Reviews - The Graphic Library

the horizon vol 1 by JH

11/19/2025

Cover of The Horizon volume 1. A small boy looks out at a vast lake. It's nearly dark.

A little boy comes to terms with his mother’s brutal murder in a sea of dead bodies in a dystopian landscape. He finally decides to trek on without her and start resource gathering. One night, he finds shelter in a school bus, but so does a little girl. From that point on, the two travel together and share spoils. Several days in, they find an older man who immediately hogs resources for himself, especially the entire bottle of water he chugs. The little boy feels apprehensive and tries to ditch him while they’re all sleeping, but it doesn’t go well.

Sanda vol 1 By Paru Itagaki

9/1/2025

Cover of Sanda volume 1

Booklist review

Sara's Rating: 7/10
Suitability Level: Adult

Publisher: Titan Publishing
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781787747241 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 7/10, Suitability: Adult, Manga, Action Adventure, Dystopian, Survival , Titan

Deadman wonderland vol 2 by jinsei kataoka

6/25/2025

Cover of Deadman Wonderland volume 2. Shiro is sitting on the ground with her legs stretched out before her. Her hair is fallling around her.

A deadly power lurks in Ganta, and a prisoner being held in solitary in G-Ward may have answers, including more information about the mysterious Red Man who actually murdered all of Ganta's classmates. But, G-Ward isn’t on any known maps, and nobody seems to know of its existence. Shiro and Ganta’s semi-prisoner friend help break a way into the secret ward where a prisoner known as “Crow” is locked up. He refers to Ganta as “Woodpecker” and reveals little else except that he and Ganta share the same mysterious powers in their blood.

fool night vols 2-3 by Kasumi yasuda

6/19/2025

Kamiya's transfloration into a plant begins sooner than he anticipated and grants him the unique, unsettling ability to "hear" the thoughts of other transformed individuals. This overwhelming influx of voices forces him to confront his own mortality and the limited time he has left with his humanity. A transformed individual, a spiriflor, begins moving and killing, which is a presumed impossibility. When a surviving victim, possibly the only witness to the killer's identity, is in danger of dying, authorities force the transfloration process. There is no discussion with the family. There is no consent. Kamiya may be the only one capable of finding and stopping this new serial killer.

Volume three delivers the twisted backstory to this world. People are being taxed to breathe, and the taxes are increasing. Many spend 1/3 of their income to breathe. Basic living is harder, and expenses are increasing. "Unwanted" children are paraded in front of the rich to be selected for transflorication to later be turned into furniture.

Cover of Fool night volume 2

Cover of Fool night volume 3

Deadman wonderland vol 1 by jinsei kataoka

6/4/2025

Cover of Deadman Wonderland volume 1. Ganta has his head in his hands and he's wearing the jumpsuit of Deadman Wonderland prison. Next to him is the strange girl in her flesh-colored jumpsuite with red circles around her body.

Illustrated by Kazuma Kondou

On the worst day of Ganta’s life, a mysterious figure shrouded entirely in red cloth and diabolical power breaks into his junior high classroom and murders everyone but Ganta. As the sole survivor, Ganta is convicted and given a death sentence and sent to a prison called Deadman Wonderland where the prisoners perform in games and different shows for the entertainment of the population. But, even the prison isn’t straightforward as there are people inside trying to take advantage of Ganta, and there’s a weird girl with other-worldly powers who wants to be his friend.

Gachiakuta vol 3 by kei urana

4/15/2025

Cover of Gachiakuta volume 3. Enjin looking very cool with his umbrella over his shoulder, grey coat flung open and his red shirt hanging loose about him. He has his other bags on his belt about his waist.

Illustrated by Kei Urana and Hideyoshi Andou

Sana is out for the count down inside the basements of an abandoned building, leaving Rudo, Gris, and another cleaner to try to get back to the surface. But a tough enemy descends on them and battles with Rudo, one with deadly poisons on his sharpened claws. In the ensuing fight, Rudo discovers something important and powerful about his power that helps him defend himself and his teammates, but he has to hold out long enough to either beat his enemy or be rescued, and time is precious since one of his comrades is in need of medical attention!

Luciole Has a Dream vol 1 By Yuu Morikawa

4/3/2025

Cover of Luciole Has a Dream volume 1

Booklist review

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Publisher: Yen Press
Publication Date: December 17, 2024
ISBN: 9798855401523 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Dystopian, Magic, Family, Yen Press

After God vol 1 By Sumi Eno

4/3/2025

Cover of After god volume 1

Booklist review

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 10-12

Publisher: VIZ Media
Publication Date: November 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781974749706 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: High School, Manga, Dystopian, Horror, Surrealism, VIZ Media

The Color of the End: Mission in the Apocalypse Vol 1 by Haruo Iwamune

1/31/2025

Cover of The Color of the end: Mission in the Apocalypse volume 1. A girl stands on a pile of rubble with a cityscape rising above her in the background. She is in all white but the buildings behind her are blue.

School Library Journal review

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Publisher: Yen Press
Publication Date: January 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781975397227 (Paperback)

Tags: Rating: 8/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Dystopian, Science Fiction, Survival, Yen Press

Somali and the Forest Spirit vol 1 by Yako Gureishi

11/26/2024

Cover of Somali and the Forest Spirit volume 1

Humans have all but destroyed the world and now live in hiding. Creatures across the world hunt and eat humans as tasty treats. One day, a guardian forest spirit, himself towards the end of his life, discovers a human child alone in the woods bound and abandoned. Moved to kindness, the guardian golem determines to bring the poor creature to other humans, rather than leave it to the ravenous others lurking in the woods. Somali is filled with wonder and a passion for tasting lots of dishes that amuses the forest spirit and brings out a defensiveness they didn't know they had, and the two venture forth through the wild world in search of Somali's people.