青い鱗と砂の街 [Aoi Uroko to Suna no Machi] #1

The soft, watercolor-washed cover of this Shueisha Margaret Comics title sets a quietly dreamlike tone — a young woman in a navy dress cradles what appears to be a small orca or whale-like creature against a pale seaside backdrop. Creator 小森羊仔 (Komori Hitsuji) brings an understated emotional warmth to the imagery, balancing the gentle blush on the girl's cheeks with the cool blues of sea and creature. It's an inviting opener for what promises to be a tender, poetic story of the ocean and the town it touches.