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dark mysterious sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
adventurous dark
mysterious tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

In a long-distant land, two kingdoms existed: the Outside, choked with twisted and cursed beasts, and the Inside, a haven for humans to live in peace. When a girl of the Inside and a beast of the Outside cross paths in the woods, the pages of a fairytale unfold. What will become of Shiva, who waits in vain for her aunt to return? And what of her guardian, the mysterious "Teacher" - his memory in fragments, he guards his young charge for reasons unknown even to him. Though forbidden to touch in fear of transmitting Teacher's curse, the beast and Shiva share a bond that transcends their disparate appearances. 

This was such a beautifully illustrated start to what promised to be a gothic, lore-drenched fairytale. I love crossovers between the human and inhuman, and while we're left with far more questions than answers in this volume, the mysteries thread nicely through the fragments of Shiva and Teacher's subsistence in their abandoned town. There are moments of tenderness - complicated all the more by their "no touching" rule, as well as real terror and threats of cruelty which feel jarring (in a good way) in what otherwise has the ethereal air of a child's fairytale. I am so curious to see where our story takes us and will be grabbing the next volume ASAP!

Expand filter menu Content Warnings

Really cute! The art is great, but it’s sometimes hard to tell who’s talking since the speech bubbles are a little random. I love the world and the characters. It’s very obvious the relationship between the girl and the teacher, and it warms my heart. I can’t wait to read the next part!
mysterious
dark mysterious fast-paced
dark mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

this is gorgeous and exactly what i wanted in a fantasy manga - it feels like folklore or old fables. i look forward to the rest of the series.
adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

This is giving me strong Ancient Magus Bride vibes and I am so here for it. There’s so many mysteries that are waiting to be solved and I cannot wait to read more of this. Also can we take a moment to appreciate how cute Nagabe’s art style is. Damn.. I can’t get enough