From Ponent Mon: Seventeen authors (nine from France or French-speaking countries, eight from Japan) brought together in the same book, a succession of freely created short stories about the same universe: Japan. The French, of course, journeyed to Japan for the occasion. Each cartoonist was sent for two weeks to a different city in the archipelago (Joann Sfar in Tôkyô, Emmanuel Guibert in Kyôto, Nicolas de Crécy in Nagoya, etc.) to bring back an original creation. The Japanese tell us about their district, the city where they live or where they originally come from (Kazuichi Hanawa's story being about the northern island of Hokkaido, Jiro Taniguchi's about the town of Tottori, etc.) The result is often inspired, always surprising: Japan through new eyes. "Japan" will appear simultaneously in French, Japanese, Spanish, Italian and English. Along with "A Patch Of Dreams" by Hideji Oda, it is the first step in a series of international creations with left-to-right reading direction, created for us by some of the best European and Japanese comic book artists. List of included short stories: At the Seaside - [TAKAHAMA Kan](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=4331) The Gateway - David Prudhomme Summer Sky - [TANIGUCHI Jiro](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=714) Now I Can Die! - Aurélia Aurita Osaka 2034 - François Schuiten & Benoît Peeters Shin.Ichi. - Emmanual Guibert The New Gods - Nicolas de Crécy *Kankichi* - [MATSUMOTO Taiyou](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=361) The Tokyo of Qualtérou - Joann Sfar The Sunflower - [Little Fish](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=19995) The Song of the Crickets - [ANNO Moyoco](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=152) In Love Alley - [Frédéric Boilet](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=6069) The City of Trees - Fabrice Neaud The Festival of the Bell-Horses - [IGARASHI Daisuke](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=2216) In the Deep Forest - [HANAWA Kazuichi](https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=2080) Sapporo Fiction - Étienne Davodeau

Yamada Shintaro is training to become a monster guardian--his job is to protect the monsters from harm. But when he meets Nao, a girl from his middle school, he suddenly falls in love...with her neckline! Shintaro will go to any lengths to prevent any disruption to her peaceful life--and preserve his choice view of her neck! (Source: TOKYOPOP)

Coworkers Ryuuichi and Haruyoshi are dating, but now Ryuuchi's working all hours.

Jun Nanami is a young model. Except, his agency is forcing him to work as a manga assistant! He's less than thrilled about the arrangement until he realizes the artist is actually his idol, ex-model Yudai Kase!! A high-and-mighty author falls for a bratty young model in this steamy love story!. (Source: Renta!) *Note: Includes two parts of "Doujin wo Aishite (同人を愛して, For the Love of Amateur Manga)," and two extra chapters.*

A very unlikely couple, whose lives couldn't be any more different, finds themselves inexplicably drawn to each other. Shin's always been a very "accident-prone" teen, but surely laying eyes on super-popular model Ukon isn't such a bad thing...right? What kind of lives do they have to live through when they're somehow stuck together? (Source: Manga Planet)

Kobo-chan is a 4-koma humor comic surrounding Kobo Tabata and his family. *Note: this entry includes chapters of "Kobo-chan" published until 2003/7. Later releases are included in the Shin Kobo-chan entry because of a change of tankoubon publisher, even if the series still continue to be released under its original name in the Asahi Shinbun*

Albert de Morcerf crosses paths with the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo and is awed by his sheer aura, but too ingrained within his innocent nature to realize that the Count has other plans. Why does the Count know the secrets of the rich, as if he wishes to disclose them for the world to see?

Kohane Yuzuhara is a 17-year-old high-school student who doesn’t have any interest in makeup. When her mom whisks her away on a sudden move back to Tokyo, though, Kohane gets called ugly on her first day at her new school by her hot classmate Iori Yashima. Iori’s a rich boy whose family owns Yashima Cosmetics, and he can do makeup like a pro. Kohane’s had it with Iori’s massive ego until, one day, he transforms her by doing her makeup. Could Kohane be starting to develop an interest in cosmetics? (Source: Kodansha USA)

Universal Century 0079.03.18 – The Principality of Zeon carries out their third drop operation. The 4th Terrestrial Mobile division make their way down to Earth. Chief Petty Officer Cuaran arrives on Earth as a part of the 908th Mobile Reconnaissance Company 2nd Team’s Commander. He would later be the man who attempted to destroy the Federation’s “white mobile suit”, the dreaded “Gundam.” (Source: Zeonic-Corps)

I heard a rumor... it's about a black box that contains all the weird and wonderful things in the world. There's nothing that the box can not do. It can grant you any wish in the world. Such a profound, mysterious story. Almost all rumors are basically like this, whether it's true or not, is not important. As long as the story is interesting, everything is fine. Thus, the story begins, with a high school boy, a black box, and a mysterious girl.

What do you do when a murderous villain ends up unconscious at your front door? For Yuri, the answer is simple: leave his body outside protagonist Anne-Marie's house and then live in peace as a background character! But for some reason, Yuri can't bring herself to let him ruin sweet, innocent Anne-Marie's life as is written in the original story, so she takes him in and slowly nurses him back to health. Little does Yuri realize the consequences of letting a villain inside her house... (Source: Tapas)

Introverted high-school student Ryuto is forced to confess to his crush, the most popular and beautiful girl in school, Luna. Surprisingly enough, she replies, “Then, how about we go out? I’m single right now anyhow.” Then right after school, she invites Ryuto to her room…?! Despite being completely different from one another, including the amount of experience with love and types of friends they have, the two of them are about to embark on a relationship full of firsts! *Source: Manga UP! Global*