Stepping on Roses #5

Volume 5 of Rinko Ueda's Stepping on Roses presents a cover that captures the heart of the series — a wide-eyed young woman with flowing auburn hair adorned with a pink flower gazes upward at a sharply dressed young man in formal wear, the two framed by lush teal roses and delicate gold flourishes. The elegant composition perfectly reflects the romantic tension that defines Ueda's storytelling, with both figures caught in a moment of charged, unspoken feeling. Published by Viz, this volume is a lovely addition to one of shojo manga's more dramatically satisfying series.