Mangas: AI, fantasy, thriller in our selection for the month of May

This selection highlights stories with very varied tones, between futuristic melancholy, the sweetness of everyday life, dark fantasy and psychological thriller. Behind these contrasting universes, however, common themes emerge: memory, solitude, human bonds and the wounds of the past. Whether it is a writer confronted with a society dominated by artificial intelligence, a comforting cohabitation with a shiba inu ghost, an apprenticeship in the heart of a brutal world or an investigation where reality and fiction merge, each work explores human emotions and the dark areas of the soul in its own way. Also discover a passionate work examining the immense cultural heritage of Dragon Ball and its legendary hero, Son Goku.

The last writerde Chitose Akai, chez Glénat

Are the future and authenticity compatible?

In a future where generative AI has become the norm, Yagura Sugai, a once-unknown writer, wakes up after a hundred-year cryogenic sleep. To his great surprise, he discovered that he was now considered a nationally famous writer. An unexpected letter reaches him: it comes from his former girlfriend, believed to have died a long time ago. Could it be possible that the latter is still alive? He then decides to devote himself to a new mission: to personally write a novel that would touch her again.

A manga with a very contemporary reflection on the place of humans in relation to machines, particularly in the field of writing. It questions the possibilities and limits of generative artificial intelligence in the field of literary creation. The atmosphere is above all melancholic and introspective, the emphasis is on emotions and relationships rather than action. The romantic dimension, linked to the main character’s past, gives the story a bittersweet tone. The story addresses the themes of memory, illness and even late artistic recognition and pushes us to question ourselves.

Shiba inu roomsde Esu Ômori, chez Doki Doki

Sometimes all it takes is a four-legged ghost to heal a broken heart.

Momose Kôri, who has just changed high school, is looking for new accommodation. She then comes across an ad for an apartment with unbeatable rent! The reason for this attractive price? “Muu”, ​​the canine spirit that haunts the place. But will this lonely and clumsy young girl, who has difficulty expressing her emotions, manage to get along with such a special dog?

A manga with a soft and comforting atmosphere, punctuated by situations that are sometimes funny, sometimes touching. Through the cohabitation between this solitary young woman and a shiba inu ghost with a strong character, the story combines light humor, sincere emotion, and addresses loneliness and mourning.

This story, with endearing characters, favors small everyday moments punctuated by situations that are sometimes comical, sometimes touching. A gentle read, ideal for relaxing.

Lord Magear’s Apprenticeby FLIPFLOPs, chez Ki-oon

Un récit de dark fantasy mêlant épée et magie!

As a child, Gar was saved by a very high-level magician named Kuon. A few years later, the young man, who had become a mercenary, joined a group of knights who hired him to eliminate a magician. While en route to their objective, the knights are flushed out by their target, and hostilities begin. Faced with this powerful enemy, Gar must make a choice which leads him, surprisingly, to become Kuon’s apprentice!

Lord Magear’s Apprentice starts off as a solid and promising work of dark fantasy thanks to a good plot. The universe is dark, sometimes brutal, with magic that seems dangerous and demanding, plus a very interesting relationship between the master and his apprentice. The drawing is fine and alternates between very interesting scenes. detailed and more refined scenes. Some pages play effectively with contrasts and light, which reinforces immersion. This first volume lays the foundations of the story: universe, issues and characters, but everything is still to be discovered.

Zashisude Masanori Morita, chez Pika

A psychological and horror thriller in the vein of Seven.

Kai Yamauchi, a middle school teacher, discovers on television that Yûki Suzuki, one of his former classmates, has been murdered. A few days later, Kai’s girlfriend, Tamao, a young novel editor, comes across an unsuccessful manuscript which describes down to the smallest details a very particular murder… that of the famous Yûki! Worse still: this novel claims that this man is only the first victim, and that others will follow… What if the author of this novel was not a stranger to Kai? This sordid affair will bring heavy secrets to the surface…

With ZashisuMasanori Morita moves away from the energetic register that we know him to deliver a much colder and more disturbing story. Here, there is no heroic rise or epic breath: everything is based on a dull, almost uncomfortable tension, which sets in from the first pages.

The manga plays with the border between fiction and reality and develops a heavy atmosphere where certainties gradually crumble. The manga offers a tense story, centered on a mixture of crime, memory and manipulation. It explores themes such as guilt, trauma and even the gray areas of the human mind. The mangaka’s realistic drawing helps create tension with looks, heavy silences, terrible grimaces. The cinematographic staging also fuels feelings of unease.

Son Goku & Dragon Ball: A Total Storyby Steve Naumann, at L’écranfantastique collections

How Son Goku conquered the world and marked manga history.

Steve Naumann offers a detailed exploration of the Dragon Ball universe, retracing both the journey of Son Goku and the overall evolution of the saga created by Akira Toriyama. The whole presents itself as a structured homage to a work that has become a pop culture cult.

The work stands out for its richness of information and its ability to cover the major stages of the series: major narrative arcs, emblematic transformations, key characters and cultural impact. The writing remains accessible and fluid, making for enjoyable reading for both long-time fans and more casual readers.

The tone is resolutely passionate, which gives the book an assumed emotional dimension. It is less of a distant analysis than a celebration of the Dragon Ball universe, highlighting the narrative force and lasting influence of the series. A very good entry point into the Dragon Ball universe.