Birds of Shangri-La #2

Ranmaru Zariya's Birds of Shangri-La continues with this lush second volume, its cover presenting a sharp-featured young man with pink-tinged hair draped casually in an ornate peacock chair, open black robe and bare feet radiating an air of studied indolence amid a backdrop of tropical palms and vivid blooms. The deliberate, almost confrontational composure of the figure — hands resting on the armrests, gaze level and cool — sets a tone that is equal parts elegance and tension. For readers already drawn into this mature Viz title, volume 2 promises the same moody, beautifully rendered atmosphere established from the start.