アイシールド21 [Eyeshield 21] #17

Volume 17 of Eyeshield 21 puts the intensity front and center, with a wild-haired, bare-chested protagonist clutching a football and staring down the reader with fierce determination, his jersey number 21 looming large behind him. Surrounding him is a crowd of intense rivals and teammates — including a spiky-haired blond fighter and shadowy, menacing figures lurking in the background — all rendered with the kinetic energy that makes artist 村田雄介's work so compelling. Published by Shueisha under the Jump Comics label in 2006, this volume's subtitle "最強への渇き" ("Thirst for the Strongest") says everything about the drive that pulses through every page.