MAJOR
by Mitsuda Takuya

Overview: Honda Goro, from his early years in grade school, has been striving to become a professional baseball player like his deceased father. Now, in Kaidou high school, he is facing new challenges.
This issue: The man who recruited Honda to Kaidou has come to check on him during a baseball game test, and is shocked by teacher Suou's treatment of him, like putting him out in the field, instead of on the pitching mound. Suou retorts that Honda, because he's not an obedient follower, shouldn't have been recruited. He also says he won't allow Honda to pass the exam. In the game, meanwhile, Honda encourages a struggling player and reminds him that baseball is a cooperative sport where teammates can help out and compensate for one's mistake. But he also loudly reminds the other boy that they aren't playing baseball for the sake of the teacher. Suou's expression changes as he hears the comment.

MAGIC KAITO
by Aoyama Goushou

Overview: Normally Aoyama Goushou writes MEITANTEI CONAN, but here he has very briefly forayed into the character of the "Kaitou Kid" (Kuroba Kaito) a brilliant thief/magician (and hero of his own series) who has run into Conan (Kudou Shinichi) on occasion.
This issue: Kudou Shinichi (Conan) has arrived on the scene of the Kid's attempt to steal the diamonds off the hands of a huge clocktower that had been sold and slated for removal. Kudou's sharp thinking nearly completely throws the Kid off balance, but the Kid manages to escape. The Kid's actions allowed the town to uncover the fact the diamonds on the clock were fake, and to buy back and keep the clocktower. The clocktower also happened to have been the romantic reminder of where Kaito had first met his girlfriend, and he manages to re-enact their meeting. It was all a magic act set up by the Kid.

KARAKURI CIRCUS
by Fujita Kazuhiro

Overview: Masaru is a grade school boy who is the heir to a vast fortune. Shirogane, a French woman who controls a powerful puppet, is his bodyguard. Far away, their friend Narumi is becoming embroiled in an ancient battle against evil living puppets.
This issue: Narumi has saved the Queen Ellie from those who would seize the mythical "soft stone," but Ellie, who overhears Narumi and the others' conversation, explains cynically that she didn't particularly want to be saved. Narumi observes she couldn't possibly have the stone, for her smile looks just like a mannequin's. Later, as she watches Narumi entertain people in the town, and as the others try to see if she has the "soft stone" within her, Narumi's words echo in her mind. Meanwhile, her uncle is in league with the living puppets; he wants the "soft stone" so he can regain his health.

NAGISA ME KOUNIN
by Kitazaki Taku

Overview: Nagisa is cheerful high school girl who is a brilliant long-distance runner. She is in love with Masato, a brooding runner who is having trouble adjusting to longer distance races.
This issue: Nagisa has threatened to quit running over the adults' attempts to separate her from Masato, who is viewed as a risk factor in her development as a top athlete. Masato tries to encourage her to keep running, but as Nagisa talks about how she most admires her parents among all athletes, he winds up agreeing to live with her in her "hometown" of boondocks Oita instead. At least he gets her to agree to run the next day's race. But at dinner at a restaurant, they meet a family that pays for their meal (because neither Masato nor Nagisa had enough money). It turns out the mother is running against Nagisa the next day, and the family's little girl demands that Nagisa let her mother win....