A shared cigarette offers a momentary connection. A closet hides the evidence of an embarrassed bachelor's laziness. A single woman, not getting any younger, sifts through letters from would-be husbands. A new couple buys two train tickets to anywhere. Here are the quiet, evocative urban dramas of Masahiko Matsumoto, one of the leading lights of the Japanese alternative-comics movement known as "gekiga." Originally published in 1972-1974, these eleven stories now form the first English-language collection of Matsumoto's mature work. His shy, uncertain heroes face broken hearts, changing families, money troubles, sexual anxiety, and the pressures of tradition, but with a whimsy and lightness of touch that is Matsumoto's trademark. (Source: Top Shelf Productions)

Around 1955, rental bookstores—which lent books for 10 yen a day—were on the verge of their heyday. At the time, there were four manga publishers in Osaka catering to these rental shops, and Hinomaru Bunko in Semba was a bustling hub where young, impoverished but dream-filled artists—including Takao Saito, Masaaki Satou, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, and Masahiko Matsumoto—gathered! This is the story of these artists, who would later popularize a style of manga known as “gekiga,” and the beginning of the history of gekiga itself! (Source: Seirin Kogeisha, translated)

A story about a panda who tries to help humans in a city, but always ends messing up everything.

*Note: Published in Kage No. 1 (April 1956).*

*Note: Published in Kage No. 9 (December 1956).*

*Note: Published in Kage No. 2 (May 1956).*

Published in Kage No. 7.

Short, often silent, stories that appeared in the beginning of most issues. 01 入江亜季 IRIE Aki (October 2008) 02 長澤真 NAGASAWA Shin (December 2008) 03 宮田紘次 MIYATA Kouji (February 2009) 04 森薫 MORI Kaoru (April 2009) 05 高田健一 TAKADA Kenichi (June 2009) 06 福島久美子 FUKUSHIMA Kumiko (August 2009) 07 吉元ますめ YOSHIMOTO Masume (October 2009) 08 富明仁 TOMI Akihito (December 2009) 09 高橋那津子 TAKAHASHI Natsuko (February 2010) 10A まさひこ Masahiko (April 2010) 10B RUMIKO (April 2010) 11A 真田順子 SANADA Junko (June 2010) 11B 犬童千絵 INUDOU Chie (June 2010) 12 梶谷志乃 KAJITANI Shino (August 2010) 13 菊池るち Kikuchi Ruchi (October 2010) 14 福島聡 FUKUSHIMA Satoshi (December 2010) 15 長野香子 NAGANO Kouko (February 2011) 16 黒須高嶺 Kurosu Takane (April-May 2011) 17 碧風羽 MIDORI Foo (June 2011) 18 宇島葉 UNOSHIMA Yoh (August 2011) 19 中川麻子 Nakagawa Asako(?) (October 2011) QUIET 入江亜季 IRIE Aki (November 2011) 20 白浜鴎 SHIRAHAMA Kamome (December 2011) 21 牧田真希 Makita Maki (February 2012) 22 鳥羽雨 Toba Ame (?) (April 2012) 23 高橋拡那 TAKAHASHI Hirona (June 2012) 24 若槻久美子 Wakatsuki Kumiko (August 2012) QED 樫木祐人 KASHIKI Takuto (September 2012) 25 薮内貴広 Yabuuchi Takahiro(?) (October 2012) 26 松本結樹 Matsumoto Yuki (December 2012) **Note:** This magazine has been re-branded as *Harta.*

A collection of gekiga stories from various authors from the days of kashihon manga. Considered to be an extremely influential series in the evolution of manga, being one of the first of the gekiga genre, and also to have been influential in bringing about the "cool Japan" phenomenon.

