Tista

For those inclined towards darker, self-absorbed stories, "TISTA" by Tatsuya Endo is indubitably a must-read. It is a very short manga, only two volumes long, yet it brings such a punch. The story is about Tista Lone, a college girl who's secretly an assassin working for a religious organization in New York City. The contrast between her timid normal life and her cold, calculating self as a killer possesses an interesting hold. What I enjoy about "TISTA" is that it goes into her mind-it really does. She is not just any randomly overpowered assassin; there are demons from the past, and a morality question, which reallyfeels much more real. The entire atmosphere is dark, grimy, and the art conveys it all too well. Every single panel speaks volumes of the world she carries on her shoulders. On the flipside, however, since it is so short, parts do feel a little rushed. I would have liked it to spend a little more time fleshing out the side characters and the organization that she works for. But even all that, this is still a very strong read-one that stays with you. Very cool to see where Endo started, especially if you liked "Spy x Family"-this one's WAY darker, but you can definitely catch that knack for memorable characters.