X-Day (manga)
Plot. Rika Saginuma, Nanaka Shimada, Yumihiko Tsukumura, and biology teacher Reiichi Katano meet in a chatroom, where they go by the screennames 11, Polaris, Mr. Money, and Jangalian, respectively. While online, they discuss their frustrations and form a plan to blow up their school, which they see as the source of all their problems. As the characters get to know each other, they begin to realize that their problems are situated in other aspects of life, as well, not just from the school. The characters find solace in each other; a major topic of the manga is  loneliness. All of the characters implode inside as their problems condense. Jangalian is stalked by his boss's daughter, 11 can't deal with a younger girl's presumed superiority, Mr. Money has an abusive mother, and Polaris is crippled by shyness when she is not dressed as a Gothic Lolita. They deal with their problems through helping each other. Release. "X-Day" was written and illustrated by Setona Mizushiro in response to the Columbine High School massacre. It was serialized in the monthly manga magazine "Princess", beginning in the April 2002 issue, released on March 6, 2002, and concluding  in the December 2002 issue, released on November 6, 2002. Its nine chapters were collected into two volumes published by Akita Shoten under the Princess Comics imprint; an unrelated short story, "The Last Supper", was also included in the second volume. Tokyopop licensed the series for an English-language release in North America, publishing both volumes in 2003; the company closed its North American publishing division in 2011. The series was also licensed in Germany by Tokyopop Germany and in France by Asuka. Reception. In "", writer Shaenon K. Garrity praised "X-Day" for its accurate depiction of "the power and  fragility of online connections", noting that the series' "moments of beauty and keen observation ... have earned it a devoted fan base in Japan." However, Garrity felt that the first volume is stronger than the second volume, "in which more predictably -manga relationship clichés rear their pretty heads."