1. **Suna wo** (砂を) \[Takao Saitou\] 2. **Rokudenashi** (ろくでなし) \[Shigeru Mizuki\] 3. **Tadaima Kinenchuu** (<カックン親父> 只今禁煙中) \[Yuu Takita\] 4. **Aru Joukyaku** (ある乗客) \[Eiichi Arikawa (Mitusyoshi Sonoda)\] 5. **Yujima Tsumakoizaka** (湯島妻恋坂) \[Goseki Kojima\] 6. **Kachin! Tokitane** (カチン！ときたね) \[Masaharu Yamamoto\] 7. **PAUVRE,MARTIN** \[Shinji Nagashima\] 8. **Kumo Mousoukyou** (くも妄想狂) \[Umezu Kazuo\] 9. **\-Shichidou Muzan- Kisan** (-七道無惨- 帰参) \[Hiroshi Hirata\] 10. **Satsujin Jikanwari** (殺人時間割) \[K. Motomitsu\] 11. **Hitomi ga Yottsu** (ひとみが四つ) \[Tomoe Satoo\] 12. **Mina-goroshi no Uta** (みなごろしの歌) \[Masaaki Satou\] 13. **Hito Hanabi** (人花火) \[Maki Ibara\] 14. **Shijin no Tegami** (死人の手紙) \[Yoshihiro Tatsumi\] 15. **Karasu Neko ga Naku** (カラス猫が鳴く) \[Masako Yashiro\] 16. **Aoi Umi** (青い海) \[Fumiyasu Ishikawa\] 17. **Rinshitsu no Otoko** (隣室の男) \[Masahiko Matsumoto\] 18. **Denwa ga Naru Toki…** (電話が鳴る時・・・) \[Jouya Kagemaru\] 19. **Obake Entotsu** (おばけ煙突) \[Yoshiharu Tsuge\] 20. **Henshin** (変身) \[Sanpei Shirato\]

Collections of one-shots that won the monthly Hop Step Award from 1987 to 1996.

