Is, Vol. 14, 14, Paperback

Shy Ichitaka has a crush on his high school classmate Iori, but ever since she posed for semi-provocative swimsuit photos in a magazine, she's had a lot of sleazy guys hitting on her. Ichitaka's afraid to make his feelings known for fear Iori will think he's just another creep.

Although officially they're going out, Ichitaka is seeing less of Iori since she landed a role in a popular television drama. His feelings of alienation increase when her agent tells him he can't see her for the duration of the filming schedule. In the meantime, Ichitaka gets to know his new next-door neighbor, Aiko Aso. As the days pass, he finds himself growing attracted to her. Things begin to heat up when Aiko is abandoned by her old boyfriend. As Aiko becomes more available, and Iori drifts further away, Ichitaka has to decide whether or not to hold on to an increasingly impossible dream.

About author(s):Known among anime circles as the character designer for IRIA: ZEIRAM THE ANIMATION, Katsura is also a popular manga artist. His works, from the story of an unlikely superhero in WINGMAN to the saga of a girl who gains powers from magic eyeshadow in SHADOW LADY, display a quirky sense of humor and a fondness for O. Henry-like plot twists. Katsura is also celebrated in fan circles as an artist with a hand for lush screen-tones and an unparalleled eye for nubile young ladies, best noted in the shapely Iria-like bounty hunter in his manga D.N.A.2 (D.N.A. squared).