A Certain Magical Index #20

Volume 20 of Chuya Kogino's manga adaptation of Kazuma Kamachi's original story brings together a striking cast on a crimson-drenched cover — a tall red-haired young man looms in the foreground, while a sharp-eyed girl in a dark cape clutches her coat, a sunglasses-wearing blond figure in a suit smirks nearby, and a smaller, solitary figure stands quietly in the background amid glowing magical sigils. The moody red atmosphere and layered character arrangement, brought to life with character designs by Kiyotaka Haimura, give the cover a real sense of mounting tension and intersecting fates. Fans of the series will find this 2020 Yen Press edition a satisfying continuation of one of manga's most ambitious blends of science and sorcery.