Fall 1997

In Penguin Village, people, talking animals, and living objects coexist as though nothing about that arrangement is unusual. Inventor Senbei Norimaki dreams of building the perfect robot girl, but his creation Arale is a near-sighted bundle of limitless strength, boundless curiosity, and almost no common sense.Arale means well, yet her attempts to play, help, or simply understand the world have a habit of ending in spectacular chaos. Between Senbei's inventions, bizarre neighbors, and the village's impossible logic, everyday life becomes a playground where science fiction and childish nonsense collide.

Guts has survived since childhood by selling his sword to whoever can pay, never trusting anyone enough to stay. That changes when the charismatic Griffith defeats him in combat and claims him for the Band of the Hawk, a mercenary force whose astonishing victories begin lifting its members from muddy battlefields toward the royal court.Years of war forge a powerful bond between Guts, Griffith, and the fierce Casca. Yet while Griffith pursues his dream of possessing a kingdom, Guts begins wondering whether a life spent serving another man's ambition can ever be his own. The moment he chooses to seek an independent purpose, the fragile balance holding the Hawks together begins to collapse.Behind their rise waits something darker than politics or war. A strange crimson Behelit, Griffith's relentless ambition, and forces none of them understand are drawing the mercenaries toward a fate that will leave no one unchanged.

Akari Kanzaki dreams of following her legendary mother and earning the title of Cosmo Beauty, but her first steps toward that goal are humiliating. At an athletic training school in Antarctica, she struggles with fear, self-doubt, and the pressure of a famous family name while competing for the chance to advance to the elite University Satellite.Akari's natural potential emerges only when friends and rivals force her to stop running from failure. As the competition grows harsher and the athletes reach space, she must build confidence strong enough to stand beside the world's best rather than simply chase her mother's shadow.

A demon steals Wataru's conscience in the human world, erasing his sense of justice and memories of being a savior. Shibaraku and Himiko bring him back to the other world, where his memories return but the missing heart that once drove him does not.To recover it, Wataru must become a savior again through action. He journeys across a Soukaizan threatened by demons, fighting to restore each land while rebuilding the courage and compassion stolen from him.

Photon is a kindhearted boy with absurd physical strength who leaves his village on the desert world of Sandy Planet to find his runaway friend Aun. The search veers wildly off course when he meets fugitive pilot Keyne Acqua and, through a bizarre accident, becomes engaged to her.Things only grow worse when the galactic ruler Papacharino Nanadan begins hunting Keyne for the secret of a mysterious energy source. Photon now has to protect Keyne while still trying to find Aun, and raw strength is not always enough to solve the chaos around him. Space chases, disastrous contests, exploding resorts, and eccentric aliens turn what should have been a simple rescue trip into an increasingly ridiculous cosmic adventure.

Kenshin Himura's battles reveal the full discipline of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryuu, a sword style built around extraordinary speed, precise movement, and attacks designed to overwhelm an opponent before they can respond. From basic forms to its most dangerous secret techniques, each skill reflects both the lethal heritage Kenshin inherited and the restraint he now places upon it with his reverse-blade sword.

Ash's first steps through Kanto begin with a Pikachu who refuses to cooperate and quickly grow into a journey filled with new Pokémon, unexpected friendships, and early Gym challenges. Alongside Misty and Brock, he learns what being a trainer actually demands while Team Rocket repeatedly turns up to steal Pikachu. From leaving Pallet Town to the encounters that shape his first badges and companions, each misadventure moves Ash a little closer to the trainer he wants to become.