In recent years, Japan has become the shining light of Asia, with its noteworthy achievements in the fields of Science and Technology, Medicine and the like. But while there are a great number of rich and successful Japanese people, there are even more who're engaged in a furious struggle simply to earn their day-to-day living expenses -- all the while battling dangerous and money-consuming addictions such as gambling and alcoholism. What will these people do when they require the cash to feed the never-ending desires that are part and parcel of being human? How miserable and dangerous might their lives become if they fall into traps set by black market money-lenders to ensnare just such weak-willed individuals? Note: Won the 56th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 2011. And the 23rd Japan Media Arts Festival Social Impact Award in 2020.
Shouhei Manabe
