あの子の子ども [Anoko no Kodomo] #5

A quietly affecting cover greets readers of volume 5, centered on a young woman in a school sailor uniform rendered in muted teal and grey, her pale hair and soft, contemplative gaze giving the image a melancholy stillness. Creator 蒼井まもる (Aoi Mamoru) brings a watercolor-like delicacy to the composition, letting washes of color bloom around the figure as if emotion itself is seeping into the world around her. For fans of understated, emotionally resonant shōjo manga, this installment from Kōdansha looks like a genuinely moving read.