From one of the most anticipated names Masaoki Shindous first manga series Ruri Dragon became Shonen Jumps newest big hit Its first volume debuted with 74874 copies sold in 6 days. Making it the second biggest debut in the magazine The rookie mangaka debuted in Jump Cross at the age of 17 and went on to win Jumps Treasure Newcomer Manga Award in July 2016 with Twin Peach. After a few more oneshots Shindou started their first series Ruri Dragon. The manga follows Ruri Aoki who one day woke up with two horns growing out of her head. Her mother reveals that the reason might be because her father is a dragon. Although confused and shocked Ruri decides to go to school unbeknownst to the chaotic life which lies ahead of her. This story was an unexpectedly relaxing and entertaining read. Even though Ruri is from a different race many people around her are understanding and supportive. In real life that wont always be the case but in contrast there is an abundance of such stories discussing discrimination. As a result this title can be a bit refreshing. Although I always try to act mature and responsible around youngsters there certainly are times when on the inside Im completely confused or panicking like crazy. Of course I cant show that in front of them cause it will make things a lot worse. So either I have to stay calm and fix it myself or get the help of other adults and try to sort it out together. Which was exactly what Ruris mother did and I found that quite relatable. And in addition the dialogues flow neatly and realistically. Similar to titles like Dandadan they dont feel like tongueincheek clichs or overly smart adults in the skin of children. They talk like regular people which is surprisingly rare in the medium. Since its only the first volume the story has yet to develop into something complex or delve deep into its characters. The art is not anything mindblowing yet it is a delight to read. Character designs are wellillustrated and meaningful. Some notable ones would be Yuka with her soft curvy and bouncy shapes that match her bright and cheery personality and the homeroom teacher with his rigid lines that gives the feeling of firmness and maturity however his not straight but wavy hair hints at his laidback nature. And finally we cant forget our protagonist Ruri she has a plain design that works well with her introverted personality. As a result those sharp horns stand out a lot more showing that there might also be an aggressive side to her. Of course being a good illustrator is only half of the job for a mangaka. But Shindou doesnt fall short on the other technicalities either. The eyes are neatly guided through pages of wellplaced speech bubbles great framing and thoughtful layouts. These pages give time and space for the smaller interactions to build up into more impactful moments contained within larger panels with plenty of room. One of the best examples of that is the final page of chapter 4. Finally would I recommend Ruri Dragon to general manga readers? Aye its an easy recommendation for those who love sliceoflife series. The first volume felt like an iyashikei but whether itll stay that way or develop into something more complicated is something only time can tell. Sadly Ruri Dragon is currently on hiatus due to the authors poor health. I sincerely pray for the authors health and hope once fully recovered theyll continue the series. Furthermore this essay will be rewritten with the release of new volumes as well.