In the year 20XX, the state of world affairs is changing at a dizzying pace. This is particularly clear in the growing military strength of countries neighbouring Japan, the issue of resources on the sea floor, disaster relief, underwater transport, maintaining order on the high seas and island defence. In response to a near-skirmish with China over the much-disputed Senkaku Islands, Japan builds the aircraft carrier "Ibuki" and organises a new fleet...

In the year 200X, a Japanese fleet consisting of 3 vessels leave on a mission to South America. After encountering a storm, the ship JDS Mirai find itself without its escorts and in the year 1942, traveling towards the island of Midway to face the American fleet in one of largest battles in naval history. The crew of the Mirai must decide whether or not to change the course of history by involving itself in WWII.

Won the Kodansha Manga Award for general manga in 2002.

Japan is hit by a series of monumental natural disasters that leave the country fragmented and its people devastated. Follow the lives of its citizens as they deal with massive emigration to refugee camps on the Asian mainland and try to solve the political task of rebuilding their nation.

A Spirit of the Sun is also a retelling and melding of two well-known stories in Japan. The setting is directly lifted from the early '70s disaster science-fiction book and movie "Nippon Chinbotsu," (Japan Sinks) while many of the characters are allegorical to the key players in the Eastern classic "Sangokushi" (The Three Kingdoms). Sangokushi aficionados may discover greater entertainment by watching the characters in A Spirit of the Sun closely to spot these resemblances.

From Kaiji Kawaguchi, the author of Silent Service, Eagle and Zipang (as well as the artist for Confession).

A Spirit of The Sun received the 2006 Shogakukan Manga Award for the seinen/general category along with Rainbow by Masasumi Kakizaki and George Abe.

From Manga Daisuki:
Araragi Riuichi is a law student. But unlike others, he is very aware of human lives and how people can toy with them. So when he sees that a man is trying to kill a kid, he decides to come in action. But although he believes it's the right thing to do, the police doesn't share his idea, and so Araragi goes off on his own to fulfill his dreams and make a better world. But then in his way... The Araragi Way.

It is predicted that there is a 70 percent possibility of an earthquake directly hitting Tokyo within the next 30 years. Are you prepared?

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has compiled a manual called “Disaster Preparedness Tokyo” (Tokyo Bousai) to help households get fully prepared for an earthquake directly hitting Tokyo and other various disasters. The manual includes a short manga, Tokyo "X" Day, to give Tokyo residents an idea of what to expect if a magnitude 7 earthquake hits.

"This original manga comic vividly describes how Tokyo would be like just before and immediately after a major earthquake. Imagine yourself in these situations and take actions to be prepared."