Inhabitants of the Inside must never cross to the Outside, on fear of being cursed by the monstrous ones exiled beyond the walls. However among an abandoned village in the forest an Outsider watches over a young child from the other side in seeming harmony…
This is a fantastically unique manga, with a slice of life feel within a dystopian setup. It features a cursed monster and a little girl he’s acting as guardian for going about their daily lives amidst more significant and perilous developments building in the background. I found it to be wonderfully told, with atmospheric, stylistic art and just the right pacing. The little touches and details of what’s depicted let this shine, and I already really care about the two leads. In some ways this reminds me a bit of the webcomic Hemlock in feel, although obviously the story and setup are quite different.
So far The Girl from the Other Side builds around a wonderfully simple core concept with an intriguing world and strong emotional context to give its tale depth. This volume ends with a rather big cliffhanger, which makes me even more curious to read what’s next. Great start.
Derailments of Thought 