Ibara Mayaka's Bookshelf - Pigcow Translations

Note from Yonezawa-san: At the start, I added in books and novels for Mayaka’s studies, but after some serious consideration, I decided to daringly focus solely on manga. Narrowing it down based on categories like shoujo manga and old manga is something that even I would never do, so I made the bookshelf imagining that Mayaka would randomly read any kind of manga, modern or old. Manga tend to have many volumes, so I would think that she actually uses quite a large bookshelf.

(The order the books are listed is right to left, top to bottom)

First Page

Yūkan Club (Yukari Ichijo)

St. President school is one of the richest schools around. Everybody in this school respects the Yūkan¹ club, the most popular and richest group in the whole school. This includes Shouchikubai Miroku, Kenbishi Yuuri, Kikumasamune Seishirou, Hakushika Noriko and Kizakura Karen. They go through dangerous adventures to save their school and, of course, just to kill their spare time. (Source: MyAnimeList)

They Were Eleven (Moto Hagio)

Ten young space cadets are put onto a decommissioned spaceship as their final test. If they pass this test, their lifelong dreams of being valued people in their respective societies will come true. Their orders are to survive as long as they can with what they have. However, once they arrive at the ship, they find that their crew has gained an eleventh member—and no one can remember the original lineup well enough to recognize which of them is the newcomer. As the days pass, the eleven cadets must deal with their suspicions of each other as well as the sudden knowledge that the spaceship is in a decaying orbit around a star, which is causing the temperature on the ship to rise. With this rise in temperature, a sickness begins to spread among the crew as they work to stabilize their orbit and determine who among them is the spy. (Source: Wikipedia)

Mayaka ~~cosplayed~~ dressed up as a character from this manga, Frolbericheri Frol, during the Juumonji arc.

Toward the Terra (Keiko Takemiya)

A few days before Atalaxian Jomy Marcus Shin’s Awakening Day, he has a strange dream of a young blue-haired man. This young man is Soldier Blue, the leader of a group of psionic humans called Mu. The Mu have been fighting for generations for the right to survive against the humans who want them all killed, and have been dreaming to go back to the old homeland – Terra – the old Earth. Little does Jomy know that his awakening is the Mu’s last chance – can he unlock his own powers and lead the Mu back to Terra? (Source: Manga Planet)

Rainbow Parakeet (Osamu Tezuka)

Rainbow Parakeet is a genius as an actor, and a thief at the same time. As he is not a full-time thespian, he is usually hired as a replacement. During the performance, he steals from the wealthiest members of the audience or even actors, depriving them of the contents of their purses or their jewelry. True to his alias name “Rainbow Parakeet”, he can assume the role of almost any part and change into any costume, and his repertoire is immense. His methods are a mystery, even to the detectives charged with apprehending him: Police Inspector Senri and his daughter, Police Detective Mariko Senri. (Source: Wikipedia) Mayaka ~~cosplayed~~ dressed up as Police Detective Mariko Senri during the Juumonji arc.

Animal Doctor (Noriko Sasaki)

A comedy manga describing a life in a veterinary college. Masaki Nishine, the main character, entered Hokkaido University and chose the animal doctor course without thinking too much. He met eccentric professors and graduate students there and was involved in troubles they made. (Source: MyAnimeList)

The Minotaur’s Plate (Fujiko F. Fujio)

A collection of one-shots by Fujiko F. Fujio, with the titular work being about a man who crash lands on an underdeveloped planet ruled by “cow-men” who eat humans, and how he tries to save a girl from them. (Source: MangaDex)

Wild 7 (Mikiya Mochizuki)

In the wake of rising criminality and terrorist activities in Japan against Japanese nationals, the Japanese National Police Agency has no choice but to authorize the mobilization of a special Counter-terrorist Motorcycle unit consisting of reformed convicts, ranging from simple thugs, individuals forced into prison for simple petty trouble and former Yakuza henchmen and leaders to combat armed criminals and terrorists. (Source: Wikipedia)

Gin no Romantic… Wahaha (Izumi Kawahara)

Sarasa Yura is the daughter of a professional dancer of classic ballet, but does not feel that she is suited for it. On the other hand, Shinobu Kageura is a rising star known as “The World’s Thighs” and “Goldenfoot” in the realm of speed skating, but was forced to retire after an unfortunate accident. By chance, the two of them meet, and end up forming a pair to challenge the world of figure skating. (Source: Wikipedia)

Mushishi (Yuki Urushibara)

