Sky

Planetes

In the 2070s, humanity has expanded into space, but this progress leaves behind a dangerous problem: orbital debris. The crew of the Toy Box is tasked with cleaning up this space junk, ensuring safe passage for spacecraft. Among them is Hachimaki, an ambitious young man who dreams of owning his own spaceship, and Yuri, a quiet man haunted by the death of his wife in a space flight accident years earlier. They are joined by Fee, a chain-smoking and abrasive pilot, and Pops, a veteran mechanic whose calm presence anchors the team. Their work is unglamorous and often thankless, yet it places them at the heart of humanity's reach for the stars. As they navigate the physical dangers of space, ea

The Works of Ichikawa Haruko

This collection brings together the early short stories of Haruko Ichikawa. Across two volumes, characters navigate surreal and intimate realities: a boy discovers his uncle has a mysterious 'daughter,' a youth awakens in a strange land guided by an ethereal companion, and an injured athlete finds solace with a robotic sibling. Other tales delve into quiet mysteries, from a marine biologist's reunion with her brother that masks a deeper scientific pursuit, to a delinquent's encounter with a peculiar transfer student at a college on a moon of Saturn. Each story explores themes of isolation, connection, and the subtle, often supernatural, boundaries of the human experience.

Iris on Rainy Days

In Oval City, where robots are commonplace tools, Iris Rain Umbrella is a cheerful android living a happy life as a maid for her creator and master, Dr. Wendy von Umbrella. Created in the image of Wendy's deceased younger sister, Iris cherishes her daily routines of shopping, cooking, and cleaning, wishing these peaceful days would last forever. Her carefree existence is brutally shattered by a series of tragic misfortunes. Uprooted from her home, Iris finds herself cast into a harsh new reality, a robot-equivalent of a concentration camp. Through the suffering she endures and witnesses around her, she is forced to confront the grim nature of her world and fight for survival.

Space Ship EE

In the year 2038 CE, Noshi Hyoda is a 23-year-old office worker trapped in a life of profound existential despair. Her daily reality is one of apathetic oppression, a monotonous cycle that offers no escape from her growing sense of isolation and meaninglessness. Her inner turmoil manifests in a vivid, recurring vision: she finds herself aboard the Space Ship EE, adrift in the vast emptiness of deep space. This psychological refuge becomes the central conflict of her existence, posing a desperate question about the nature of freedom and purpose. Caught between the crushing weight of her mundane world and the silent, infinite promise of the cosmos, Noshi must confront where she can truly go

And the Strange and Funky Happenings One Day

A girl with almost no supernatural powers is just a normal kid. A potter keeps breaking his own pottery. A man whose job is to protect things struggles to protect what he treasures most. A boy wakes up one day with a tag hanging from his ear labeled “Pull.” Two people, the only ones left on the planet, consider whether to risk meeting in person. A group of planets returns to their home orbit for a long-overdue stardust reunion. These are just a few of the many stories collected in this anthology. Each tale is a small, self-contained fragment of science fiction and everyday life, blending the magical with the mundane. They explore what it means to live, to connect, and to find wonder in the

The Distant Dawn

A collection of sixteen short stories by Yukinobu Hoshino, spanning genres from science fiction and fantasy to psychological drama and romance. The tales explore a wide range of themes, including adventure, mystery, and the supernatural, often set in imaginative and thought-provoking scenarios. From a distant dawn and a steel queen to escape from wastelands and a funeral convoy, each story presents a unique conflict. Characters face challenges such as a call from afar, a whiteout, amazons of the river, and the Carneades plan, navigating through algae, lightning strikes, and the emperor of winter.