Sanda #1

Sanda, written by Paru Itagaki and serialized starting in 2021, emerged as a follow-up to her breakout success with Beastars. The series marks a stylistic shift for Itagaki, moving away from anthropomorphic social commentary toward a surreal, darker exploration of adolescence and cultural mythology in a modern Japanese school setting.

The first volume introduces a world where the physical maturation of teenagers is tied to complex, ritualistic traditions involving Santa Claus, a concept designed to subvert the innocence usually associated with the holiday figure. The character designs feature Itagaki's signature expressive, slightly jagged linework, which she utilized to emphasize the psychological tension and uncomfortable transitions of her protagonists.