Fire Punch by Tatsuki Fujimoto, was voted edgiest manga beginning in 2018, so it is definitely not a good read for the squeamish! If you are not one of the faint-hearted, it is a fantastic read with incredibly well developed characters.

Orphaned siblings Agni, a male and Luna, a female, were born in a world with blessed people. These are people with a certain specific abilities that aren’t available to normal humans. The world suffers from an eternal extreme ice age, because of a blessed person known as the Ice Witch. Agni and Luna both have the ability to regenerate. They cut off their limbs to use for food and firewood to keep everyone alive in their small town. (Remember this is NOT for the faint-hearted!)

The leader of military belonging to the Ice Witch discovers the village while out hunting for slaves. He learns that the people have been surviving by resorting to cannibalism and uses his blessed power of fire to burn the town and all of its people. With Agni and Luna’s regeneration abilities, they melt down completely, but with just enough life left to regenerate in a horrible unstoppable cycle. Since Luna’s regeneration is slower than Agni’s, she ultimately does not survive. Agni is alone in the ice world, stuck in an eternal cycle of fire and torment. He has been consumed by Doma’s flames as a walking inferno. Agni has been in this cycle for eight long years and by year eight, he has learned to control his regeneration powers and confine the flames to his lower body away from his head. He spent these years searching for Doma and revenge.

Fire Punch was first released on January 16, 2018 by Viz Media; the second volume was released very recently on April 17, and the third volume will be released July 17, 2018. Tatsuki Fujimoto published multiple other manga that were never published in english: Koi Wa moumoku, Me Wo Sametara Onnanoko Ni Natteita Yamai, Niwa Ni Wa Niwatori Ga Ita, and Sasake-kun Ga Juudan Tometa.

Olivia Gelerman, 11, is the curator of several hundred works of manga, anime and graphic novels that can be found in a book collection for sale of 47 West. Her knowledge of these genres is extensive and she is happy to recommend certain books for tween and teen readers. Her monthly review on a book in these genres appears exclusively in Penobscot Bay Pilot.