4. Benkei in New York by Jinpachi Mori/Jiro Taniguchi (18+) - Written in the early 90s, this story follows a hitman who specializes in revenge jobs. Oddly enough, he has an appreciation for art, and makes copies of famous pieces to sell or just to fool others. One of the most interesting things about the main character is that he seems to never feel sorry about what he's doing, as he can go home and paint beautiful replicas with a steady hand, all by memory. Each and every story of revenge is interesting, and leaves you with mixed feelings about which character to side with.
3. MW by Tezuka Osamu (18+) - Most people have read Tezuka stories (he's considered the "godfather of manga"), but this is one of my absolute favorites by him. The two main characters are both polar opposites, and setting them against each other while observing their relationship is one of the best parts. The "bad" character of the two negatively influences the "good" character (a priest) because a war gas (MW) released on his home island made him unstable, and his sinful side rubs off on the priest (literally). It seems to represent how war keeps on giving, even long after it's through. (I feel I should note there is a movie in the making based on MW!)
2. Tanpenshu by Hiroki Endo (18+) - This might be cheating (I already mentioned this mangaka -- manga creator -- already; he did Eden), but this is one of my favorite oneshot (chapter-long stories) collections. It discusses many things and has so many different characters: a story of a girl whose only friends are the crows she feeds and the Yakuza (mafia in Japan) member she takes in, a perverted robotic brother and sister who live in a world that's hanging in the air by large wires extending into the sky, and many others. They all have important messages about life in general, and give you a good look at the darker side of Japanese society while doing it.
1. Nijigahara Holograph by Inio Asano (18+) - After reading this graphic novel over the summer, it has quickly become my number one favorite. The story centers around one beautiful angelic girl in a coma and the people whose lives she touched -- a man who raped her in a park, the woman who tried to stop him and got hit with a brick and then later taught a boy who fell in love with her, and so on; they're all connected in a circle. The observation of human fragility and community folktales (centering around butterflies and their growing population) is what makes this seemingly normal town unique. It isn't a feel-good story, but it's beautifully executed and leaves you just as confused and mystified as the lost characters.Oneshot Omake (extra)!
White Clouds by Hisae Iwaoka - An award-winning story that discusses life and death, as well as the things we leave behind for the things to come (in this case, the afterlife). Told from the perspective of an elderly couple's dog, this will more than likely make you sob your eyes out. I know I did!
Watching TV All the Time Makes You Stupid by Naoki Yamamoto (18+) - A rather dark story about a hikikomori (people who live in almost complete isolation from society) and the few people who try to pull her out of it (or try to keep her in it). The art uses a repetitive style in its panels to illustrate the boring and often routine lives of hikikomori, making days bleed into each other so you're just as confused as to what day it is as she is.
Hotel by Boichi - I love stories about the environment, and this sweet, quirky tale is about a program created to keep the data of all the earth's living beings after global warming destroys the planet.
Hanshin by Hagio Moto - This was what first got me into oneshots! A beautifully tragic story from one of the "foremothers of shoujo" (girl-themed manga) about conjoined twins -- one beautiful, the other ugly. It shows the bittersweet love between them and how each is viewed, and the outcome of their relationship.
Always Together by Makoto Isshiki - Here's a story that goes against all romantic oneshots; two overweight cousins, best friends since birth, decide to lose weight together so the girl can get the boy of her dreams. It shows the true value of friendship, and that the people who care most about you are right under your nose.