Mushishi is set in an imaginary time between the Edo and Meiji periods, featuring some 19th-century technology but with Japan still as a “closed country”. The story features ubiquitous creatures called Mushi that often display what appear as supernatural powers. It is implied that there are many more lifeforms more primitive than “normal” living things such as animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria, and Mushi is the most primitive of all. Due to their ethereal nature, most humans are incapable of perceiving Mushi and are oblivious to their existence, but there are a few who possess the ability to see and interact with Mushi. One such person is Ginko, the main character of the series. He employs himself as a Mushi Master (Mushishi), traveling from place to place to research Mushi and aid people suffering from problems caused by them. (Source: Wikipedia)

Ushio and Tora (Kazuhiro Fujita)

Ushio and Tora centers around the travels and battles of Ushio Aotsuki, who is constantly being stalked and aided by a gigantic, supernatural, and sometimes invisible tiger-like monster named Tora. Ushio’s family maintains a temple in Japan, where 500 years ago, his samurai ancestor battled that same monster to a standstill, and eventually trapped him against a rock using a cursed spear called the “Beast Spear”, which grants strength, speed, and endurance to the wielder in exchange for his soul. Ushio accidentally unsealed the cave Tora was trapped in. Initially, Ushio refuses to remove the spear pinning Tora down (as Tora made the strategic blunder of mentioning that the first thing he would do upon being freed would be to devour Ushio), but Tora’s unsealed presence attracts various monsters to the temple. Ushio is forced to free Tora, who would like to eat Ushio, but dares not since Ushio keeps the spear close by. The series focuses on their relationship, interspersed with battles against mythological foes, and with Tora’s attempts to grapple with modern life. During the regular battles, Ushio slowly begins to notice that as much as Tora claims to be irredeemable, the demon takes to fighting evil and defending the innocent with more enthusiasm than he cares to admit. (Source: Wikipedia)

Onmyōji (Reiko Okano)

This manga is based on the Onmyōji novels by well-known Japanese science fiction writer Yumemakura Baku. All three concern the adventures of Abe no Seimei, an onmyōji² serving the imperial court during the Heian period³ and his friend nobleman Minamoto no Hiromasa. Many of the early chapters of the manga closely follow stories in the Konjaku Monogatarishū⁴ or Uji Shūi Monogatari⁵. (Source: Wikipedia)

One Zero (Shio Satō)

In the 1500s, four demon generals were defeated by the gods, and drifted to the Japanese Archipelago on a mud boat. Their ashes scattered by the wind and dissolved in the water, and slowly but surely spread out over the country… 1998, Tokyo, East Shinjuku. It is now the last phase of Kali Yuga⁶. And so the world secretly fostered two individuals to attain Ātman⁷, to lead the world and save humanity. The story begins when the two chosen ones, Tokio Myōōji and his Japanese-Indian half-sister, Mayura Maravia, meet. (Source: Amazon)

My Name is Shingo (Kazuo Umezu)

Two elementary school pupils, a girl named Marine and a boy named Satoru, fall in love and are blessed with a rather unorthodox child which happens to be a robot. This robot is called Shingo and the story recounts how its mind develops and how it travels the world in pursuit of its “parents” whom it has never had a chance to meet. (Source: MyAnimeList)

Second Page

Dark Biography of Confucius (Daijiro Morohoshi)

It is the 1^st century BC, during the Warring States period in China⁸. A child discovered by Confucius⁹ called Seki and a youth born as a slave in Indonesia are led to meet by a strange twist of fate. Together, they fuse to become Hari Hara, and travel from Indonesia to Japan, pressed on by their origins and the fate of the world in the distant future, in this SF-esque historical fiction manga. (Source: Mangapedia)

Banana Bread Pudding (Yumiko Ōshima)

Now that Ira’s older sister is getting married, who will take her to the bathroom after ten p.m. and sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” outside the bathroom door in order to protect her from the beautiful, androgynous, child-eating clown? Will marrying a closeted gay man help? (Source: MyAnimeList)

Mermaid Saga: Mermaid Forest (Rumiko Takahashi)

Eating the flesh of a mermaid grants eternal life. But living forever can be a blessing or a curse. Immortal lovers Yuta and Mana are relatively lucky… others who partake of the mermaid’s flesh are transformed into savage lost souls! (Source: Amazon)

Fuguruma-kan Visitor Record (Kei Toume)

