Daisuke Igarashi

”Ruka: When you see something special...
...Do you think it changes something inside of you?

Jim: Seeing something is the same thing as receiving a signal.
For example, when you use a remote control, it sends signals to the tv.
Sometimes seeing something can change your channel.
You may see things differently than before...
...or feel things differently...”

The theatrical release of Children of the Sea had to be postponed due to the pandemic. I am really looking forward to whenever it will be show more able to release now, it looks stunning. One of the things that really stuck out to me about the trailers is the distinguished hand drawn style. This made me curious about the manga and how similar the art would be between the two. So since this is a perfect time to catch up on the manga before seeing the movie, I gave it a try. I will definitely be reading the rest of the volumes!

In Children of the Sea, summer has just begun when Ruka is kicked off the handball team for repeated offenses. Now she ends up having to spend the summer at the aquarium where her dad works. When she meets two boys around her age that are staying at the aquarium, she becomes involved in a mystery that is effecting oceans worldwide. Whatever is going on, Ruka may have become involved a lot sooner than she thinks. When she was little, she saw a ghost in the aquarium tank but no one would believe her. Now, there is reason to believe and not only that, but to quickly find out what’s going on before more sea creatures disappear or die...which may just include the two boys who were raised for the first years of their lives by dugongs in the ocean.

The story is really interesting so far— there are so many mysteries! It seems like Ruka gets along much better with these two boys from the ocean than her peers at school, and maybe there’s a reason behind this that could help the trio figure out what’s happening. I also think the 3 testimonies of people who have encountered these brothers from the sea is neat. The art is really unique and evocative and I love the sketchy style in some parts. In particular, I love the way the eyes and the underwater panels are done. There are definitely moments that feel quite ethereal and otherworldly. All in all, I give this one ★ ★ ★ ★☆ 4/5 stars and I can’t wait to continue the series! show less

More and more intriguing. I'm probably gonna cry abt tides, memory formation, and dark matter later, in a good way. I do wish there was more watercolor, the scarcity of which I assume just has to do with the expense of reproduction, but!! It's so stunning, I want more!

I just love this series so far. The art is gorgeous, particularly the parts that are in the ocean, which actually makes up a fairly large part. I really like Ruka’s character as well and seeing the interactions between her, Umi, and Sora. Of course the mystery is a big pull in the series as well. And I love learning and reading about the science behind things and how we are all “star stuff,” everything being composed of the same materials and looking at how that causes us to interact show more with the universe around us and vice versa. This series gets pretty deep into that.

The birth of galaxies, the fact that over 80% of the universe is something we can’t see (dark matter), a connection between the life-giving aspects of creatures begot of ocean begot of space. Honestly just the general tone of these books and the movie as well…it feels meandering in a sense but it in the best kind of way. Like floating on the surface of water, gleaming epiphanies from the shapes in the clouds. show less

I saw the 2018 Korean film adaptation of this manga and absolutely loved it, so I thought I'd give the source material a read. "Little Forest" is a slice-of-life story stuffed with recipes, farmland, the countryside, and a slow, gentle meditation on the links between food and memory. Igarashi does such a beautiful job at illustrating the wilderness of nature and the personalities of each season that it's easy to fall right into the pages. Same with the food - it's drawn and talked about with show more such tenderness that you can tell the author cares a lot about these things. My favorite parts were actually the two pages at the end of each chapter that included photographs from Igarashi and his own cooking and farming experiences; those aspects remind me of food memoirs like “Relish” by Lucy Knisley.
If I had to pick, I’d say I actually enjoyed the film more than the book, but only because the screen really gives the story a chance to be just packed with sounds and sensory experiences that bring the little forest alive. If you watch the film and are craving more then definitely read this! show less