Kaijuu no Kodomo
Children of the Sea

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First thing first the art for the character is can be crude at times. But after reading it for a while, you get suck in to the character designs. And not to mention the beautiful art for the ocean and sea creatures! The story is not for everyone because it takes detours for shot side-story's, so it can talk about the mystery's of the sea. The story is also these leave it up to the reader to decide.

It's defiantly not a story for these with weak stomachs it talks about human biology in great details like showing humans organs in a diagram.

Out of 100 Nobles watching...
100 were impressed! Really!

Here we have a perfect storm. I have a very big soft spot for anything Ocean/Aquatic themed on top of the fact that the realistic sketchy ink and watercolor art style of this work being something very similar to my own personal style when I pursued traditional 2d art when I was younger.

It may seem from the get-go I am biased to praise this Manga but even without a natural fit for my own tastes the story of Children of the Sea is something that is so unique and interesting it really stands out as a one of ... a kind work of art. That said if you don't like lots of dialogue this may not be for you (though I would ask why you're reading books if not for dialogue).

The main character Ruka is a refreshing female protagonist with her own flaws and feelings that make her feel very real and believable; something that a lot of anime and manga lack in their characters. The author Daisuke Igarashi's attention to detail with his environments and depiction of wildlife as well as the dialogue itself really shows that he put in his research for this project and as a result has caused me to add him to my list of favorite people so I will remember to look into his other works.

No matter how good something is I tend to be at least a little critical for the sake of being so. Generally something will turn me off that won't ruin my experience, but will leave a lasting enough impression to make a work come a few points short of 100. That is not the case with Children of the Sea // Kaijuu no Kodomo.

Last Bit: Fun Kanji Note

The title 海獣の子供 uses 海獣 here for kaijyuu meaning a marine mammal such as a seal or whale rather than 怪獣 kaijyuu meaning a monster making the translation I tend to see of Sea Monster Children seem maybe a little off and maybe it should more accurately be Sea Mammal Children (which is fitting given the context of the story)? My Japanese is at a grade school level though so I'll try not to be a scholar about it...

The seas are fascinating, and have always held a special place in mankind’s history.

Beautiful yet also turbulent and treacherous, they have divided or bridged cultures and destroyed or benefited civilizations in equal measure. Mythologies and sailors’ superstitions are among the most prominent examples of mankind recognizing the seas’ majesty.

Kaijuu no Kodomo pays homage to this, but is also a unique sample of ecological storytelling, although Daisuke Igarashi is following an approach different of say, Hayao Miyazaki.


[1. Beginning with the story…]

Taking place at a typical modern setting by the seaside in Japan, the story begins during summer. The protagonist is Ruka, a teenage girl with divorced ... parents. Her father works in an aquarium, where she gets acquainted with two mysterious boys named Umi and Sora.

At this point, readers are introduced to supernatural mystery. And gradually, more and more anomalies connected to the sea occur, which baffle marine biologists. However, Daisuke Igarashi does not limit his scope here. Instead, he expands the mystery towards a bigger picture and connects human condition with nature, from which mankind attempts to detach, but in reality remains but a thread of a grand tapestry. This is not unlike what is expressed in the Nausicaä manga.

Retracing to the introduction however, I mentioned how his approach differs from Miyazaki’s. The latter connects in Nausicaä many ideas from social and natural sciences with personal tales to forge a big picture, and the setting covers the land environment. On the other hand, Igarashi connects marine biology, mythology and cosmology with personal “testimonies” connected to the sea.

The result is simply put, unorthodox. I could summarize it as “abstract and monistic, sensual and symbolical”. Some chapters are dialogue-heavy, whereas others go for “show, don’t tell”. Questions are left unanswered, the story has a lot of disbelief to suspend and interpretation is more recommended rather than taking it at face value.


[2. Continuing with characters…]

Ruka is a not-too-ordinary teenage girl. She is quite athletic, independent and mature but also highly introverted and dismissive/aggressive towards her peers. Overall, she gives off the impression of being a true person, warts and all.

The main trio is composed of her and the titular “children of the sea/marine mammals”, Umi and Sora. They too are mature yet detached from their peers but also much more unusual, for they were raised in the sea under unusual circumstances. Their origins drive the narrative, whereas Ruka and the rest of the cast act as observers. The rest also help bridge human condition with the bigger picture, by being part of “personal testimonies” connected to the sea. No true antagonist exists, only humans with conflicting views and different pasts, influenced by the sea in their own ways.


[3. And concluding with the artwork...]

Character designs are realistic if somewhat crude and odd-proportioned at times, but sufficient for the goals of this manga.

The true stars however are the depictions of landscapes and of wildlife and the textures. Oceanic and land environments and marine wildlife - be it e.g. starfish, cetaceans or manta - are brought to life by meticulous (almost photorealistic) sketchy drawing, characterized by rough yet rich linework.

There are also colored (and some colorless) pages whose textures and shading resembles watercolor, adding to the already unique artwork.

Artwork is at its finest during the “show, don’t tell” moments of the narrative, when it becomes purely visual and lets nature do the talk in the place of the characters. Mythological elements are also portrayed quite vividly.

Hope you enjoyed my review!