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adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This graphic novel had some unique formatting in that there was more narration than speech, and what speech there was rarely occurred in speech bubbles. I actually thought it worked well for the story as it didn’t feel too wordy and at the same was able to convey lots of information. The art style itself was great, perhaps a little too sketchy for my taste, but the watercolours used were fantastic.
The narrative itself had a wonderful fairytale-like quality to it that even on the surface level was enjoyable and well-structured. But the translator’s note by De Wit opened my eyes to richer layers of meaning and put into words some thoughts I had about the story. Namely, how the story is an allegory for [white supremacist] Western society being dependent on slave labour elsewhere and also being alienated from the production of goods, especially food. De Wit also points out both the fictional world and the [white supremacist] Western world contain “a people grown estranged from nature, a world knocked askew by greed.” There’s a definite sense of unnaturalness about the fictional world, one that is clearly mirrored in reality. I also didn’t realise how much this work influenced Miyazaki’s later works. Finally, I thought there wasn’t much to Shuna’s character but De Wit detailed how unique Shuna was in that his quest in not motivated by emergency, but by “a streak of pride and stubbornness verging on obsession”, and his desire for things to be better. Definitely a translator’s note worth reading!
As a final note, I always love Miyazaki’s world-building and that was no different here. I love how even when there are recognisable elements, he’s always able to add some twist that firmly places the story in a different world. In this particular story, I loved the strange creatures (perhaps intentionally strange to represent our [white people’s] warped relationship with nature?) and the detailed and varied clothing brought a lot of depth.
NB: De Wit doesn’t note the nuance of it being white supremacist Western society that is alienated and dependent on slave labour. I thought this was an important distinction to make as it is white people who have created this alienation and dependency, and people of the global majority in the West are forced to be a part of this system.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Kidnapping
Minor: Death, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: illness
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Trafficking
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Cannibalism
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence, Dementia
Minor: Cannibalism, War
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fans of Miyazaki are sure to love this; it reads very much like one of his movies, with a lot of narration, quite a few wordless panels, and very little dialogue. The artwork is, of course, beautiful, with many sweeping landscapes throughout the book.
It's an unusual little story, but enjoyable to read. I also recommend reading the afterward, because it gives historical and mythological context, as well as a little history on Miyazaki himself. This book was written just two years before Studio Ghibli became a thing, and I enjoyed reading some of the history behind it. Anyone who is a fan of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki will love every moment of this book!
It's an unusual little story, but enjoyable to read. I also recommend reading the afterward, because it gives historical and mythological context, as well as a little history on Miyazaki himself. This book was written just two years before Studio Ghibli became a thing, and I enjoyed reading some of the history behind it. Anyone who is a fan of Studio Ghibli and Miyazaki will love every moment of this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Slavery, Trafficking
Moderate: Death, Violence
Minor: Cannibalism, War
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence
Minor: Cannibalism
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A story with few words needed as the art speaks volumes in itself. I was enraptured with this watercolored manga brought to life, as most manga I read is inked. This was a beautiful change. The story also captured me about a young prince setting off to go in search of the golden grain to save his kingdom and finds much more. This was my first time experiencing Miyazaki’s work and it won’t be my last.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Trafficking
Moderate: Gun violence, Violence