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A review by brittanymwillows
Stray Souls by MAF
5.0
Stray Souls has more than earned its spot as one of my Top Five Webtoons. The storytelling is intriguing, and if I had a checklist of all my favourite tropes, every box would be ticked. The worldbuilding has a depth you can just feel even though I'm pretty sure we're only just scratching the surface in the Season One. We've got a vast array of fictional places and species, a diverse cast of characters carrying tangible histories behind them—even many of the supporting characters.
The protagonists, Eylin and Vaekal, have given me SO MANY FEELINGS over the course of their journey so far. Their relationship starts off a bit rocky, but by the end of the first season, they're starting to open up to each other. And Zyrak, bless his chaotic bastard soul, has stolen a place in my heart alongside them. It's very easy to love the side characters in this story as well, even if they only appear for a single episode (or a panel, even).
It's clear Maf has poured a lot of time, effort, and love into this universe and its characters. Also, the art?? is stunning??? The characters are beautifully designed and unique and I am . . . such a sucker for all the glowy magical stuff in this. It's come a long way since the first unfinished version of the comic I read, too (before it was removed). I thought it was gorgeous back then, but the new version is even better, and the pacing now is *chef's kiss*
I highly recommend checking this out if you're a fan of slow-burn magic fantasies with a lot of snark, cool aesthetics, badass fantasy tech, and expansive fictional worlds.
Eagerly (but patiently) awaiting Season Two!
The protagonists, Eylin and Vaekal, have given me SO MANY FEELINGS over the course of their journey so far. Their relationship starts off a bit rocky, but by the end of the first season, they're starting to open up to each other. And Zyrak, bless his chaotic bastard soul, has stolen a place in my heart alongside them. It's very easy to love the side characters in this story as well, even if they only appear for a single episode (or a panel, even).
It's clear Maf has poured a lot of time, effort, and love into this universe and its characters. Also, the art?? is stunning??? The characters are beautifully designed and unique and I am . . . such a sucker for all the glowy magical stuff in this. It's come a long way since the first unfinished version of the comic I read, too (before it was removed). I thought it was gorgeous back then, but the new version is even better, and the pacing now is *chef's kiss*
I highly recommend checking this out if you're a fan of slow-burn magic fantasies with a lot of snark, cool aesthetics, badass fantasy tech, and expansive fictional worlds.
Eagerly (but patiently) awaiting Season Two!