Another

Synopsis

In the spring of 1998, 15-year-old Kouichi Sakakibara has just moved to the town of Yomiyama, where he is set to attend the local middle school Yomiyama North. However, when a past injury resurfaces, he is placed in hospital, leading him to miss the first week of school. Though he recovers quickly, before leaving he meets Mei Misaki, a strange, eye-patched girl whose cryptic mannerisms spark a subtle interest within the boy. At Yomiyama North, Kouichi is placed in Class 3-3. However, beneath the innocent atmosphere, he finds the class behavior odd: everyone seems to be on edge and watchful of Kouchi's actions. Moreover, Mei is a student in the class, yet both classmates and teachers don't show any regard to her, as if she is simply not there. Though more oddities arise and more questions spring forth, no one is willing to give Kouichi any answers. With little choice to ease his growing curiosity, Kouichi starts to pursue Mei for help, against both the class's and her own warnings. (Source: MAL)

Background

Another was originally serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's literary magazine Yasei Jidai (野性時代) intermittently from the July 2006 issue to the May 2009 issue. It was later published as a 677-page hardcover novel on October 29, 2009. Later it was re-published in 2-volume format on November 25, 2011, and again in 2-volume format under light novel label, Sneaker Bunko with illustrations by Noizi Ito on March 1, 2012; the cover art in the original was done by Enta Shiho. The novel ranked third place in both the 2010 Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! and the 2010 Honkaku Mystery Award. Two side stories have been released: the novel Another: Episode S and the manga Another: Episode 0. Ayatsuji is also planning a sequel novel. Another was published digitally in English by Yen Press in 2013. Yen Press published the series in print in a hardcover omnibus on October 28, 2014.