Yoh is the only human being living in a strange town that exists somewhere between this world and the Twilight World. Residing in this town are spiritual manifestations of real-world objects that were forgotten or thrown away by men. Yoh is the owner of a lifelike doll named Ian, who has the special ability to take photos of other beings’ memories. With her help, he is running a photo studio called “Fuguruma”. The manga revolves around those specters who seek the studio’s service and the stories they have to tell. (Source: Baka-Updates Manga)

The Stone Flower (Hisashi Sakaguchi)

In early 1941, Krilo is living a quiet life in his hometown in Yugoslavia. He’s a bit of a problem student and is influenced by the political ideas brought back by his older brother Ivan, a college student in Zagreb. Even though there are news and rumors of Nazi Germany on the move, it seems impossible that war could come to their peaceful village. In late March, the Yugoslavian government signed the Tripartite Treaty with Hitler, but the government fell to a coup d’etat only days later. In early April, Yugoslavia was invaded by Nazi Germany. That invasion shattered Krilo’s peaceful life. Countless people in the village are killed by the German invasion, and the others are rounded up. Krilo evades capture, but has no idea what to do next. He sets out for Zagreb in search of his older brother. Krilo’s childhood friend, Fi, on the other hand, was among those who were rounded up. She faces a whole different kind of adversity, as she is processed with the others by the Nazi military. The invasion may be over, but the fight for Yugoslavia has just begun. (Source: Baka-Updates Manga)

Perfectly Safe Razor (Fumiko Takano)

A collection of one-shots by Fumiko Takano. Its titular work is about a boy who is contemplating suicide. (Source: Amazon)

Itihasa (Wakako Mizuki)

Why do people seek the presence of a god? About twelve thousand years ago, there was a world in ancient Japan where people were able to make contact with the divine. One day, a boy named Takaya picked up an abandoned baby. The baby was named Toko and was raised to become the sister of Takaya. When Toko turned seven years old, the village that they were living at was raided by a cabal of demon gods. Takano, Toko and Aohiko survive the raid and they encounter the followers of demigods who are fighting against the demon gods… and a mind-blowing Science Fiction Saga unveils!! (Source: Baka-Updates Manga)

Mobile Police Patlabor ( Masami Yuki)

In the near future, large mechas called Labors are made to assist in various reconstruction projects in major countries around the world that are being threatened by global warming. In Japan, the government has enacted Project Babylon in order to conduct land reclamation. Labors are also being pressed into police and military service aside from civilian use. However, terrorists are now attempting to use Labors to make themselves heard, as well as common criminals, thugs and guerrillas. The National Police Agency established the Special Vehicles Division, an all-Labor task force to combat the potential use of Labors for criminal/terrorist activities. (Source: MyAnimeList)

SOS! Tokyo Metro Explorers (Katsuhiro Otomo)

While packing for a move, elementary school student Ryuhei finds his father’s old school notebook detailing a search for a treasure in Tokyo’s vast network of underground passages. With his little brother tagging along, he and three friends set out on a quest to find the treasure. What they discover instead is an entire underground community composed of assorted eccentrics, including a senile old soldier still performing a World War II-era mission. (Source: MyAnimeList)

Magical Circle Guru Guru (Hiroyuki Etō)

A light-hearted manga series aimed at older children; it contains occasional toilet gags and some innuendo that might startle western parents. It also is a parody of early role-playing video games (RPGs), particularly turn-based games such as the Dragon Quest games. The narrator speaks in place of the dialog in such games, and this is one of the comedy elements of the show. Often role-playing videogame-style information boxes are displayed on screen with accompanying narration in the traditional RPG style. The overall goal of the main characters, Nike and Kukuri, is to defeat Giri, the ruler of the darkness. Since the anime is based on an RPG, several side quests need to be completed before they are able to locate him. (Source: Wikipedia)

These Guys Are 100% Legendary! (Amin Okada)

A gag comedy set during the Sengoku era¹⁰. An exceptionally eccentric trio of ninjas-in-training take on the mission of protecting a princess from assassination attempts by enemy forces. (Source: Baka-Updates Manga)

Auspicious Heavenly Maiden (Akimi Yoshida)

This psychological mystery is centered around a daughter of the Kanou family, Sayoko, who is said to be a descendant of a goddess. She has the face of a noble goddess, but the heart of a supremely evil woman. She tries to keep her evil side hidden, but when outsiders threaten to overtake her family fortune, she protects her family by using her charm and seduction to lure them into her trap. (Source: MyAnimeList)

Path of Dreams (Yasuyuki Ōno)

An SF manga set in a high school during the Showa period. Mixing old tales and folklore, it tells the lightly sorrowful story of two high school girls in love, with one of them being a ghost. (Source: Mangapedia)

