Puella Magi Madoka Magica #1

Four magical girls strike a dramatic pose on Hanokage's cover for this 2012 Yen Press release — a pink-haired girl in a frilly dress takes center stage, flanked by companions wielding a musket, a sword, and a bow respectively, their dark and vivid hair streaming dynamically behind them. Written by Magica Quartet and adapted into manga form by Hanokage, this opening volume sets the stage with Chapter 1's intriguingly dreamy title. If you're looking for a magical-girl series with style and a sense of foreboding energy, this is a compelling place to start.