アリスと蔵六 [Arisu to Zōroku] [Alice & Zouroku] #1

A charming opening volume from Ryu Comics pairs two immediately striking figures: a small, fair-haired girl in an elaborate pink dress with striking red eyes, and a weathered, white-haired elderly man in a casual red sweater — an odd couple whose contrasting designs say everything about the story's heart before a single page is turned. Imai Tetsuya's linework keeps both characters grounded and expressive, letting their sheer difference in size and demeanor do the heavy lifting. If you're drawn to manga that balances the fantastical with the quietly human, this first volume makes a wonderfully understated case for itself right from the cover.