A grand 6-volume compilation of the best short stories in shounen and seinen manga. Curated by Jun Ishikawa, Hisashi Eguchi, Tomofusa Kura, Haruyuki Nakano, Tomohiko Murakami, and Tatsuhiko Yamagami. Volume 1, 1960s: 1. **Rakuban** (落盤) \[Osamu Tezuka\] 2. **Dokuro ni Tanomu** (どくろに頼む) \[Masahiko Matsumoto\] 3. **Jinniku Kenjou** (人肉献上) \[Hiroshi Hirata\] 4. **Sensou** (戦争) \[Sanpei Shirato\] 5. **Junpaku no Yuuhi** (純白の夕日) \[Takao Saitou\] 6. **Higuma no Kaze** (ひぐまの風) \[Kyuuta Ishikawa\] 7. **Kijin Club** (奇人クラブ) \[Shoutaro Ishinomori\] 8. **Umibe no Jokei** (海辺の叙景) \[Yoshiharu Tsuge\] 9. **Ikinuki** (いきぬき) \[Yuusuke Aoyagi\] 10. **Kinryouku** (禁猟区) \[Ryoichi Ikegami\] Volume 2, late 1960s to 1970s: 1. **Ku Ku Ru Ku Ku Paloma** ク・ク・ル・ク・ク・パロマ \[Shini Nagashima\] 2. **Youka Araune** (妖花アラウネ) \[Shigeru Mizuki\] 3. **Seventeen** (セブンティーン) \[Kazuhiko Miyaya\] 4. **Seventeen** (セブンティーン) \[Maki Sasaki\] 5. **Shinigami** (死神) \[Mitsuteru Yokoyama\] 6. **Hitler Ojisan** (ひっとらぁ伯父さん) \[Fujio Fujiko A\] 7. **Yuubae no Oka ni** (夕映えの丘に) \[Masaaki Sato\] 8. **Aru Ashika no Hanashi** (あるあしかの話) \[Tetsuya Chiba\] 9. **Shitsumon ga Arimasu** (しつもんがあります) \[Murasaki Yamada\] 10. **Karera** (彼等) \[Kuniko Tsurita\] 11. **Yakeppachi no Blues** (焼けっぱちのブルース) \[Toshihiko Yahagi as Daddy Goose\] Volume 3, 1970s: 1. **Miyoko Asagaya Kibun** (美代子阿佐ヶ谷気分) \[Shinichi Abe\] 2. **Susumu-chan Dai-shock** (ススムちゃん大ショック) \[Go Nagai\] 3. **Yakou Toshi no Mirai** (夜光都市のミライ) \[Leiji Matsumoto\] 4. **Naojirou Aika (from Fuukyou Elegy)** (直次郎哀歌) \[Kaiji Kawaguchi\] 5. **Jigoku** (地獄) \[Yoshihiro Tatsumi\] 6. **Ryouki no Su** (猟奇の巣) \[Yukio Kawasaki\] 7. **Hebi no Ameyadori** (ヘビの雨宿り) \[Tadao Tsuge\] 8. **Ore wa Boro Boro** (俺はぼろぼろ) \[George Akiyama\] 9. **Autobike Shoujo** (オートバイ少女) \[Oji Suzuki\] 10. **Fuan no Ritsuzou** (不安の立像) \[Daijiro Morohoshi\] 11. **Shuugaku Ryokou** (修学旅行) \[Kazuo Kamimura\] 12. **Chikyuu Boueigun** (地球防衛軍) \[Tstuhiko Yamagami\] Volume 4, late 1970s to 1980s: 1. **Lamp no Shita** (らんぷの下) \[Kei Ichinoseki\] 2. **Kagekiri Mori no Gin Harp (from Atagoul Monogatari)** (影切り森の銀ハープ) \[Hiroshi Masumura\] 3. **Tooi Yobi Koe** (遠い呼び声) \[Yukinobu Hoshino\] 4. **Milk ga Neji wo Mawasu Toki** (ミルクがねじを回す時) \[Yousuke Takahashi\] 5. **Koi** (恋) \[Noma Sabea\] 6. **Uchuusen Seizouhou** (宇宙船製造法) \[Fujio Fujiko F\] 7. **Chikyuu Boueigun wa Makenai** (地球防衛軍は負けない) \[Tatsuo Nitta\] 8. **Chiteijin** (地底人) \[Hisaichi Ishii\] 9 **Juunanasai no Mekake** (十七歳の妾) \[Keizo Miyanishi\] 10. **Tatsumaki wo Uru Otoko** (たつまきを売る老人) \[Hisashi Sakaguchi\] 11. **Rikidouzan ga Yattekita** (力道山がやって来た) \[Etsumi Haruki\] Volume 5, 1980s: 1. **Bunkyuu Ninen no Bakuretsudan** (文久二年の爆裂弾) \[Yumekichi Minatoya\] 2. **Azemichi Road ni Sexy Neechan** (あぜみちロードにセクシーねえちゃん) \[Fumiko Takano\] 3. **Yakou** (夜行) \[Masayuki Izumi\] 4. **Yamamoto-san no Ojiisan no Baai** (山本さんのおじいさんの場合) \[Michio Hisauchi\] 5. **Watashi no Akachan** (わたしの赤ちゃん) \[Kenshi Hirokane\] 6. **Kira Kuyou** (吉良供養) \[Hinako Sugiura\] 7. **Kameotoko** (亀男) \[Kazuichi Hanawa\] 8. **Fire Tripper** (炎トリッパー) \[Rumiko Takahashi\] 9. **Sayonara Mr. Bunny** (さよならMrバニー) \[Naoki Urasawa\] 10. **Kyoko no Shiroi Mune** (杏子の白い胸) \[Jun Ishikawa\] 11. **Kita no Samurai** (北のサムライ) \[Jiro Taniguchi & Natsuo Sekikawa\] 12. **Denkita-san ga Antenna wo Tate ni Kita Hi** (電器屋さんがアンテナを立てに来た日) \[Mikio Igarashi\] Volume 6, 1990s to 2000s: 1. **Hagane no Hito** (鋼の人) \[Sensha Yoshida\] 2. **Play It Again** (プレイ イット アゲイン) \[Gosho Aoyama\] 3. **Hatsukoi Jigokuhen** (初恋・地獄篇) \[Kyoko Okazaki\] 4. **SNOW BLIND** \[Shinichi Sugimura\] 5. **Aoi Kuruma** (青い車) \[Yoshitomo Yoshimoto\] 6. **Nihon no Kazoku** (日本の家族) \[Taiyo Matsumoto\] 7. **Shungeki no Kokuu** (舜撃の虚空) \[Kazuhiro Fujita\] 8. **Junpei** (甚平) \[Moribi Murano\] 9. **Okamoto Aya** (岡本綾) \[Hisashi Eguchi\] 10. **Waga Yoki Wolf (original story by Yasutaka Tsutsui)** (わが良き狼) \[Miki Tori\] 11. **Relief** (リリーフ) \[Mitsuru Adachi\] 12. **Kyuujitsu** (休日) \[Keigo Shinzo\]