Children of the Sea #1

Daisuke Igarashi's watercolor cover for this 2009 Viz volume sets the tone beautifully — three children drift through luminous turquoise water surrounded by fish of every size, from darting silver minnows to a massive striped sea creature, while a dark silhouetted figure tumbles weightlessly above the title lettering. The three young protagonists — a dark-haired girl floating face-up with striking green eyes, a spiky-haired boy in a school uniform, and a wide-eyed boy in a white shirt — radiate both wonder and unease, perfectly capturing a story where the ocean feels both welcoming and mysterious. With "Prologue" as the opening chapter, this first volume promises an immersive, thoughtfully crafted manga experience from a genuinely talented artist-writer.