The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún. Totsukuni no Shoujo.

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún. Totsukuni no Shoujo. Story and art by Nagabe. 5 Volumes. Ongoing.

Totsukuni no Shoujo has all the makings of a children’s fable—more Grimms’ than Mother Goose.

Once upon a time, in a far-off kingdom, the land was separated into two: the Outside and the Inside. Cursed beasts inhabited the darkness of the Outside. Humans lived peacefully and safely within the borders of the Inside. Insiders are told never to come in contact with a resident of the Outside for—with a single touch from an Outsider—they shall be cursed with a hideous form and permanently exiled.

The story takes place in between these worlds of light and dark where a human girl from the Inside, Shiva, and her cursed beast guardian (an Outsider), known only as Teacher, live a seemingly, ordinarily mundane life until one day…

The storytelling is meticulous and doesn’t easily give forth information but instead takes the reader on a twisting and turning quest for answers. It is a dark and mysterious journey for readers and characters alike.

The artwork is dark and subdued with incredible attention to detail—in even the smallest of panels. The black-and-white sketch-like artwork perfectly sets the stage for this dark and haunting tale.

Totsukuni no Shoujo is an intriguing story and I am curious to see where it leads.

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