A Zoo in Winter #[nn]

Jiro Taniguchi's quietly absorbing graphic novel opens with a young man in a tan jacket and green scarf walking alone through the wintry paths of a zoo, hands in pockets and a thoughtful expression on his face — the bare-branched trees and empty enclosures around him setting a mood that is melancholy without ever feeling bleak. Taniguchi's cover art is characteristically understated, rendered with delicate line work and a muted, earthy palette that feels more like a watercolor reverie than a manga page. Published by Fanfare/Ponent Mon in 2011, this is exactly the kind of personal, reflective storytelling that makes Taniguchi one of the most distinctive voices in the medium.