-novels
comics
science-fiction

Dorohedoro, Vol. 1


Q. Hayashida - 2002
    A sorcerer cursed him with a reptile head and left him with no memory of his life before the transformation. Adding to the mystery, there's a specter of a man living inside him. But Caiman has one key advantage: he's now completely immune to magic. Along with his best friend, Nikaido, Caiman is hunting down sorcerers in the Hole, searching for the one who can undo his curse and killing the rest. But when En, the head Sorcerer, of the sorcerers, gets word of a lizard-man slaughtering sorcerers, he sends a crew of "cleaners" into the Hole, igniting a war between two worlds.

My Hero Academia, Vol. 1


Kohei Horikoshi - 2014
    With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Children of the Whales, Vol. 1


Abi Umeda - 2013
    In its chambers a small community clings to survival, most dying young from the very powers that sustain them. Chakuro is the Archivist for the Mud Whale, diligently chronicling the lives and deaths of his people. As one of the saimia wielders, whose life spans are cut short by their own magic, he knows his time is limited and is determined to leave a better record than his predecessors. But the steady pace of their isolated existence on the Mud Whale is abruptly shattered when a scouting party discovers a mysterious young girl who seems to know more about their home than they do…

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.

BLAME! Vol. 1


Tsutomu Nihei - 2015
    Within this megastructure the silent, stoic Kyrii is on a mission to find the Net Terminal Gene—a genetic mutation that once allowed humans to access the cybernetic NetSphere. Armed with a powerful Graviton Beam Emitter, Kyrii fends off waves of attacks from fellow humans, cyborgs and silicon-based lifeforms. Along the way, he encounters a highly-skilled scientist whose body has deteriorated from a lengthy imprisonment who promises to help Kyrii find the Net Terminal Gene, once she settles a score for herself...

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 1


Jun Mochizuki - 2016
    Now, guided by the Book of Vanitas, the gears begun to turn, and the story of two men, Noe and Vanitas, takes shape...

Devils' Line, Vol. 1


Ryo Hanada - 2013
    Anzai, her savior, is a half-devil who exploits his supernatural gifts as a member of a shadowy police task force that specializes in devil-related crime in Tokyo. As Anzai continues to keep guard over Tsukasa, the two quickly forge a tentative bond—one that Anzai fears will test his iron-clad rule of never drinking human blood...

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 1


Satoru Noda - 2015
    With only a cryptic map and a native Ainu girl to help him, Saichi must also deal with every murderous cutthroat, bandit and rogue who knows about the treasure! Immortal Sugimoto, a survivor of the assault on 203 Meter Hill during the Russo-Japanese War, now scratches out a meager existence in the post-war gold rush in the wild frontier of Hokkaido. A chance encounter in the woods puts a map to a hidden fortune of Ainu gold in his hands, but Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it!

Wolf's Rain, Vol. 1


BONES - 2003
    But some survivors lurk among the humans by mentally cloaking their animal bodies. One white wolf, Kiba, scours the land for the scent of the Lunar Flower that will lead them all to Paradise...

Lamu: Urusei Yatsura, 1


Rumiko Takahashi - 1989
    Ataru is confident he can win by grabbing her horns, but then finds out Lum can fly. The game lasts for 10 days, and Ataru can't seem to catch her. When things are looking grim for the humans, Shinobu (Ataru's girlfriend) promises to marry him if he wins, so Ataru figures out a how to steal Lum's top, thereby getting her to fly close enough for him to grab her horns.As he is celebrating his win, he shouts, "Now I can marry her!", Lum promptly takes this as a marriage proposal and moves into his bedroom closet, much to the annoyance of Shinobu.Thus starts one of the most popular manga series of all time, and the series which put Rumiko Takahashi firmly on the path to becoming the most popular and richest female manga artists in Japan.This is first volume of the "wide" edition, and contains the first 19 chapters (かけめぐる青春 (Kakemeguru Seishun) through 女になって出直せよ (Onna ni Natte Denaose yo)).

Chrno Crusade, Vol. 1


Daisuke Moriyama - 2003
    On the surface, it's a positive, peaceful time after the violence of the Great War. But lurking in the shadows is a dark element ready to snatch that peace away. Sister Rosette Christopher, an exorcist working as a part of the Magdala Order, has a duty to fight the demons which appear and cause destruction. But along with her companion Chrono, she usually ends up causing more destruction than the demons themselves! On one particular mission, they meet a young girl with a beautiful voice named Azmaria, who is being targeted by her own stepfather. As Rosette and Chrno work to save her, more is revealed about the relationship between them. There is more to these two than meets the eye.

Vinland Saga Omnibus, Vol. 1


Makoto Yukimura - 2013
    But standing in their way is Thorkell, one of the Viking world's most daring warriors. The defeat of a living legend will be a formidable test of Askeladd's cunning and Thorfinn's ruthlessness, and of their ability to set aside personal grudges and fell a common enemy!

Flight, Vol. 1


Kazu KibuishiJoel Carroll - 2004
    From the maiden voyage of a home-built plane to the adventures of a young courier and his flying whale to a handful of stories about coming of age and letting things go, this first volume of Flight is full of memorable tales that will both amaze and inspire.

Prince Freya, Vol. 1


Keiko Ishihara - 2018
    She bears a striking resemblance to her country’s Prince Edvard, who lies dying from poison. Without its prince, Tyr will quickly be engulfed by violence. Now Freya must take Prince Edvard’s place and lead his valiant knights in defending the realm!

Neon Genesis Evangelion: 3-in-1 Edition, Vol. 1


Yoshiyuki Sadamoto - 2012
    Each volume contains three of the original graphic novels and includes pages of stunning, full-color art. Once Shinji didn't care about anything; then he found people to fight for--only to learn that he couldn't protect them, or keep those he let into his heart from going away. As mankind tilts on the brink of the apocalyptic Third Impact, human feelings are fault lines leading to destruction and just maybe, redemption and rebirth. Reads R to L (Japanese style) for teen plus audiences.