Manga: Short Series’

Those looking for a short and sweet romance manga can find what they seek in Backstage Prince. Akari is an ordinary high school girl who gets swept up into the world of rien (kabuki theatre) when she follows a stray cat through the back door of a theatre. Little does she know that the cat is not a stray but belongs to one of the rising stars of kabuki, Shonosuke Ichimura, which is the stage name used by a heartthrob upperclassman at her school, Ryusei Horiuchi. When a deal is made for her to work as Ryusei's assistant, Akari gets a crash course in kabuki and the way of the heart.

Shojo lovers will get all the drama and tropes without the commitment of a longer series.

Tayla Cardillo

When an elderly calligraphy instructor, Ichinoi, randomly picks up and reads a boys’ love manga, she quickly picks up the next book. Bookstore worker and veteran BL fan, Urara, sees Ichinoi’s growing interest and offers to introduce her to the world of boys’ love.

With a delightful duo and sweet story featuring plenty of support and enthusiasm, BL Metamorphosis will appeal to readers looking for a story about intergenerational friendship and/or a friendship story based on fandom and reading.

Megan Rupe

Follow renowned manga creator Akiko Higashimura through the journey of her becoming the artist she is today, with present-day Akiko telling the story of young Akiko's struggles. Of course, her iconic sense of humor is present throughout. Young Akiko decides she will make manga, and her friends tell her she's a fantastic artist, and naturally, she believes them. So the gruff manner of the art tutor she goes to is rough, but it is what she needs. Even in the first volume, readers can see Akiko's perceptions of her art, and art in general, change.

Any teen artist who has struggled with comparing themselves to other artists will find companionship in this manga, like fans of Barakamon or Tokyo These Days. However, it's also a solid choice for readers who like bittersweet slice-of-life stories, like BL Metamorphosis or Hirayasumi.

Shannan Prukop

Atsuko is beyond excited to attend Luna Nova Witchcraft Academy because Shiny Chariot went there. The only problem is that Atsuko knows basically nothing about magic, so things quickly go sideways when it turns out flying a broom is required to get to school, and Atsuko doesn't have one and doesn't know how to fly one either. Through some mishaps, she meets Lotte and Sucy, who become her roommates. Though Atsuko struggles with school, she doesn't let that beat down her enthusiasm and determination, even though she stumbles into the most dangerous and weirdest situations.

Though this is a tie-in to the anime of the same name, this manga stands on its own as an excellent choice for readers who like stories of witches and adventures, like Hooky or Unfamiliar. It also has elements of magical girl stories, so fans of series like Cardcaptor Sakura are likely to enjoy Little Witch Academia. With just three volumes, it's also easier to suggest than some longer series with similar themes.

Shannan Prukop

Salaryman Yutaka lives a lonely and lackluster life until he runs into Tane and his big brother Minoru while eating lunch outside his job. Yukata shares his onigiri with Tane and loves how he makes it, so he goes over to their house to show them how he makes it. Minoru learns that cooking requires a little more care and finesse than his all-boys household is used to, and Yukata learns how to come out of his shell and be comfortable sharing his time (and meals) with people.

Fans of Heartstopper or Bloom will love this queer romance with cooking at the center.

Tayla Cardillo

Gesicht is a Europol agent recently assigned to investigate a murder. He also happens to be a robot, and the murder he's investigating is that of the beloved Mont Blanc, also a robot. It seems like the most powerful robots in the world, as well as those who fought for robots' rights, are being killed in a way that almost looks like a natural disaster. Gesicht tries to unravel the truth, but in the process, he learns about his history and the history of the world that people have been trying to keep hidden. At once a police procedural, a story of what counts as humanity, and a look at what happens to the world after its heroes die. Also, the story of Pluto is taking the world of Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka and playing with it so credit to Tezuka and his works is due.

The tone and themes are likely to please fans of Ghost in the Shell, considering the similarities between the nature of humanity and a group of cops who essentially deal with it all. With Gesicht as the story's primary narrator, the story is also an excellent choice for those who enjoy mysteries or police procedurals. This is just a fantastically crafted manga in general.

Shannan Prukop

Food and fantasy meet in this story about a restaurant that cooks Western food in a Japanese style with a secret. Every Saturday, a door to another plane opens in the restaurant, and the chef devotes himself to feeding and entertaining this exotic clientele, which involves many fantastical types like elves, demons, and dragons that you might see in a D&D campaign or fantasy novel. In the first volume, we meet Aletta, a demon girl who is unable to find a job in her world because of the long-standing hatred and discrimination against demons. She stumbles on the door to the restaurant, and after being treated to a lovely meal by the chef, he offers her a job as a waitress serving the customers who come in on Saturdays. One word of advice: don't read this book hungry!

Foodies and fantasy fans alike will love this title.

Mild language, implied nudity

Tayla Cardillo

Kikuzato’s high school soccer dreams were dashed after an incident took his leg. An opportunity appears when Chidori, a prosthetist who just struck out on his own, offers to make him a running prosthesis for free if Kikuzato will be his first customer. With a new set of goals, Kikuzato joins his school’s track team and is learning to run track as a para-athlete!

With an engaging and uplifting plot and thoughtful disability representation, Run on Your New Legs is a fun read that appeals to readers who enjoy sports stories and those looking for more stories with disability representation.

Ableism; brief, intense scenes of depression and anxiety surrounding the disability; characters experience COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions (no deaths/illness, and Kikuzato and his friends are supportive of one another)

Megan Rupe

Nomoto loves to cook lots of food, but her small appetite means she can’t go all out. When she discovers that her neighbor, Kasuga, has a voracious appetite, Nomoto offers to cook for her. As they grow closer, could their relationship become something more?

Readers looking for slow-burn, queer romances; readers who love food romances.

Abusive family; anti-LGBTQ discrimination; eating disorder

Megan Rupe