ファイブスター物語 [Faibu Sutā Monogatari / Five Star Stories] #17

Mamoru Nagano's long-running science-fantasy saga reaches its seventeenth volume with a cover that feels genuinely haunting: two red-haired figures stand amid a forest floor carpeted in fallen crimson leaves, one draped in dark, dramatic coat and the other in a pale, flowing dress, a spectral white ribbon of energy swirling between them against stark, blade-like trees. The atmosphere is muted and contemplative, a far cry from mecha spectacle, showcasing Nagano's gift for melancholy elegance as much as grand world-building. Fans of the Five Star Stories universe will find this installment's presentation as quietly arresting as ever.