Liquor & Cigarettes

In Liquor & Cigarettes (2020–present, Viz), Ranmaru Zariya crafts a moody, adult romance set in a shadowy urban underworld. The series follows the charged relationship between a stoic, chain-smoking yakuza enforcer and a brash, hard-drinking bartender who refuses to be intimidated. Over its single issue to date, Zariya’s sleek, expressive art and slow-burn storytelling establish a taut, sensual atmosphere that has made this a standout in Viz’s mature-readers line. It matters as a concise, atmospheric character study that reimagines classic genre tropes with a contemporary queer sensibility.