Review – Children Of The Sea Volume One
A New Manga Series by Daisuke Igarashi
Oct 11, 2009 Brian Jungwiwattanaporn
Ruka sees a ghost of shimmering lights in her seaside town’s aquarium which sparks off a larger mystery involving the world’s oceans. A lonesome child, quick to anger, she befriends the enigmatic Umi whom she discovers swimming in the ocean near Tokyo. Umi and his older brother Sora are special, having a profound connection to the ocean which allows them to investigate a new phenomenon.
The World’s Fish are Disappearing
Ruka spends time at her small town’s aquarium where her father works. Here she also meets the puzzling Jim Cusack, who is searching for something unknown, and is also the caretaker of two special boys. Umi and Sora were raised in the ocean by dugongs (manatees), providing them a link to the water and a challenge to living on land. Ruka quickly takes to Umi as she seeks to unravel his mysteries.
Fish are disappearing from the world’s aquariums, while Jim, Umi, and Sora investigate the ocean. As a meteor crashes into the water, a disturbance in ocean life occurs. Rare, deep sea creatures wash up on the shore, and a convocation of whales occurs leading many other fish following in their wake. Umi and Sora, the children of the sea, investigate with Ruka in tow. The boys are also investigating Ruka who may be a kindred spirit and may have secret abilities of her own.
The tale borders on the surreal and veers into fantasy while grounded in the real world. Central to the story are the strange star like lights that glow off Umi and Sora along with certain marine animals. The story begins with an intriguing hook as a character tells us that this will be a story “about the ghosts that cross the seas,” and “about the path that connects the sea to space.” As the story unfolds the reader begins to unravel these enigmatic statements which continue to intrigue throughout.
Difficulties of Teenage Life
Children of the Sea has a sub plot about Ruka’s life as a teenager. As a child of divorced parents, she is often angry and confused. She finds an outlet through her friend Umi and the ocean. Ruka confronts a wealth of emotions, resentment, fear, joy which round out her likeable character. Daisuke Igarashi manages to capture subtlety in Ruka’s relationships with her parents. In addition to the magical realism of the main story, Ruka’s personal life is an engaging plot line.
The Art of Children of the Sea
Daisuke Igarashi’s art work is mesmerizing. Children of the Sea begins with dream like color panels and then switches to a straightforward black and white style. Although faces aren’t especially expressive in this manga, some scenes will captivate the reader’s imagination. Igarashi captures the silent spirit that emerges when diving underwater as well. The art work is light and often playful providing Children of the Sea with a whimsical charisma not found in other manga or graphic novels.
Children of the Sea Volume One
Children of the Sea is reminiscent of anime master Hayao Miyazaki’s work in terms of plot and twists to reality. Both the artwork and plot are engaging throughout. The characters are charming and the pacing is strong as the story’s central mystery is slowly being unveiled. Children of the Sea is appropriate for younger readers and volume one is a strong start to the series.
Children of the Sea Volume One (ISBN 978-1-4215-2914-1) by Daisuke Igarashi was published by Viz Media in 2009.
Children of the Sea
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