Arabesque of a Celestial Being (Ryoko Yamagishi)

Hibiko Kyouko used to be a bright girl brimming with curiosity when she was young, but she lost her sense of self due to her male chauvinist, restrictive father, and started being unable to build relationships with people. After she graduated, still under her father’s curse, she became a person unable to conform to society. However, she gets a huge shock when Youko Aoyagi, a female colleague with a happy-go-lucky personality – completely opposite to her – bags an elite member of the company. (Source: Mangapedia)

Desert Rose (Kaoru Shintani)

Mariko, codenamed “Rose Marie” is a leader of anti-terrorist group, CAT (Counter Attack Terrorism). She lost her husband and son in a terrorist bomb attack at an airport. Also suffering injuries in the blast, she was left with a scar that looked like a rose flower on her chest. A summit conference is due to be held in Switzerland secretly, with Marie’s team deployed. However, it becomes clear terrorists have already made a move to sabotage the meeting… (Source: MyAnimeList)

Boys Yearn for the Wasteland (Sakumi Yoshino)

When Karino Miyako was young, she lived thinking she was a boy, as if trying to make up for her sickly elder brother. Even while she was going through puberty, Miyako did not want to accept that she was a girl, and even stopped menstruating by force of will. As a boy, she wrote a novel, “Boys Yearn for the Wasteland”, which won a prize and led to her debut as a novelist while she was still a student. After entering high school, Miyako ran into Kimijima Riku, a boy in the track team who looked exactly like her old male self grown up. Since they had similar thoughts like twins, Miyako was attracted to Riku and thought of him as her “other self”. Gradually, the two of them examine their existences through difficult experiences, and find their paths in life. (Source: Wikipedia)

Parasyte (Hitoshi Iwaaki)

Parasyte centers on a male 17-year-old high school student named Shinichi Izumi, who lives with his mother and father in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan. One night, tiny worm-like aliens with drill-like heads called Parasites arrive on Earth, taking over the brains of their hosts by entering through their ears or noses. One Parasite attempts to crawl into Shinichi’s nose while he sleeps, but fails as Shinichi wakes up, and enters his body by burrowing into his arm instead. In the Japanese version, it takes over his right hand and is named Migi after the Japanese word for “right”. Because Shinichi was able to prevent Migi from traveling further up into his brain, both beings retain their separate intellect and personality. As the duo encounters other Parasites, they capitalize on their strange situation and gradually form a strong bond, working together to survive. This gives them an edge in battling other Parasites who frequently attack the pair upon realization that Shinichi’s human brain is still intact. Shinichi feels compelled to fight other Parasites, who devour other members of the species they infect as food, while enlisting Migi’s help. (Source: Wikipedia)

Fukube Satoshi’s Bookshelf | Contents

Editors (Tier 2) : Joshua Fisher, Slush56, Jen Murph, _Maki

Assistants (Tier 1) : Karen Kronenberg, Definitelynotme, Rolando Sanchez, Kevin Kohn, Jaime Cuellar, Yazmin Arostegui

Thank you very much for all your support!

Yūkan means “leisurely”.
Specializing in magic and divination, their court responsibilities ranged from tasks such as keeping track of the calendar, to mystical duties such as divination and protection of the capital from evil spirits. They could divine auspicious or harmful influences in the earth, and were instrumental in the moving of capitals. It is said that an onmyouji could also summon and control shikigami, which are some kind of conjured beings.
A period that lasted from 794 to 1185, during which Buddhism, Daoism and other Chinese influences were at their height.
A Japanese collection of over one thousand tales written during the late Heian period, covering various tales from India, China and Japan.
A collection of Japanese tales written around the beginning of the 13th century, also containing tales from India, China and Japan.
The last of the four stages (or ages or yugas) the world goes through as part of a “cycle of yugas” described in the Sanskrit scriptures. The “Kali” of Kali Yuga means “strife”, “discord”, “quarrel” or “contention” and Kali Yuga is associated with the demon Kali.
Ātman is a Buddhist and Hindu concept that refers to a person’s “true self”, a person’s permanent self, absolute within, the “thinker of thoughts, feeler of sensations” separate from and beyond the changing phenomenal world.
The Warring States period was actually from 475 to 221 BC, so there might have been some historical inaccuracies in the manga.
Also, Confucius didn’t live in the Warring States period, but in the Spring and Autumn period that came right before.
A period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and political intrigue from 1467 to 1615.

Ibara Mayaka’s Bookshelf