Sweet Poolside

Shūzō Oshimi, the acclaimed creator of dark psychological dramas, pivots to a quieter, more sun-drenched world in Sweet Poolside (2023–present, Kodansha USA). This single-issue series follows a boy who spends his summer days at a public pool, where his infatuation with a classmate leads him to an unusual, obsessive form of caretaking. Known for his intense, introspective character work, Oshimi here explores adolescence and fixation under the glare of a summer sun, offering a taut, atmospheric character study that feels like a departure from his more horror-tinged stories. It's a brief but potent snapshot of the awkward, consuming nature of young love from a master of the medium.