Manga Review – The Girl from the Other Side Vol 1 by Nagabe (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Manga/Fantasy
Length: 180 pages
Publisher: Seven Seas
Release Date: January 24, 2017
ISBN-13: 978-1626924673
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in The Girl from the Other Side series
Source: Bought
Rating: 5/5 stars

“In a world split between the Inside and the Outside, those living in both realms are told never to cross over to the other side, lest they be cursed. A young girl named Shiva lives on the other side, in a vacant village with a demonic guardian known only as “Teacher.”

Although the two are forbidden to touch, they seem to share a bond that transcends their disparate appearances. But when Shiva leaves Teacher’s care to seek out her grandmother, the secret behind her mysterious living arrangement comes to light.”

I was drawn to the cover of this manga at the bookstore and delighted by the description and the illustration throughout. This is described as a “quiet fairy tale” and that is a wonderful description of this book. I really enjoyed this a lot; it’s mysterious and very different from other manga I have read.

The illustration is detailed and beautiful and I loved the scenes between Shiva and the demon, Teacher, that takes care of her. The scenes between them are sweet and humorous all at once, and I enjoyed the father-daughter relationship they have developed. Teacher takes care of Shiva with what seems to be a some puzzled bemusement as he learns to navigate her desire for tea parties and storytelling. Shiva’s childish enthusiasm was sweet and contagious and fun to read about.

The whole story is shrouded in mystery. Some of the mythology behind how the Outside and the Inside became separate is given; however there is a lot of mystery around this Curse. Supposedly if an Outsider touches an Insider then the Insider is cursed to change into an evil demonic beast. This has caused the Insiders to hate and hunt the Outsiders.

The book ends on a cliffhanger which has me dying to know what happens to Shiva next. I loved how this story flowed and how sweet, mysterious, and humorous it was. This was a very unique manga and I definitely plan on continuing the series.

Overall this is an amazing manga that is very different from other fantasy mangas I have read. This manga builds a unique world around the quiet and fairy-tale-like life of two creatures that aren’t meant to live in the same world. The illustration is beautiful and easy to follow and I enjoyed it a lot. I would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy manga and those to whom the description of “a quiet fairy-tale” manga appeals.

This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge
– New Release Reading Challenge
– Graphic Novel Reading Challenge
– Flights of Fantasy Reading Challenge