Gin Tama, Volume 1 Book

Edo period Japan has been taken over by aliens and the once-strong Samurai lie defeated, their swords now outlawed under the new regime. That is the setting in which our heroes - Gin, a former Samurai with a love of sweets and manga (a drop in his blood sugar levels means trouble for everyone), Kagura, a crazy (and) strong umbrella-weilding mercenary chick who can't stop eating, and Shinpachi, the one (and possibly only) sane man around trying to find the long lost Samurai spirit - do odd jobs to make ends meet. It doesn't always work out for them.

The first volume is a collection of six chapters, each featuring one or another (mis)adventure this crazy trio goes on. Weaving in and out of the plot are the Shinsengumi, the elite police of Edo, Gin's landlady, the anthropomorphic Amanto (aliens), Kotarou 'Cough Syrup' Katsura and various other oddballs. The storytelling is solid, hilarity ensues at the drop of a hat (or a bomb), fourth wall references are peppered throughout. The year has barely begun and I think I've already found out what's going to be the best part of my reads this year.