In fairytale world there is the cursed land, where only monsters dwell, and the uncursed land, where humans live. The girl lives on the other side - the cursed side - somehow untouched by a curse but guarded by a cursed creature. Their quiet lives are disrupted by soldiers hunting the cursed…
This was a pretty good first volume but what is it with this weird title - “Siuil, a Run”, with accents over the both “u”s? Is that another language? No character here is called Siuil. Baffling.
And that’s my biggest issue with this book: there’s too much thrown at the reader to accept without explanation. What is this curse and where did it come from? How does it not affect Shiva, the little girl? If Teacher, her satyr-like guardian, is cursed then does that mean he used to be a human? Why are there abandoned towns - can the curse affect buildings too?
I don’t need to know everything in the first volume but, considering how little happens here, Nagabe could’ve fleshed out the story concepts a bit more. For the most part we just see Shiva and Teacher doing basic domestic things like preparing meals and chopping firewood. It’s not until the final act, when Shiva ventures out into the woods by herself, that anything exciting happens - and it was a great way to close out the book.
Still, the relationship between Shiva and Teacher is very sweet - both are pleasant protagonists to spend time with - and Shiva’s character is exactly how a girl her age behaves/talks (I have a niece her age).
Nagabe creates a fraught and enchanting atmosphere of tension and magic, to beguile and keep the reader turning the pages. The art is also very understated but beautiful - besides Shiva’s character design maybe, this book doesn’t look like most manga does.
I found it too vague and underwritten to be very satisfying but Nagabe gives the reader enough to enjoy the story of this first volume. A fine all-ages manga that’s kinda like a less scary Pan’s Labyrinth.
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