A review by storyatelier_
The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún Vol. 1 by Nagabe

challenging mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

In a world that is split very distinctly between the Insiders and the Outsiders, Shiva is a child who was originally from the Inside, but had been abandoned Outside for her own safety. She isn’t aware of this, and she befriends and is befriended by Teacher, a creature from the Outside who always looks after her but does not touch her—because, like all other Outsiders, he is cursed, and making contact with an Insiders can spread that curse to them.

I fell completely in love with this manga. I’m a sucker for student-mentor/found family stories, and that is precisely the core of Shiva and her Teacher’s relationship. Shiva is such a pure and cheerful child (she reminds me of WHA’s Coco), and it both breaks my heart and infuriates me the way she is treated as a sub-human monster just because she is spotted on the Outside. I’m sure there are a lot of allegorical undertones here of prejudice and xenophobia, and I’m looking forward to see where the rest of this series takes me.