It has been more than 20 years since manga first took off in North America, and publishers are releasing deluxe collectors editions of early classics such as "Sailor Moon" and "Fullmetal Alchemist." But the new series are still proliferating, and winnowing our list of the best titles published in the United States this year was a challenge. With an opposites-attract friendship story, an out-of-this-world road trip, and tales of outcasts finding community, even newcomers to manga will find something to tempt them. Higashimura, Akiko. Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey; Vol. 1 Grade 7 Up Every artist needs a mentor; for teenage Higashimura, it was a laconic, bamboo sword-wielding, tough-as-nails sensei who put the slacker student on the path to becoming the creator of "Princess Jellyfish" and "Tokyo Tarareba Girls." The Eisner Award-winning author-illustrator veers between sketch-like art and exaggerated cartoons in this candid ...