1. Tsuki no Sango

Author:   NASU Kinoko
Artist:     SASAKI Shounen
Genre(s): Shounen, Drama

“The story takes place in approximately the year 3000, when humankind arrived at the peak of its civilization, but is losing its will to keep living. It follows a girl, called “princess” by those around her, living on a small island with a fifty person colony and a shinning coral reef. She is descendent of Moon people, and it focuses upon how her ancestor supposedly came to Earth.” -Mangaupdates.com

Thoughts: At first I didn’t think much of the work, but the second chapter changed that.

Click below to view the rest of the notable manga from 2/17 - 2/24.

The iconic shojo manga, Ouran High School Host Club — a popular series and a worthwhile read — was released as a box set earlier last month (November 2012). I will not review the series here; instead, I will talk about why you should or shouldn’t buy the box set rather than simply buying each volume separately.

Komi-sensei, born in the Kochi Prefecture of Japan, is responsible for creating the cult favorite, Double Arts. After graduating from Kobe College he drew and wrote seven one-shots for Shonen Jump (and its affiliates); only two of which have been serialized. 

1. Hana Michi Otome

Author:     HAMASIN   
Artist:       HAMASIN 
Genre(s):   Romance Shounen Slice of Life

“When Mikoto was little, she first heard the voices of plants. She also gained flower markings on her face and body, as a sign of her connection to them. Unfortunately for her, she was brutally teased and bullied, both for the markings and her claims that she could hear flowers talking. By the time she was in high school, Mikoto took to wearing clothes specifically designed to cover everything, but she still couldn’t escape her classmates’ bullying. One day, a strange and exuberant transfer student, Aozakura Yuji, appears and takes an interest in Mikoto. He’s determined to start a flower arrangement club, but with a twist: he wants to photograph beautiful girls arranged with flowers. He first pursues Mikoto, both for her beauty and because he bears the same flower markings as she does. After he photographs her for a promotional poster, everyone at school can see the beauty of Mikoto and her flower markings. Will Aozakura’s flower arrangement club succeed? Is this the start of a new high school life for Mikoto?” -Mangareader.net

Click below to view the rest of the notable manga from 2/12 - 2/19.

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For my Best Manga of the Year post, I tried to pick a manga that started in, improved, or covered a lot of ground in the year in question or any combination of the three.  

I found that the closest manga that fit my criteria actually started in late 2010 — Maji de Watashi ni Koi Shinasai!

Hit the break to read more about my pick.

“The story is about a second-year high school student named Junpei Kousaka, who not only hates cats but also is allergic to them. Unfortunately, he happens to have a crush on a girl, Kaede Mizuno, who really loves cats. On the way home from school one day, Junpei kicks an empty can and happens to accidentally hit the Guardian Deity of Cats. Now he’s able to understand cats but was practically given a curse. He has to grant 100 wishes in total from any cat or he’ll turn into a cat himself.” -Mangahere.com

1. Canvas 2 - Nijiiro no Sketch

Author:   KODAMA Miki
Artist:     KODAMA Miki
Genre(s): Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shounen

“Hiroki was going to be an artist after high school, but has stopped drawing for an unknown reason. He became a teacher at Nadesico Academy, where his cousin, Elis, attends. Then, his childhood friend, Kiri, became a PE teacher at Nadesico who seems to be part of the reason why he stopped drawing….” -Mangareader.net

Click below to view the rest of the notable manga from 6/20 - 6/27.

“Uru is a very short girl and is constantly mistaken for an elementary school kid, but despite that, she is ridiculously strong and decides to live by herself after her mother gets remarried. She ends up working at a small cafe with two rather unique co-workers, Shindou(demon king), who acts gruff and intimidating, but who is really a nice guy who loves to make cakes and pies and the like, and Ichirou(weirdo), who is really good-looking but who instantly falls asleep when he gets hungry and doesn’t wake up again until he’s given something to eat. What will the future bring to them?” -Mangafox.com

“Poor Mugi Tadano! Heartbroken after his girlfriend moves away, he takes a summer job at his friend Kazuki’s beachside snack bar/hotel on a tropical island. It seems like the perfect plan - until he meets Yuu, who might just be the cutest person that Mugi has ever seen.” -Mangafox.com

“From Baka-Updates

Ten-year-old prodigy Negi Springfield, has just graduated from magic academy, and in order to become a master mage he is sent to Japan to teach English at an all-girls middle school. But Negi has a bigger dream than just becoming a master mage. He wants to find his missing father, “The Thousand Master”, the strongest mage that has ever lived. And he soon finds that searching for his father wont be as easy as he first hoped. In fact, it pushes him and his students into life-or-death battles that decides the fate of millions.

And throughout all this, Negi finds out some of the secrets hidden in Mahora Acedemy Class 3-A. Are these girls, truly, what they seem?” - Mangafox.com

“The continent of Halkeginia is tumultuous—a place where the various kingdoms, princedoms, dukedoms, and fiefdoms strive against each other to expand their domains. They nobility scheme and plot among themselves to gain influence to their lieges or to even foreign lieges. In the middle of Halkeginia is the small but important kingdom of Tristein. The most notable fact about this kingdom is the Tristein Academy of Magic where nobility from all over the world come to study magic so they can become magi. Although friendships will form across national boundaries at this school, will they survive the politics and games of the world at large once they leave?

Louise is a student at Tristein Magical Academy. She is known to be quite a screw up when it comes to her magic. One day, a ceremony takes place where each student is to call forth a being or entity that will become his or her familiar. For Louise, her familiar comes in the form of a boy named Hiraga Saito. Somehow, he managed to get transported from his world into hers, and shortly after became her familiar.” -Mangafox.com