The Best New Manga of October 2017

Tokyo Ghoul: re, Vol. 1, by Sui Ishida
Sui Ishida returns to the world of Tokyo Ghoul. Set two years after the events of the original series, it puts a new spin on the never-ending struggle of ghouls against ghoul investigators. In this story, the Commission on Counter Ghoul is tinkering with a new weapon—they implant a ghoul organ, a kagune, into humans in order to give them ghoul powers. No spoilers here, but Ishida has carried over many of the things that made the original series such a success, including a large ensemble cast with varied personalities and a plot that explores the question of what it means to be human—or a ghoul.

Hatsune Miku: Future Delivery, Vol. 1, by Oshio Satoshi and Hugin Miyama
The only constant about Hatsune Miku is her mutability (well, that and her turquoise hair). She is many things to many people, and in this sci-fi story, she is an enigmatic young woman glimpsed at a distance by a girl with amnesia. The setting is the far future, and Asumi washes up, literally, at sea with nothing but a memory of a smiling girl with turquoise ponytails. Asumi is sure that girl holds the key that will unlock her memories, but all she has is a sketch. Together with a battered delivery robot, Asimov, she sets out to explore the universe and find the many-faceted Miku.

Imperfect Girl, Vol. 1, by Nisioisin and Mitsuru Hattori
Nisioisin is the prolific writer of light novels whose output includes the Monogatari series (Kizumonogatari, Nisemonogatari, Bakemonogatari), and Imperfect Girl started as a light novel, too—but Misturu Hattori the creator of Sankarea, has adapted it into a three-volume manga series. Told in flashback, the story is about a college student trapped inside a video game under mysterious circumstances.

Sherlock: The Blind Banker, by Steven Moffatt, Steven Thompson, and Mark Gatiss
Like its processor, Sherlock: A Study in Pink, this manga is drawn directly from the television episode of the same name, which puts a 21st-century spin on Holmes and Watson. The TV show can be a bit tedious, but the manga moves at a snappier pace; artist Jay does a nice job of deftly conveying the look of the characters and settings without too much extraneous detail, and the story is told compactly but without omitting anything important. The case this time involves Chinese pottery, enigmatic symbols, and, of course, a string of inexplicable murders and seemingly unrelated clues. It’s a ripping good read, with plenty of quirky little asides that bring lightness to the story.

In This Corner of the World, by Fumiyo Kouno
From the author of the much-acclaimed Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms comes another domestic drama set during World War II. Suzu, a young artist, moves from her hometown of Hiroshima to the port city of Kure when she marries a member of the Japanese navy, and together she and her family must cope with the changes wrought by the war and the destruction of Hiroshima. This manga was the inspiration for the film of the same name, which will be released on DVD in November. The story is complete in one hefty 450-page volume.

Yokai Rental Shop, Vol. 1, by Shin Mashiba
Shin Mashiba is the creator of Nightmare Inspector: Yumekui Kenbun, and Yokai Rental Shop is another retail horror series. In this story, customers can rent a yokai—if they know that the secret shop exists at all—and if they are willing to sign a contract written in blood. Everything about this store is sinister, starting with the proprietor, who is always wrapped in bandages, and the clientele, who are clearly up to no good.

Black Butler, Vol. 24, by Yana Toboso
It’s high time for high tea: It has been almost a year since the release of the last volume of the adventures of Sebastian, the devilishly perfect butler, and Ciel Phantomhive, his young master. In this volume, Queen Victoria sends the pair off to investigate a cult that uses music and dance to entrance its followers, but there’s cold steel glinting in the shadows as well. As always, we can expect a combination of action, mystery, and the finer things in life, and as a good butler, Sebastian always delivers.

Gabriel Dropout, Vol. 1, by Ukami
Gabriel Dropout is a shonen comedy, so one can assume it’s likely (just by glancing at the cover) that the laughs will be served with a dollop of fanservice. Gabriel White Tenma is a fallen angel, of sorts: a star student at the angel academy, she is sent to earth to learn about humans and lead them to the path of righteousness, but instead she goes native and becomes a video game addict. But Gabriel isn’t the only angel on earth; this series surrounds its slovenly heroine with a motley crew of good and bad angels.

What new manga are you reading this month?