High School Debut #12

Volume 12 of Kazune Kawahara's beloved shojo series fills its cover with a lively ensemble cast — a brooding dark-haired young man takes center stage, surrounded by a warm crowd of teens and young adults whose expressions range from cheerful to playfully dramatic. The gathering of so many familiar faces gives the cover a real sense of a story reaching an emotionally rich chapter, with the series' signature blend of romance and humor radiating from every corner of the image. Kawahara's clean, expressive linework makes this 2009 Viz release a satisfying chapter in one of shojo manga's most heartfelt high school stories.